Syngenta relaunches NK brand

As part of the strategy to become a leading seed company in Latin America by 2028, Syngenta relaunches the NK seed brand. Focused on soybean and corn crops, the new line of products, which will be sold in Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay in January 2020, hits the market with five new soybean cultivars, with different attributes and developed according to needs of each region. The NK portfolio also incorporates corn hybrids already commercialized by Syngenta.

The brand returns revitalized, with a focus on profitability, productivity, results, quality and production safety, in line with Syngenta's perspective of developing, annually, at least two disruptive technologies to help farmers face climate change.

“The decision to relaunch was confirmed after a survey carried out with more than 400 Brazilian producers, who endorsed the strength and innovative attributes of NK”, explains the "leader" of the seeds business at Syngenta Brazil and Paraguay, André Franco.

In Brazil, the prospect is to launch between 15 and 20 new soybean cultivars and 10 corn hybrids over the next five years, to cover all the main producing regions, taking into account the climatic and soil conditions of each one. Initially, the focus on soybean seeds will be in the states of Paraná, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Bahia, Piauí, Maranhão, Tocantins and Goiás. For corn, the operation already covers the entire country.

“We are investing a lot of energy in our genetic improvement program to ensure more and better options for farmers, as well as better performance depending on the different variables that permeate the agricultural routine, such as soil, climate, planting time, among others. ”, highlights Franco.

Technology and investment

NK's return is part of Syngenta's strategy to strengthen the seed business in Latin America, a process that began with the company's recent acquisitions in the area, in February 2018. In Brazil, the front will receive investments of more than US$ 80 million by 2021, which will be used to improve and expand the production and supply network, as well as to guarantee constant input in research and development.

“We are investing substantially in the seed business, with the aim of consolidating ourselves as one of the leaders in the sector”, highlights Franco.

According to the executive, the investment is also intended for the opening of new research centers, in addition to improvements in infrastructure, equipment and training in the centers of Minas Gerais and Mato Grosso. To make the NK relaunch operation viable, there was also a large investment in specialized labor, with the hiring of more than 100 professionals in Brazil, in order to ensure proximity and the best service to customers and distribution channels.

The plans are also to incorporate the offer of new digital tools into NK, aligned with Syngenta's global positioning and focused on helping producers face the challenges inherent to climate issues.

“We know that the weather is one of the most worrying and unpredictable factors for the farmer, with the capacity to cause great damage or be one of the main factors in the success of a harvest. Again, thinking about supporting producers in overcoming their main challenges, we will seek to incorporate this security further into the NK product line. After all, we are a 100% agro company and this means that the farmer's interest is our interest”, concludes the director of seed marketing at Syngenta in Brazil, Igor Lyra.