Seed Valley in the northwest of the Netherlands is the world’s leading centre of plant 
breeding and seed technology. It is home to dozens of innovative companies that work on the development of new vegetable and flower varieties. We develop crops that, among other things, give higher yields, are resistant to diseases, or taste better. We use as little space, energy, and water as possible: more with less, in other words.
‘Seeds from Holland’
Seed Valley is for the development of new vegetable and flower varieties what Silicon Valley is for IT and software. In the horticultural seed market, ‘Seeds from Holland’ is considered an indestructible trademark. As a result, 86% of the turnover of Seed Valley’s seed companies is realised abroad. Not only do the companies sell their seeds abroad, but they also breed and produce locally. From all continents and climate zones, they offer tailored services to the global market. Local specialists are assisted by Dutch colleagues who transfer their knowledge. Did you know that over 50% of vegetables have their origin in Seed Valley? More on this in our Seed Valley video. The businesses in Seed Valley are contributing to a healthy and flowering world.
High-tech developments
The development of new varieties requires knowledge of, amongst other things, plant cultivation, genetics, cell biology, biochemistry, and bioinformatics. Specialists work together in teams. This process combines the classic principles of genetics, the selection of the desired traits, and the introduction of new technologies. Whereas breeders previously had to wait until a plant was fully grown to see whether it would turn into a yellow or red pepper, for example, this can now be seen in the DNA of a seedling at an early stage. As a result, the breeding process is two or three times faster.
Breeders collect much information about the properties of plants with the help of automation and bioinformatics, making it possible to introduce new varieties to the market faster. In addition, developments in seed technology ensure ever-better seed quality: they germinate at the same time, grow uniformly, and are more resistant to diseases.
Working in Seed Valley
In the Netherlands, more than 3,500 employees work in Seed Valley. Our employees work at all educational levels and from a variety of fields: from research & distribution to sales, and from HR to production. Every year, around 300 new vacancies become available at our companies. Check out our internships and vacancies pages to see what’s currently available. If you would like to find out more about the challenges you will be working on, please visit “What will you do?”.