Bayer ramps up hybrid seed output for Philippines, other markets

March 1, 2026 | 12:00am

KHON KAEN, Thailand – German pharmaceutical and agricultural firm Bayer AG has unveiled a P574-million (310 million baht) vegetable seed facility here aimed at boosting crop quality and harvests in the Philippines and other key markets.

The Bayer Vegetable Seeds Production Center, which began operations last month, is being positioned as a major Asian hub for supplying seeds under the Seminis and De Ruiter brands.

Amid climate pressures and growing production risks, Bayer Global Vegetable Seeds president Inci Dannenberg said the new facility would be instrumental in scaling climate-smart seed innovations to support farmers.

“Our goal is to create impact at the very start of the value chain by providing farmers with high?quality vegetable seeds that help them grow productive, resilient and nutritious crops,” Dannenberg said in the inauguration ceremony here last Wednesday.

“When farmers succeed, the entire food system benefits — delivering better vegetables to consumers and advancing our vision of ‘Health for all, Hunger for none,’” she added.

Spanning 48,000 square meters, the center supplies a wide range of vegetable varieties to key markets such as the United States, the Netherlands, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and countries across Southeast Asia.

In the Philippines, Bayer supports local growers with high-quality seeds, including hybrid cabbage, pepper, zucchini, broccoli, watermelon, cucumber, tomato and onion.

These varieties are designed to support regenerative farming practices, improving the crops’ resilience to pests, diseases and extreme weather conditions.

Although crops remain the backbone of the country’s farm sector, the Department of Agriculture said they are also the weakest link in terms of climate risks.

In the fourth quarter of 2025, the value of crop output declined by 2.5 percent to P274 billion due to weather disturbances, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Given the challenges in the Philippines and other markets, Bayer strives to help farmers improve productivity and reduce losses through high-quality vegetable seeds.

“Agricultural success begins with quality seeds and farmers set up to succeed,” said Weraphon Charoenpanit, country commercial lead for Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar at Bayer Thai Co. Ltd.

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