New HZPC structure generates growth TRADE AND MARKET I NG means that you must be there before this happens, otherwise you’ll be too late. You’ve just set up Solentum BV, a new knowledge company. Why? ‘We’ve developed lots of knowledge and many products in our organisation over many years. We’ve developed machinery and software for our breeding programme ourselves in order to carry out independent and reliable measurements. In Solentum BV, our new company, in which we’ve invested 2 FTEs, we want to refine these products and services and subsequently offer them to our partners in the chain. An example of such a product is Soleye, a technology that can accurately and consistently measure the colour of boiled potatoes and chips. An initial public offering or sale to a multinational is not the intention of the new structure says Gerard Backx. increase a bit. Especially if you compare this with other big field crops, our investment in R&D is still small. If we want to make progress in the world of potatoes, we’ll need to invest a great deal more in research.’ How will you finance that? ‘In the worldwide market of seed potatoes, HZPC is only a small company. We only supply 2 percent of the over 30 million tons of potato seed in the world. There’s still a lot to be gained in that respect. What’s so intriguing is that growers in African and Asian countries grow so many potatoes from old varieties, and ones that are fully infected with viruses. If they’d use good material, their yields would immediately triple. This is why we’ve been collaborating closely with the International Potato Center (CIP) in Peru. This organisation has a great deal of knowledge, experience and a wide network in upcoming economies in Africa and Asia. Quite often, you can’t transport containers with seed potatoes to these areas. This means that you need to think of another way to supply these areas with a good quality seed. Maybe we ‘A game changer could be hybrid potatoes from seed’ should start growing seed potatoes in the mountains and sell locally-grown user seed or introduce mini tubers. You can think of all kinds of ways, but the point is to find the right one. We’re going to set up a team that will specifically research such developments. Look, if it should turn out that local multiplication isn’t possible, than it just isn’t possible. But if somebody else can do it, then so can we. This also applies to more familiar markets such as Russia. The moment it’s possible to grow seed potatoes in that country, the Russians will close the borders for the import of seed. This ‘Given our climate and growing season, we should easily be able to cultivate 100 tons per hectare’ This type of technology is terribly important to our breeding station, because the human eye is extremely subjective and we need objective data for assessing new varieties. This technology can also be interesting for others. This application is now already being used by a number of large processing companies. Another example is the Solgrader app. Simple photographs are giving growers an idea of the size of their crops, and offers buyers fast, reliable data about developments in the fields. These developments are not our core business, but we do offer products that might also help other companies along. This wider market approach and extra focus will increase our total turnover in the long run and therefore the gross margin, so that the R&D budget can also increase further.’ What will have changed in 2030, meaning your plans will have come true? ‘Potato breeding is a complex process which involves a wide range of genetic challenges. For example, given our climate and growing season, we should easily be able to cultivate 100 tons per hectare. Why don’t we do more than 50 to 60 tons per hectare? Technologically speaking, a great deal is possible that we would like to utilise. So it’s important that the government starts outlining how we can use new technology such as CrisperCas 9, a technology that has been common practice in medical science for a long time. We can then make significant progress without introducing foreign DNA. In this way, we’ll be able to sustainably supply the growing world population with healthy food in the 2030s and beyond.’ ● Jaap Delleman Potato World 2017 • number 1 9 Pagina 8
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