Crystal Crop inks LoI with KeyGene for improving seed biz

Agro-chemical firm Crystal last Friday signed a letter of intent (LoI) with the Netherlands-based agri-biotech firm KeyGene to explore a strategic collaboration to discover new traits for increasing crop yields and combatting climate change. The LoI was inked at a high-profile trade mission headed by the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in the national capital.

"KeyGene is one of the global leaders in crop innovation and we are excited to explore models in which we can leverage our expertise," Crystal Crop Protection Managing Director Ankur Aggarwal said in a statement.

The effort will be to develop products through sharing of high-tech and novel breeding technologies that benefit the farmers to increase their farm profitability.

KeyGene CEO Arjen van Tunen said, "We are excited to explore this research collaboration with Crystal Crop to enhance their breeding programmes using our proprietary knowledge, know-how and innovation platforms for accelerating and developing novel non-GM products for Crystal's seed business."

The national capital-based Crystal Crop, which recently acquired part of seed business of Swiss agribusiness Syngenta AG, has a breeding programme with germplasm in cereal and fibre crops.