Germinal NZ appoints Sales Manager in growth move

In anticipation of on–going growth, international seed business Germinal has appointed Andrew Miller to the new position of Sales Manager. Initially based in Dunedin, the position has a New Zealand–wide focus.

The new position will maintain and grow Germinal’s customer base, building on the work done in the past and the success of the Aber High Sugar Grass varieties.

Miller brings great knowledge and understanding of the New Zealand agronomy sector, as well as hands–on, on–farm, experience from his 200ha, family–owned, dairy farm on the Taieri Plains, near Dunedin.

With a Bachelor of Commerce from Lincoln University, Miller’s career has centred around the seed industry. “I started work at a small seed company, Hodder and Tolley, and have now come full circle to an exciting and growing, international seed company, Germinal,” he said.

In between he has worked for Wrightson Seeds as a consultant in Australia, Ravensdown in the lower half of the South Island and most recently in an advisory and training role in the Grain and Seed division of Farmlands as an agronomist.

“We sold Germinal products at Farmlands so I know the varieties well. Germinal has high quality varieties which fit many New Zealand systems already, but we are developing new material even better suited to the New Zealand market which will come on stream in the years ahead.

“Germinal has strong science behind its products, so helping farmers understand and realise these benefits by increasing production and profitability excites me and will be extremely satisfying,” he said.

About Germinal

Germinal is an emerging player in the New Zealand forage seeds market, but is well known in the world seed trade, especially in the key areas of perennial ryegrass and clover breeding. Germinal expects to develop new varieties, in conjunction with its partner IBERS, which will fit New Zealand systems even better, while capitalising on the unique quality characteristics which set the Germinal varieties apart from other varieties marketed in New Zealand.

IBERS is a world leading centre of excellence in forage crop breeding and animal research, and Germinal is its exclusive partner in developing its varieties worldwide. Germinal can trace its roots back to 1825 and is a well–known and respected player in the world seed trade.