The vegetable seed company has opened a new trial station in Vietnam’s Lam Dong region
Rijk Zwaan has opened a new Vietnamese trial station, located in the key horticultural hub of Lam Dong.
According to the seed specialist, the station is designed to accelerate the development of vegetable varieties for the specific needs of Southeast Asian growers and the region’s fresh produce market.
The group continues to expand its presence in Vietnam, where it has been active for nearly 15 years, including with its own subsidiary since 2017.
The newly built trial station will serve as a hub for testing and developing varieties that are adapted to local growing conditions, including the climate, diverse soil types and modern growing systems found across Vietnam’s key horticultural regions and South East Asia, it explained.
It was officially opened on 18-19 September during a ceremony attended by various colleagues, growers and government representatives.
“The opening of the R&D station in Vietnam reflects the company’s commitment to advancing sustainable horticulture in the country,” said Daniël Stork, consul general at the Consulate-General of the Netherlands in Ho Chi Minh City.
”This station will drive innovation, enhance seed technologies and support Vietnamese growers with improved pest and disease tolerance and higher yields,” he outlined.
”It aims to transform horticulture from traditional practices to protected cultivation, and from low to high technology in cultivation, benefiting Vietnamese growers and chain partners.”
Reflecting on the opening ceremony, Rijk Zwaan Vietnam’s managing director Nien Van Dang confirmed that growers were focused on improving yields, quality and sustainability.
”Modern growing techniques help make yields more predictable despite sometimes unpredictable weather,” he said. ”Opening this trial station in Lam Dong advances our commitment of developing vegetable varieties suited to local conditions, benefiting not only growers but also the fresh produce market as a whole.”