Summary overview: We’re excited to welcome you into the next chapter of agriculture - one supported by hybrid potato seeds. Hear from our Chief Commercial Officer Joost van Regteren about why we made this change and how it reflects our commitment to commercializing hybrid potato seeds so more farmers worldwide can benefit from more sustainable, more economical and more reliable crops.
In 2006, the founders of Solynta asked an important question: If hybrid breeding delivers such hardy, resilient and reliable crops for corn, rice, and even peppermint, why wasn’t this breeding approach being used for potatoes? Potatoes, after all, are one of the world’s most important staple crops. They are reliable sources of carbohydrates and fiber, and have essential vitamins including vitamin B6, vitamin C, and other nutrients like thiamine, niacin, and pantothenic acid. And given its susceptibility to diseases like late blight (the cause of the Irish potato famine), the potato could surely benefit from more natural resistance. The benefits could go far beyond disease prevention - the potato could be the cornerstone crop of our time, helping farmers fight food and nutritional insecurity and still mitigate the effects of climate change on their crop yields.
The answer was that no one had yet succeeded in making hybrid potatoes possible. That’s when our team at Solynta got to work. Over the past seventeen years, our dedicated research and development team based in Wageningen, the Netherlands has perfected (and patented) the science behind all-natural, non-GMO, resilient and delicious hybrid potatoes. We’ve conducted rigorous field-testing across five continents with major partners, and after another banner year of results, we can announce that their persistence has come to fruition.
Our scientists have created a brand-new hybrid cross-breeding technology that allows farmers to grow potatoes from true potato seeds as starting material. True potato seeds are reliable, economical, and secure starting material for potato farmers, offering a predictable yield of hybrid potatoes with desirable traits.
Not only do true potato seeds have the potential to out-perform other potato varieties in their disease resistance, they also represent a more sustainable and economical farming future. Farmers will be able to grow potato crops directly from seeds, instead of relying on seed tubers (which often spoil in transit, cannot be stored across multiple seasons, and are at a high risk of carrying and spreading diseases).
Our renewed mission as a Dutch seed company is to put these true potato seeds into the hands of as many farmers as possible, on every continent. Solynta is working hard to make the true seeds of its first hybrid potato varieties commercially available around the globe.
We’re able to be here today because of the tireless work of our farmers in Europe, as well as our agricultural and distribution partners in other parts of the world. We have grown and tested thousands of hectares of potatoes together - across 40 countries, from Kenya to Egypt to Ireland to South Africa to the Netherlands.
We remain committed to our partners, and to make their crops more resilient and reliable by empowering them with robust potato varieties that can easily withstand diseases, pests, and the consequences of climate change. Nothing is more important to us than making sure they have a sustainable and reliable source of starting material for their crops. We are focused on the production and 365 day per year accessibility of our true potato seeds, which allows potato growers to gain access to quality starting material throughout the year. We look forward to working even more closely with each partner to ensure that the hybrid potato varieties you grow surpass all expectations.
As we enter our next chapter as a global seed producer, we have updated our logo to reflect this exciting next step. We are proud of our history as hybrid potato breeders and will continue to innovate and to bring new products to growers worldwide. We also look forward to our next challenge of making these true potato seeds accessible to all.
We look forward to working with you.
Warmest regards,
Joost van Regteren
Chief Commercial Officer, Solynta