
In the summer, Dalgeta seeds are prepared for the new season 2024/2025 at a modern seed plant in Aleksandrów Kujawski. The plant receives selected and proven varieties of cereals and rapeseed, produced according to the certified seed standard. At each stage of production, the quality of the seeds is checked by the company's certified seed laboratory.
Even though the plant is equipped with modern equipment, there are many challenges and obstacles to overcome. Just like in agriculture, the plant also has to face specific season problems every year. The differences in the preparation of rapeseed or cereal seed material are large. It is not only a process of cleaning, processing or dressing. It is also a big organizational and logistical challenge, especially in the case of cereals.
For example, one full truck of certified rapeseed seed allows, in practice, to sow approximately 10,000 ha. However, in the case of wheat, one car can cover only 200 ha of plantation (assuming a sowing rate of approximately 140 kg/ha). During the harvest period, the plant is bustling with life, and a team of company experts and experienced employees ensure that high-quality material reaches farmers on time. We talk to Paweł Ślęzak, director of the Seed Department of Agria Polska, about the specificity of the plant's operation, the demanding cereal and rapeseed seed market, the production of high-quality seed material and farmers' preferences for the new 2024/2025 winter season.
Paweł Ślęzak, director of the Seed Department of Agria Polska. Photo AK
Farmer.pl: What is unique about the Dalgeta seeds produced in Aleskandrów Kujawiski?
Paweł Ślęzak: Dalgety seeds are a well-known and recognizable seed brand whose value we have been building and gradually developing for 29 years. The definition of this brand is broad and starts with the proper selection and positioning of products for the portfolio. Varieties with the highest genetic value are selected. Building a strong brand would not be possible without control of the production process, which is centralized and takes place in one place. Dalgeta seeds are also distinguished by the physical quality of seed preparation and dressing technology using the best seed dressings, seed fertilizers and polymers.
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Farmer.pl: A difficult season for winter crops is behind us. The production results of cereals and rapeseed are not impressive. What about seeds for seed? Will this year's high quality be maintained?
In fact, the past winter season was not an easy one and it is difficult to see record crops on a national scale. This was determined primarily by weather conditions, but also numerous field problems and agrotechnical errors. This already closed season was specific and full of many stressful factors. As a result of their accumulation, both in the case of rapeseed and winter wheat, farmers obtained on average about a tonne less of the raw material compared to last year. This did not exclude seed farms. However, what distinguishes our seed production is the fact that it requires a high degree of specialization and detailed quality control at all stages of the process. All farms cooperating with Agrii, which provide raw material for the production of certified seed, work in a high agrotechnical regime, thanks to which many field problems typical of this season have been avoided.
The quality of the seed raw material is checked in an accredited seed laboratory. Photo. AK
Farmer.pl: You are in the process of preparing seed material for the new season. What does the winter rapeseed offer look like? What are treated seeds?
In Aleksandrów Kujawski, in terms of tonnage, we produce the most winter cereals, but this is not the only activity of the plant. We also specialize in the production of winter rapeseed, corn, legumes, soybeans and sunflowers. Our main idea is to sell what we produce ourselves and whose quality we control. This is our significant market differentiator.
As for winter rapeseed, seed sales started at the beginning of June and are now well advanced. The current season is more dynamic than last year. What worries us is that, according to estimates, since last year we have been observing a large share of uncertified seeds, which in our opinion amounted to about 25-28% of the total area and, horror of horrors, this concerned not only linear, but also hybrid varieties. Unfortunately, the same may happen this year, which is the result of the high costs of rapeseed production and the relatively poor price for seeds. However, you should be aware that poor rapeseed yields have their origins in this shameful practice. The exact opposite situation was 2 years ago, when rapeseed was priced at PLN 4,000/ton. Back then, conscious farmers did not risk sowing with their own material, because the fight was for every kilogram of raw material produced.
When it comes to rapeseed, we buy the vast majority of it as black seeds, and because we have our own seed plant and the ESTA certificate (European guarantee of dressing quality), we have access to all dressings available on the market and intended for professional users. We are very flexible in season when it comes to mortars. We never prepare for promotion. We always prepare products according to orders and are individually tailored to the customer's needs. Currently, there is a fashion for the biological dressing Integral Pro ( Bacillus amyloliquefaciens strain MBI600 ), which fits perfectly into the ideologies of eco-schemes: Biological crop protection or Integrated Plant Production. In addition to the standard Scenic Gold fungicide mortar (fluopicolide, fluoxastrobin), we have access to two insecticide mortars: Butego Start (flupyradifuron) and Lumiposa 625 FS (cyanotaniliprole).
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Farmer.pl: What about prices for rapeseed seed? How are they shaping up this year?
