Proceedings of the Fifth Asian Regional Maize Workshop - Search ...

ClBA SEEDS IN SJJ11£AST ASIA.
Jose Val mayor !I
Abstract
Ciba seeds is part of Ciba Geigy Co. with headquarters in SWitzerland. Ciba Seeds entered
the seed market in the 1970's and is now one of the three top corn seed selling companies in
Thailand. The paper describes the facilities it possesses in Thailand and its testing activities
throughout Asian countries.
It is my pleasure and a great honor to address this illustrious audience today on "Ciba
Seeds in Southeast Asia". Firstly, I would like to thank the organizers, CIMMYT, and the
Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industry of the Soc. Rep. of Vietnam, for giving my company this
opportunity. CIMMYT regional conferences on maize have for many years played an important role
in disseminating information and forging connections between key persons in the maize field
throughout the Asian region. It comes at a very opportune time that this 5th Asian Regional
Maize Workshop should be held in the Soc. Rep. of Vietnam where vast changes are occurring in the
economy, and where agriculture for crops such as rice is already competing successfully on an
international scale.
Ciba seeds worldwide
I would like to start by telling you a little about our company worldwide. Ciba-Geigy is
a SWiss based multinational ch~ica1 company with headquarters in the city of Basel. Ciba is
strong in the fields of textile dyes and chemicals, plastic additives, polymers, pharmaceuticals,
agrochemica1s, and seeds. Our total turnover in 1992 was about 22,000 m SWiss Francs. This
revenue places Ciba among the top 100 highest private companies in the world. At Ciba, we try to
provide useful solutions to our customers through technology. So, in a way we are like a
"hYbrid" between businessman and scientists.
The agrochemica1 division of Ciba was number one in sales in the world in 1992. Ciba
believes that the future of plant protection lies in safer, more convenient, and more environmentally
friendly technologies and products in the future. Biotechnology and genetic engineering
will help make these new plant protection requirements a reality. And the avenue for introducing
these new products will be seeds. This is why Ciba entered the seed business in the early 1970's
ment stations allover the world using conventional breeding techniques to develop corn hybrids
that suit farmers needs. Ciba also has 2 biotechnology research centers using new genetic
engineering techniques to make corn hybrids with resistance to diseases, insect pests, and
herbicides. Aside from maize, we also carry out research on hybrid wheat in the United Kingdom,
and do research on and sell sunflower, soybean, and sorghum seed in various countries. Ciba
seeds is one of the top five maize seed companies in the world.
Now let us look a little closer to home. Southeast Asia yearly plants almost 9 m ha of
maize. This region is home to 450 m people and has some of the most dynamic and fastest growing
economies in the world. Furthermore, most maize farmers in Southeast Asia do not use hybrids yet
and this presents a tremendous opportunity for farmers to improve their incomes and for seed
companies to meet their needs profitably. Southeast Asia is therefore an interesting maize seed
market for several seed companies inclUding Ciba.
Ciba Seeds entered the seed business in Southeast Asia with the concept of setting up a
large breeding center in one optimal location, and conducting extensive off-station trials to
~ Seeds Business Manager, eiba-Geigy (MPL) Ltd., 159/30 Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, Don Muang,
Bangkok 10210, Thailand.
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