For South African grain and oilseed farmers, producing a high-yielding crop is only part of the equation when competing on the local and international grain markets. The objective also includes the production of quality grain and oilseeds that can adhere to the set standards of the local and international agro-industries within the food value chain.
The quality of grain and oilseeds is therefore important not only to farmers, but to the entire agricultural and agri-processing value chain. Agro-industries transform agricultural products into value-added goods, creating employment, supporting economic growth and contributing to food security and export earnings. For farmers, producing grain and oilseeds that meet these requirements is consequently essential to accessing and remaining competitive in these markets.
However, adhering to the required quality standards is not without challenges. Farmers must produce grain and oilseeds under increasingly high input costs and variable weather conditions while also managing disease and pest pressures that can affect both yield and grain quality. These challenges make the choice of genetics particularly important.
Corteva Agriscience’s understanding of these challenges forms an integral part of the development of seed genetics that help farmers to access markets and to produce grain and oilseeds that are not only productive but also fit for purpose in a demanding local and international food production environment.
Buyers require grain that meets defined specifications relating to factors such as moisture, purity, foreign matter, weight, contamination, pesticide residues and mycotoxins. Consistency is particularly important because buyers need confidence that every shipment will conform to the agreed specification.
The same principle applies within the food-processing value chain. Grain and oilseeds produced by farmers ultimately move through a sophisticated chain involving millers, oil processors, food manufacturers and other processors, each with specific quality requirements. Meeting these requirements starts well before the crop reaches the silo. It starts with the genetic potential contained in the seed.
Quality Starts With Genetics
Corteva’s extensive international research and development capabilities in genetics, supported by local research and testing, enable the company to incorporate characteristics required by different markets and food production environments into the genetics of its seed offered under the local Pannar and Pioneer brands.
In maize, for example, grain quality encompasses physical characteristics such as well-formed kernels, suitable hardness, weight and low susceptibility to breakage, as well as compositional characteristics such as protein and moisture content. These attributes influence the grain’s handling, storage, processing performance and suitability for different end uses.
Disease resistance and agronomic traits such as standability and maturity also contribute to protecting grain quality in the field. Grain destined for the food chain must additionally meet stringent safety requirements and be free from unacceptable levels of contaminants.
Sunflower provides another clear example. For the oilseed industry, characteristics such as oil content, seed quality and suitability for efficient processing are important considerations. The genetic potential of the hybrid can have a direct bearing on the characteristics ultimately delivered by the crop. High oil content is particularly important because the processor’s objective is to extract oil efficiently and produce a consistent, high-quality product for the food value chain.
From Seed Quality to Market Access
For South African farmers, this creates a direct correlation of equal importance between hybrid selection and market access. Grain and oilseeds that meet the requirements of the local food value chain have greater access to domestic markets, while grain and oilseeds that meet international specifications give exporters the opportunity to compete in markets beyond South Africa.
Corteva Agriscience therefore plays a pivotal role through its commitment to innovation in food security by laying the foundation through research and seed development to meet these demands, thereby strengthening the hand of South African farmers in their pursuit of profitable and sustainable farming.
