Seed Valley is the global hub for plant breeding, seed cultivation and seed processing for the professional horticulture industry. In this small region north of Amsterdam, the purposeful hybridisation and selection of seed varieties has been the focus for generations. This area is home to dozens of companies specialising in the breeding, production and sale of high-quality seeds and basic plant material. For example, Syngenta is one of the international players based in Seed Valley.
What Silicon Valley is to IT and software, Seed Valley is to the development of new vegetable and flower varieties. On the market for horticultural seeds, ‘Seeds from Holland’ is an indestructible trademark. At the Seed Valley seed companies, 86% of the turnover is realized abroad. The companies not only sell their seeds abroad, but also breed and produce locally. They serve the global market on a tailor-made basis from all continents and climate zones. Local specialists are assisted by Dutch colleagues who transfer their knowledge. Did you know that over 50% of vegetables originate in Seed Valley? The companies in Seed Valley are the source of healthy vegetables and colorful flowers.
The development of new varieties requires knowledge of, among other things, plant cultivation, genetics, cell biology, biochemistry and bioinformatics. Specialists work in a team. The classical principles of genetics, the selection of the desired traits and the introduction of new technologies go together in this process. Where previously a breeder had to wait until a plant was fully grown to see whether it became a yellow or red pepper, for example, this is now possible at an early stage in the DNA of a seedling. This makes the breeding process two or three times faster.
Breeders collect a lot of information about the properties of plants with the help of automation and bioinformatics. This makes it possible to bring new varieties to the market more quickly. Developments in seed technology also ensure that the quality of seeds continues to improve: they germinate at the same time, grow uniformly and are more resistant to diseases.
Do you want more information about Seed Valley? Click the button and you will go directly to the Seed Valley website.
