A very successful field expo on Thursday 22 February 2001, at the company’s research farm near Venado Tuerto, marked the official opening of Pannar Seed’s new operation in Argentina,. The expo was attended by more than 200 invited guests, including dignitaries from the Argentina Seed Association, prominent farmers, executives from local seed companies, and several delegates from Pannar South Africa.

The establishment of an operation in Argentina by Pannar is the logical outcome of many years of plant breeding and evaluation that the company has been conducting for this market, mainly in maize, sunflower and sorghum. Over the past few years a number of maize hybrids have been identified that are very well adapted to certain areas in Argentina. Some of these have already been licensed to seed companies in Argentina, and are being marketed successfully.

The proceedings included a field tour, during which several new Pannar maize hybrids, bred for Argentina conditions, were introduced. The official opening ceremony comprised speeches by Matias Kugler, Manager of Pannar Seed in Argentina, Wessel Pretorius the Country Manager for Argentina based at Pannar’s head office in South Africa, and Deon van Rooyen, the Managing Director of Pannar Seed in South Africa. After the speeches, the Pannar flag was "unfurled" by Dot Corbishley, wife of the Chairman of the Pannar Group, Brian Corbishley.

The Argentina operation is Pannar’s latest initiative outside South Africa, and follows closely on its acquisition of Kaystar Seed in the USA earlier this year, and the establishment of several new ventures in Africa last year.