What are the reasons that
prompt seed companies to use colorants on its seed?
Historically, colorants have been used to identify seed that had
been treated with agrochemicals, the colorant serving as a tool
to prevent accidental consumption or use.
Today, seed companies bundle colorants, together with genetics
and high technology seed treatments, to differentiate their seed
in marketing strategies.
Colorant formulations have mirrored the substantial improvements
of seed genetics in past decade, giving the seed company new
reasons to increase marketing strategies to the grower. Strong
marketing strategies are essential, and differentiating seed by
color, brightness and appearance are important marketing
components for leading seed companies today.
 What benefits and competitive
advantage does the use of colorants give a seed company? How
does it affect its sales and its bottom line?
Seed Companies can use the newly available and wider variety of
bright and identifying seed colors and coatings for their
customers to visually recognize the seed as being unique.
Seed appearance is particularly important when introducing new
treatment formulations or seed products to the market.
Variety or trait differentiation allows the seed company price
differentiation opportunities and offers margin protection for
investments in new seed genetics.
Are colorants used more in
certain segments of the seed industry than in others? Why is
that?
Colorants are used in all sectors of the seed industry, but
certain markets and crops are being treated with colorants at
higher usage rates.
High value horticultural seed is almost always colored, no
matter where the seed is marketed.
In the U.S., corn, cotton and vegetable seeds are currently
using the highest rates of color. In Europe, most crops and
companies are using similar amounts of colorants and at high
rates too.
Turf seed, due to the higher volumes and cost/value nature
utilize the least amount of colorants in most markets.
Are seed colorants in
greater use in certain countries than in others? Why is that?
The seed treatment market is largest in the USA, followed by
Europe, Latin America and East Asia.
By law, all seed receiving a pesticidal treatment must be
colored to prevent such seed from accidentally entering the food
chain.
The seed colorant market has traditionally been a sleepy and
quiet segment, but recent colorant developments translates to
more colorant use as a marketing tool by seed companies to
differentiate their seed by appearance and performance.
What have been the major
developments in colorant technology in recent years?
Colorants have been developed which give seed a brighter
appearance, and also increased seed safety. Seed companies now
recognize the performance differentiation in higher technology
seed colorants.
The global seed treatment market has grown at an annual rate of
5.8% since 1997 (study recently released by Phillips McDougall)
with the development of new seed treatments by the agrochemical
companies.
New seed treatment options required new colorant formulations to
ensure treatment compatibility and performance value on the
seed. Seed companies should upgrade to the newer technology
colorant products to ensure their seed is treated with the
leading colorants available.
 What further improvements do
you expect to see during the next few years? What is driving the
technological development? What is driving the adoption of this
technology in the market place?
With the projected introduction of new and wider ranging seed
treatments, new colorant technologies will give seed companies
even greater treatment flexibility, combination options,
appearance, and value.
The value being added to seed by genetic modification and new
seed treatments, and seed companies seeking increasing marketing
strategies by seed appearance.
The completive need for seed companies to differentiate products
and the new generation seed treatments has led to new colorant
technologies.
What are the reasons that
prompt seed companies to use polymers on its seed?
Polymers and other coating technologies are a critically
important and often overlooked non-pesticide treatment for
single or multiple values.
Polymers can improve the plantability of the seed, enhance the
seed appearance, control dust and treatment dust off, or
strategically delay germination for time or temperature.
What benefits and
competitive advantage does the use of polymers give a seed
company? How does it affect its sales and its bottom line?
Certain and selected polymers can give a seed company either one
or a combination of the aforementioned values.
With the advent of new, more expensive seed treatments, seed
companies seek to secure the desired treatment to the seed
consistently each and every time.
Polymers provide marketable advantages to the seed company by
allowing valuable seed treatment applications and helping to
ensure the coating performs as planned.
These treatments can be marketed by the seed company to growers
based upon value and appearance.
Are polymers used more in
certain segments of the seed industry than in others? Why is
that?
Polymers are used in all segments of the seed industry, with
more expensive seeds such as vegetables using the highest
amounts and lower value seeds such as grasses the least.
Seed which has new genetic traits will typically receive new
coating technology too, as companies increasingly spend more
money and marketing time on these seeds.
Without proven seed polymer technology, many seed treatments
would not perform as consistently or as effectively due to
handling reasons such as dust off.
Are seed polymers in greater
use in certain countries than in others? Why is that?
Seed Polymers are used in all countries where seed is treated
with pest controlling products.
The polymers are a critical part of the treatment for reasons
detailed already. Countries which are lagging in coating
technology are now realizing the value of high tech coatings and
are reaching out for them.
Recent increases in the value of seed through more expensive
seed treatments and genetic modification has led to a
significant decrease in seeding rates in many crops. It is
therefore important that the seed is planted properly,
germinates and produces a crop. Seed polymers and coatings can
greatly assist in achieving that objective.
What have been the major
developments in polymer technology in recent years?
Polymers have been developed to complement the new generation of
seed treatment products. An example would be new insecticidal
treatments used at high or low rates.
Specific polymers, each with unique traits and characteristics,
are needed at the different usage rates.
As seed treatments and the use of multiple treatments have
grown, the use of technical polymers has grown in parallel.
Seed producers know that the use of polymers will continue to
increase, and the data required by the suppliers of the polymers
will increase as well.
What further improvements do
you expect to see during the next few years? What is driving the
technological development? What is driving the adoption of this
technology in the market place?
Polymers will increasingly need to hold or bond increasing rates
of specialty and technical treatments to each seed, at varying
rates, and without reducing the seed Plantability or
germination. The ever critical combination of performance
factors will strain certain supplier’s coating products and
their ability to deliver the promised value to the seed company.
Agrochemical companies with seed treatment products are
delivering more and improved treatment technology to the seed
company, consequently improved polymer technology is called
required.
Seed companies already recognize the value of polymer technology
in the treatment mix, and growers will demand improved
performance and differentiation.
What would you like the reader
to know about your company and the products and services it
offers?
Becker Underwood is leading the seed industry in developing and
commercializing Seed Colorant and Seed Polymer technologies, and
working individually with seed companies to deliver value,
globally. Seed companies can source colorant and coating
products from Becker Underwood sales teams based in the U.S.A.,
Canada, Europe, and South America.
Outside these markets customers can source products and develop
strategies with a Becker Underwood team who will travel to them
to develop products and strategies for them individually. We
therefore offer global reach, but local support.
Becker Underwood is the largest non-pesticidal seed treatment
supplier in the world. There is a long and valuable list of
technologies to be released in the next few years, which will
create even more and expanded value to the seed company. In the
end, the grower will always be the ultimate benefactor of these
developments, as it should be.
For more information on Becker Underwood, visit
www.beckerunderwood.com
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