Our price offer this year for most top varieties remained at last year's level. However, we have selected two well-known and proven hybrid varieties: Annison and DK Expat, the prices of which have been reduced compared to last year. Our offer also includes linear varieties of rapeseed, the price of which is 2-3 times lower than that of hybrid varieties. Population varieties make up about 20% of the market, so it's a large segment. This is an offer primarily for those farmers who grow rapeseed in rich areas and do not want to invest in more expensive seeds, or for those who try to make apparent savings by sowing their own seeds. Not everyone is aware that the price of certified rapeseed seed per ha is relatively low, especially in relation to other species. One sowing unit often sows up to 3.5-4 ha, so we divide the price of the sowing unit by these values. In the case of our offer for linear varieties, the cost is PLN 180-220/ha, and for hybrid varieties PLN 350-420/ha. We are talking about costs here with full fungicide and insecticide protection. There are many good rapeseed varieties available on the market. What sets Agria apart from its competitors is the production control that we run ourselves. For years, we have been reproducing linear varieties in the field, which we then clean, certify, season, pack in bags with the Dalgeta Seeds logo and deliver to our customers. Last year, a huge step forward was the establishment of the first distribution-level winter rape seed plantation of the hybrid Despina variety. However, the project related to the reproduction of this variety has a broader context. We managed to obtain the rights to this variety and will position ourselves as its owner. This means that we will include Agrii Polska under the "breeder" entry in our catalog, which has already met with great approval from our customers. This is a very important project for us and an unprecedented case, which will definitely make us stand out on the market. We are setting a new direction. We also extend the reproduction of hybrid varieties on the same principles to other species of cultivated plants, including sunflower, the first reproduction of which in the history of our country became a fact last spring.
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How much does rapeseed seed cost? How many units to order?
Farmer.pl: Production lines are already being converted to cereals. The seed of what cereal species is prepared in Aleksandrów Kujawski?
In Aleksandrów, we produce approximately 21,000 tons of seed material of various crop species annually, including: corn, rapeseed, sunflower soybeans or legumes. We also provide seed dressing, packaging and certification services for other largest seed companies on the market. In terms of production, the vast majority are winter cereals. In the current season, the process of cleaning winter barley raw material has practically been completed. We are in the process of certification of dressing and delivery. We started this process at record speed. This situation was influenced not only by the early harvest, but also by the huge demand for our Aleksandra and Sandra barley varieties. Practically within a week of releasing the price list, we sold 90% of our production capacity. In the case of barley varieties, we focused on two-row varieties, which every year present above-average results in terms of yield, but also uniformity parameters and specific gravity. From the perspective of winter barley sales, this is definitely a good season for us. But as I pointed out, this is due to the specific characteristics of these two particular varieties. The more difficult the year in the field, when there are problems with lower thousand grain weight (MTZ), drying out or lack of density, the easier it is for these two varieties to win, because they both come from the same breeder's stable and their primary feature is above-average quality parameters. We can say less about winter wheat at this stage, but in this case we have already started the process of cleaning the raw material. Most of our seed plantations were harvested at the optimal date, so I do not expect any quality problems in terms of germination parameters. We will have enough good quality raw material. As for the unqualified raw material from this year's harvest, we are receiving a lot of signals that wheat does not meet consumption parameters and there is a lot of feed wheat, so we can expect a large price disproportion between the so-called fodder and quality wheat.
The raw material for qualified material is controlled at many stages of its production. Photo. AK
Farmer.pl: What variants have you developed for the new season? What will the cereal seeds be treated with?
We follow the line of our exclusive dressings, also sold by our agrochemical department. We have access to three-component mortars: Vibrans Gold 100 FS (sedaxan, fludioxonil, difenoconazole) and Premis Plus (fludioxonil, fluxapyroxad, triticonazole), which are Premium brand mortars. I believe that access to these seasonings as a standard is also our distinguishing feature and justification for the price of the seasoned qualification. This means that in addition to the genetic value of our varieties and the quality of seed preparation, we also offer high value of seed treatment and protection. The addition of polymer is also important here. And it's not just a color effect. Apart from good coloring, which obviously has the greatest visual impact on the customer, what is more important is precise coverage of the active substance, better drying of the grain and reduction of dust content. The presence of seed fertilizers, such as Fessional or Starfos, is also a valuable addition. Together with mortars, they ensure a good start of plants and protect young seedlings in the event of unfavorable soil and weather conditions at the start.
The high quality of the seed material will be maintained this season. Photo. AK
Farmer.pl: What is the price for certified cereal seed? Will it adjust to the prices for agricultural produce?
Prices for seed material are still changing, but as I mentioned earlier, you can't count on any spectacular changes. As for winter barley or hybrid rye, we offered exactly the same price as last year. The price of wheat and triticale is still being determined. We will know more when we make the first purchases of raw materials. By this point, the market price should also stabilize. However, if anyone thought that prices would be much lower than last year, they may be disappointed because I don't think that will be the case. This applies not only to us, but also to larger seed plants.
Farmer: What varieties do you think farmers will be looking for this year? What will they pay attention to?
Of course, the focus is on the variety's yield. However, if the theory about the poorer consumer quality of this year's harvest is confirmed and there is a large difference in price between consumption and feed wheat (say about PLN 100/ton), farmers will pay great attention to varieties with the best quality parameters. With such varieties it is easier to obtain grain with consumer value. Every year, the lion's share of the crop is taken away by stressful conditions. Drought plays a significant role here, but this season, spring frost also became both a stress and a surprise, damaging very early-earing varieties of winter wheat and winter barley, which responded strongly to the conditions of accelerated vegetation. The situation only applies to the south of the country. In my opinion, however, this is a typical weather anomaly and I do not think it will repeat itself regularly in subsequent seasons. Regardless of what criteria farmers use when choosing varieties for sowing, it is worth choosing certified seed material. This is the first factor shaping future yield potential. However, you must remember to choose seeds from a proven source and from professional producers and reliable trading partners.