Concerns about the departure of breeding abroad

Members of parliament of the VVD have put questions to agriculture minister Carola Schouten about moving Dutch breeding abroad. The reason is that HZPC has announced that it will relocate to Canada for its potato research.

VVD members Helma Lodders and Aukje de Vries questions that companies such as HZPC experience obstacles in their breeding activities due to too strict regulations. The bar is set higher and higher in the use of crop protection products, while alternatives are not forthcoming.

The MPs are referring to modern breeding techniques and the slow admission of green products and low-risk products. They believe that concrete steps are needed to prevent several companies from following the example of HZPC Follow.

Competition in Africa and Asia
Lodders and De Vries point out to the minister the risk that breeders in the United States and Canada will grow potatoes that are completely resistant to phytophthora, and that these countries will slowly take over the seed potato markets in Africa and Asia from Europe. “Do you think this is a desirable development for the vegetable sector?”

Jeanette Pennings

Jeannet has her roots in the flower bulb sector and she grew up on an agricultural company in the northern part of North Holland. As a generalist she reports for Boerenbusiness across all sectors. She is also exploring the possibilities of sponsored advertising.

j.pennings@boerenbusiness. Nl

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