Pioneer Hi-Bred opens first research centre in Russia

Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, announced that its first research centre in Russia is now fully operational. The multi-crop centre in Lipetsk, south west Russia, will focus on increasing the rate of development of early maturity maize, sunflower and oilseed rape products for Pioneer customers in Russia and the wider region.

"Pioneer has been selling quality, high yielding maize and sunflower hybrids to Russian farmers for more than 20 years and Russia is a key market as Pioneer sales grow across Europe as a whole”, said Jeff Rowe, Regional director, Europe, Pioneer Hi-Bred. “We are investing for growth in Russia. Pioneer has recently bolstered its sales network reaching more farmer customers across Russia. This research centre is a natural next step to building on this success and in ensuring our customers in Russia and the wider region, continue to plant the best products available”, continued Rowe.

The Lipetsk centre extends the Pioneer testing network in Eastern Europe for improved local characterization of new maize, sunflower and oilseed rape hybrids leveraging Pioneer’s global network of more than 110 research centres.

The Lipetsk research centre currently employs three fulltime positions and additional seasonal staff from the surrounding area. In cooperation with Pioneer research centres in the region and worldwide, this centre will focus on expanding our trialing network and product development for early maturity maize, sunflower and oilseed rape products targeting key grower needs such as high yield stability and specifically high oil content for sunflower products.

"The Lipetsk research centre greatly expands our global research network and allows Pioneer to significantly accelerate the development of products suited to the region’s unique environment and agronomic conditions,” stated John Soper, vice president, Crop Genetics Research & Development, Pioneer Hi-Bred. “Collaborations between Pioneer and public plant breeding and research institutes in Russia have been critical to our initial product testing efforts to develop high yielding products for Russian farmers and those in the surrounding region.” said Soper.

Pioneer is committed to continuing and building upon the excellent research collaborations in place in Russia with public institutes as well as bolstering internal research capacity. This dual strategy should allow the rapid increase in both the quantity and the quality of leading Pioneer® brand products available in Russia, driving this rapidly growing business and meeting the needs of Russian farmers for high yielding and reliable maize, sunflower and oilseed rape hybrids.