Pannar Seed is pleased to announce the appointment of Lukas Meyer as its new Business Manager. Lukas will succeed John Odendaal upon his retirement at the end of April this year. In the months ahead, Lukas and John will work closely together to ensure a smooth handover and continuity as Pannar builds on a strong legacy and continues delivering on its promise to farmers: putting their needs first while driving sustainable growth.
With more than 20 years of experience across the seed and crop protection industries, Lukas returns to the seed sector with a strong blend of technical expertise and commercial leadership.
Lukas began his career at the ARC Small Grain Institute in Bethlehem and later contributed to the Dry Bean Producers Organization (DPO). He first joined Pannar as a Seed Technology Researcher, where he enhanced seed treatment research, strengthened stewardship programs and improved the accuracy and efficiency of factory treatments.
He subsequently held key strategic roles at Syngenta and PepsiCo, and most recently served as Crop Protection Product Manager for Corteva Agriscience in the Africa Middle East region, guiding product and pricing strategies across diverse markets.
Honouring a Legacy of Leadership
Lukas succeeds John Odendaal, who has led Pannar Seed through a period of remarkable growth and transformation. Reflecting on his tenure, John highlighted key achievements: “We strengthened our product portfolio, expanded market share in key segments and focused on adding real value for our farmers.”
He also noted the significant evolution in the sector over the past 25 years, including the introduction of biotechnology traits in the late 1990s and advances in modern breeding techniques. These developments, he noted, have significantly strengthened Pannar’s product portfolio and contributed to increased yields, helping to transform South African crop production over the past few decades.
John emphasised that Pannar’s growth has been guided by its core values. “Honesty, integrity, professionalism, and standing by our customers at all times. This has shaped our decisions and how we interact with farmers. Our sales teams deliver value, advice and support that directly improves productivity and profitability.”
A Customer Focused, Data-Driven Vision for the Future
Lukas brings a strong research-driven mindset to his new role. “My scientific background has shaped how I operate in business. I set clear aspirations (hypotheses), test them with data, and adapt quickly when assumptions change. This approach allows us to respond faster to changes in the marketplace and ensure that our strategies create real value for both farmers and the business.”
He outlined three key priorities for Pannar. The first is delivering on the ‘Pannar promise’ – putting farmers first while meeting business expectations. Secondly, to accelerate innovation and agronomic support, enabling farmers to convert genetic potential into yield and improved profitability. Thirdly, to drive focused growth through research-led portfolio advancement, combining improved genetics, predictive analytics and practical field support to enhance productivity.
Stewardship and strong field support, Lukas emphasised, are central to long-term success. “Turning genetic potential into yield is central to the value we provide our growers,” he, said.
A Unique Local Brand with Global Capability
Lukas highlighted what distinguishes Pannar in the South African market. “Pannar has deep local relevance,” Lukas said. “Our roots in this country span nearly 70 years, and our teams are in daily contact with farmers, understanding their challenges and needs. At the same time, we leverage global technology and innovation to continuously improve our product offering and field support. This combination of global capability with local precision allows Pannar to maintain strong trust with its farmers and provide long-term value.”
He also noted Pannar’s distinctive direct-to-farmer approach: “We have an experienced team of internal sales specialists and agronomists that serve farmers on their farms every day. It’s about being the farmer’s partner – offering advice, support, and solutions, not just products. This close engagement with our farmers strengthens agronomy and stewardship support while allowing us to respond quickly to their evolving needs.”
Looking Ahead
As Lukas assumes leadership, Pannar Seed continues to build on a strong legacy of growth, innovation and farmer-focused service established under John Odendaal.
“Returning to the seed sector is incredibly exciting,” Lukas said. “I look forward to working with our teams and farmers to deliver on the Pannar promise, drive innovation and ensure that the value we create today continues to grow for future generations.”
