KWS to strengthen potato business

By CnAgri Print During the last two years, KWS POTATO B.V. took huge steps to establish a new central potato breeding station near Emmeloord, Netherlands. Furthermore, the company is currently adjusting its strategic focus in breeding, seed production and sales.

With the formation of KWS POTATO B.V. in 2011, a period of reorganization and integration of the KWS potato business started. The relocation to the new headquarters now formed the basis for further improvements such as hiring of new employees and significant investments in infrastructure.

The acquisition of 96 ha of farmland in the Noordoostpolder was the start of KWS’ strategic plan to establish a central potato breeding station with modern office, storage and greenhouse facilities. This will enable KWS POTATO B.V. to improve and accelerate the product development due to a higher quality of field trials, better testing environment and stronger phytosanitary protection. The station will be fully integrated into an international research and breeding network and this way benefit from the global experience and modern technologies of the KWS Group.

The station will officially celebrate its opening during the “Potato Europe” in September 2013 to which everybody is invited.

In addition to the construction of the breeding station, KWS POTATO B.V. has decided to focus and streamline its strategy. The future activities will concentrate on the segments French fries, crisp and the traditional table export markets in the Middle East, North Africa as well as South and East Europe. The processing segment with a number of multinational players is a growing field in which KWS offers a competitive advantage through its wide network of KWS subsidiaries. The development of new table retail varieties will be stopped.

KWS POTATO B.V. will adapt its organization accordingly and focus its resources on core competences and the existing portfolio strengths in favor of the potato industry. The trend of a double digit multiplication growth is planned to be continued in the future. KWS will focus its production activities in the best regions and with the best growers by offering them strong varieties and innovative collaboration models.