08 March 2022
|
MDs look back on history of company
INTERNATIONAL trading house for seed potatoes, EUROPLANT Pflanzenzucht GmbH, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year.
Founded in 1992, it has explanded its distribution over the years to become one of the world's most important suppliers of seed potatoes of innovative varieties and it is part of the EUROPLANT Group.
Jörg Eggers, Managing Director of EUROPLANT Pflanzenzucht GmbH, said of the company's history: "In 1992, we started selling our shareholders' potato varieties in Eastern Germany and some export markets. In 2002 we took over the worldwide distribution rights. With the trade of table and industrial potatoes, we added another business sector in 2005."
EUROPLANT began to develop internationally at an early stage. The first subsidiary for sales and multiplication was founded in Slovakia in 1993. Today, the group of companies has a network of 13 subsidiaries and associated companies and is active in more than 70 countries.
The EUROPLANT Group currently has more than 250 employees. It sells worldwide about 260,000 tonnes of seed potatoes, therefore 145,000 tonnes on the German market.
Group MD Jörg Renatus said the Lüneburg-based trading house is continually working on developing new varieties that meet the growing demands of consumers and the requirements of agriculture so they can therefore survive on national and international markets. The potatoes are bred and propagated as part of an integrated production process.
"Together with our sister company, Böhm-Nordkartoffel Agrarproduktion GmbH & Co. OHG, we are constantly working to develop new and innovative varieties," said Jörg.
The company's focus is on improving natural resistance to potato diseases and pests, strengthening resilience to environmental influences and increasing cultivation efficiency but Jörg said it was keen to ensure nothing was compromised, therefore resistance has to be combined with strong characteristics of the varieties, such as taste, appearance and storability.
The EUROPLANT range now includes more than 100 varieties for table, processing and starch production.
Planting material for organic cultivation is propagated from more than 30 varieties. Jörg believes EUROPLANT varieties offer the solution for the diverse requirements of customers worldwide.
"A long-term, trust based and fair cooperation with our customers is our top priority," he said. "We promise our farmers to achieve the best possible harvest success. They can rely on our varieties and seed potatoes."
The anniversary celebration will take place in September 2022 as part of the "Potato Europe" trade fair in Bockerode near Hanover.