KWS acquires tomato breeder Geneplanta

摘要

German seed company KWS Saat (Einbeck) has acquired Italian tomato breeding company Geneplanta (Noceto). Its major markets are Italy and Mexico. KWS has set a long term “strategic goal” to establish a significant position in the field of vegetable seeds. The company says that it is developing its vegetable seed business through a “greenfield approach” with organic growth, supplemented by “suitable” acquisitions and the sales of licensed-in varieties. It acquired Dutch seed company Pop Vriend Seeds in 2019, and has since launched breeding activities in Spain, Brazil and Turkey. KWS estimates the value of the vegetable seeds market to be around €5 billion ($6 billion) annually. The company rates tomatoes as among its most strategically relevant vegetable crops along with peppers, cucumbers, melons and watermelons.