Bayer, Solynta partner to roll out hybrid potato seeds in Kenya, India

German agrochemicals giant Bayer on Monday said it has agreed to collaborate with Dutch potato breeding company Solynta for commercialisation and distribution of true potato seeds in Kenya and India.

The partnership marks Bayer's entry into the global potato market and represents its first collaboration with Solynta, a specialist in developing hybrid potato varieties.

According to Bayer, the initiative aims to introduce true potato seeds as an alternative to traditional seed tubers. These seeds require only 25 grams per hectare compared to 2,500 kg of seed tubers, offering significant logistical and disease-control advantages.

Bayer will leverage its distribution networks in Kenya and India to commercialise Solynta's hybrid potato varieties, targeting smallholder farmers in remote areas, it said in a statement.

 

"We expect these true potato seeds to have a positive impact on local communities and on food and nutritional security in Kenya and India," Bayer's Crop Science Division Head of Strategy & Sustainability Frank Terhorst said.

Solynta CEO Peter Poortinga said the true potato seeds are the result of almost two decades of work on hybrid potato breeding technology.

The collaboration aims to address the shortage of high-quality potato starting material in both regions. Kenya, where potato is the second most important staple crop, faces limited supplies of disease-free seed tubers.

India, the world's second-largest potato market, requires robust varieties adaptable to various climate zones.

Financial details of the agreement were not disclosed.