Sakata Seed South America, the Japanese multinational vegetable and flower seed company, recently opened a new subsidiary in Colombia (Sakata Colombia SAS). The subsidiary, which is already operating in the country, has a team dedicated to serving producers in the region, to provide them with all the technical support and commercial guidance according to the local market's characteristics and demands.
Official opening ceremony of the new subsidiary Sakata Colombia SAS.
The opening of this subsidiary in Colombia is a strategic move by the company to strengthen its international seed trade. Colombia is a market with many opportunities for the sector, as it is considered the third market with the biggest potential sales of vegetable seeds in South America and the first in flower seed sales.
Colombia is a strategic market thanks to its location, trade relations with the Andean Community (Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia), and the large number of free trade zones it has, which makes it a real export HUB, stated Marcos Missfield, general manager of Sakata Colombia. "The goal of opening a subsidiary in Colombia is to increase our participation, i.e. to strengthen our relationship with current partners and to look for new ones. We'll start by making inroads with new distributors in areas where our current structure has low participation. We'll also concentrate on strategic markets where we have several competitive products. As a result, the company's new unit will be an important distribution center for all Andean countries," he stated.
Main market segments
The most important vegetable crops in the Colombian market are the same as those that stand out in South America in general. The main ones are tomato, onion, carrot, and pepper/paprika. However, there are also other important crops of great economic relevance in which the company focuses locally, and in which it has a large market share: squash, zucchini, broccoli, and lettuce.
The company sees a great opportunity for growth in the country, as it has a very competitive product portfolio. "The company has been strengthening its local research area so it can develop hybrids specifically tailored for the conditions and needs of the Colombian market shortly," he stated.
Sakata hopes the start of the new subsidiary's activities and constant adaptation to the needs of the Andean market will help it achieve leadership, reach new heights of success in the coming years, and expand its presence in the South American market.
For more information:
Sakata Colombia SAS
