64 / SEEDWORLD.COM FEBRUARY 2019 “It is important to provide the Russian seed market with varieties and hybrids of domestic selection that are not inferior to … the best imported analogues. For these purposes, it’s necessary to radically change the methodology of [the] entire selection process and create a large-scale center to specialize in these activities.” The Russian government has already begun preparing for the establishment of the first of its 148 plant breeding centers. Under the terms of the project, the first new center will be established on the campus of the Agrophysical Research Institute, located in St. Petersburg (a port city on the Baltic Sea). The same region, known for its rich land and technical resources, will see the addition of other research institutes, as well. According to state plans, the estab- lishment of such a center will help Russia produce its own high-yielding varieties of certain crops, cultivated and adapted to climatic conditions of the region. In addi- tion, the new center will serve as a basis for the production of seeds of elite and super elite grain reproductions, as well as new varieties of potatoes, and fodder crops (rapeseed, ryegrass, herd grass, fescue and clover). The new plant breeding center will be equipped with a special phytotron complex that will help it deal with a large variety of crops. The complex will provide an opportunity to simulate the climatic conditions of any region of Russia during the growing season. At full production capacity, the new center should be able to produce 7,000 tons of elite grain seed, 1,200 tons of perennial grasses, 1,900 tons of legumes, 9,000 tons of elite potato tubers and 400 tons of rapeseed. What’s the price tag on such a project? The investment in this project is expected to be about 2 billion rubles, or $40 million. According to state plans, this is just the beginning. During the course of the next several years, officials will work to attract foreign investment in this sector of the agricultural industry. Undoubtedly, this will also include an invitation to some of the global players in the seed and plant breeding space. To date, activities from multinational companies in the Russian market have been relatively limited, despite the fact that Russia represents a huge growth opportunity. Attracting Global Players Alexander Olson, who heads up Rijk Zwaan in Eastern Europe and CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States), says in the past 50 years, Russia has accumulated great experience in seed selection. This, he says, is reflected in that the country is home to one of the world’s largest and most unique seed collections The United States is the largest supplier of sunflower seeds to Russia, which in 2018 imported more than 16,800 tons in total.