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Ghent, Belgium and Jakarta,
Indonesia
July 22, 2009.
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."
Pt Sang Hyang Seri is a government wholly owned company
dealing with seed, fertilizer and agrochemicals with offices and
farms across Indonesia.
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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