Elgon Kenya appointed DuPont maize seed distributor in Kenya

PANNAR SEED, a DuPont seed business in Africa, today announced the appointment of a local leading agro input suppliers, Elgon Kenya Limited, as its distributor within Kenya for its maize hybrids. Through this strategic collaboration, Elgon will distribute selected PANNAR maize varieties to farmers beginning in the 2017 sales season.

“The collaboration with Elgon extends a long standing relationship with DuPont and aligns with our strategy to address, through collaboration, the challenges which impact the productivity of Kenyan smallholder farmers,” said Humphrey Kiruaye, commercial leader for DuPont’s seed business in Kenya. “Elgon’s strong presence and breadth within the market will augment our footprint and address these challenges by giving Kenyan maize farmers access to seed in the market.”

Elgon Kenya Limited is the largest agri-input supplier and has a vast supply chain network across Kenya. The company offers farmers a one-stop shop for agrochemicals, seeds and fertilizers in the market.

Elgon Kenya Ltd Managing Director Bimal Kantaria called on farmers to embrace certified hybrid seeds since this is the first step towards better yields and success in farming.

“We have to adapt to changing conditions and ensure that our farmers have easier and timely access to varieties that can comfortably feed them and the nation. We are glad our collaboration with PANNAR is steering this resolve forward,” Kantaria said.

Maize is a staple crop and a significant contributor to Kenya's economic and social development, providing jobs, income and food. The country currently has a national average maize yield of about 2 metric tons per hectare, which is below 10 tons per hectare in the U.S.

By adopting hybrid seed and using improved farming inputs and techniques, participating farmers will be able to achieve significant productivity gains and increase their yields two-fold or more.

Elgon Kenya is the largest agri-input suppliers company in Kenya with a firm grip in other sectors like cereals, seeds, irrigation, tea and coffee which attract the bulk of food producers in Kenya. The company has rolled key interventions and low cost innovations targeting smallholder farmers key among them miniature irrigation kits, low cost greenhouse sheeting materials, fertilizer packaging, a farmers clinic program and an annual farmers reward scheme now in its fifth anniversary.

Pannar Seed is a dynamic South African seed group with research and development at its core. It is one of the largest field crop seed breeders, producers and suppliers in Africa and is a respected member of the international seed industry. PANNAR has been in the African seed business since its inception in Greytown, South Africa in 1958. It has its own seed businesses in nine countries in Africa, including South Africa, and sells through established marketing networks into many other African countries.