Organic production

Especially for organic vegetable crops Rijk Zwaan produces seed organically. The aim is to have the same good top varieties for organic crops as for the traditional crops. Rijk Zwaan was the first seed breeding company to take the initiative in this. Although costs are high and results sometimes very disappointing, Rijk Zwaan continues to invest in this crop.

Rules and regulations
Organic seed production is carried out in accordance with the rules and regulations of the International Federation of Organic Movement. This allows Rijk Zwaan to sell its organic seed under the EKO hallmark. When growing seed crops for organic use, the usual conditions for an organic crop apply: an absolute ban on chemical fertilisers and chemical crop protection preparations. The soil in which the seed crop is grown must also be free from any of these preparations. Rijk Zwaan observes a transition period of two years. When processing organic seed after harvesting, no chemical disinfectants are used, either.

High risk
That is why the risks of growing an organic seed crop are very high, especially when it concerns biennial crops such as carrots and cabbage. An infection by insects, fungi or a virus can virtually not be controlled. Yields of organic seed crops are also lower than in traditional crops.

Wide range
Over the last couple of years, Rijk Zwaan has built up a wide range of organically-grown seed. Apart from being able to offer a range of organically-produced seed, Rijk Zwaan can also supply seed from traditionally-grown crops, which has been disinfected without the use of chemicals, when no organically-produced seed is available and the rules allow. For more information on the availability of organic seed, visit the subsidiaries’ sites.