Devgen and Sang Hyang Seri announce hybrid rice production cooperation in Indonesia
Ghent - Jakarta, Devgen (EURONEXT, Brussels: DEVG) and Sang Hyang Seri, today announced a further strengthening of their relationship through the creation of a Hybrid Rice Strategic Business Unit for hybrid rice seed production.
The business unit is a contractual joint venture that will be jointly managed. Sang Hyang Seri (SHS), the government owned seed company will provide local expertise, land and infrastructure. Today SHS produces and supplies ~100,000 ton of certified rice seed (close to one third of the country’s rice seed requirements). Devgen will provide hybrid rice production technology. Produced seed will be distributed by SHS and Devgen within Indonesia.
The companies already have ongoing cooperations in R&D and distribution of hybrid rice in Indonesia. Under these agreements the companies have been testing Devgen’s hybrid rice pipeline across Indonesia. Indonesia is South East Asia’s largest rice growing country with approx. 12 million ha under rice cultivation of which only a few percent is hybrid today.
"Hybrid rice are a key tool to increase the rice farmer’s productivity in Indonesia but to be successful requires products suited to the country’s agro-climatological conditions and farmer’s needs" says Dr. Thierry Bogaert, Devgen’s CEO. "Devgen’s hybrid rice pipeline has over 15 years of breeding history in S.E. Asia and is validated with respect of local needs".
"We are pleased to work with Devgen, a leader in rice breeding and hybrid seed technology" says Mr. Eddy Budiono, the President Director of Sang Hyang Seri "With this cooperation we will, as per government guidance, provide the Indonesian farmer with the best, locally produced, hybrid rice to increase yield and productivity in the country. The result will be significantly realized in the next few years"
About SHS
Pt Sang Hyang Seri is a government wholly owned company dealing with seed, fertilizer and agrochemicals with offices and farms across Indonesia.
About Devgen
Devgen’s mission is to enable farmers to sustainably grow more food on less land, with less water, agrochemicals and labour.
Devgen uses advanced biotechnology and molecular breeding technology to make high yielding seeds and crop protection solutions with a superior environmental profile.
Devgen brings this technology to the market in the world’s major food and feed crops through two complementary strategies:
- Licensing Devgen technology for use in corn, cotton and soy and selected other crops in exchange for R&D funding, and milestone and royalty payments.
- Producing and selling its premium hybrid seeds in major field crops such as rice, sunflower, sorghum, and pearl millet, in the Indian subcontinent and S.E. Asia.
In its Crop Protection unit, Devgen develops a novel nematicide, an agro-chemical product that protects crops from damage by parasitic nematodes.
Incorporated in 1997, Devgen has offices in Ghent (Belgium), Singapore, Hyderabad (India) and Delaware (US) and employs more than 200 people.
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