New Research Center Strengthens DuPont Leadership Position in Brazil Seed Market

14/06/07 DuPont announced it has opened its newest seed research center in Brazil. The new center is located in Porto Nacional, Brazil, and will help DuPont accelerate global research efforts to bring better genetics and traits to market faster.

"This new center will further strengthen our leadership position in Brazil and around the world," said Dean Oestreich, DuPont vice president and general manager and Pioneer Hi-Bred president.

Pioneer Hi-Bred, a DuPont business, has grown its corn seed business in the high-value Brazil market by 20 points in eight years by delivering products that help farmers increase their productivity.

The research center will focus on winter nursery capabilities for corn and soybean breeding, drought tolerance and heat stress research, as well as local product development efforts. It will be instrumental in bringing new hybrids to market faster as a centralized site for doubled haploid inbred development -- an approach that accelerates product advancement.

"We're confident the opportunities in agriculture will continue to grow in Brazil, including the expansion in soybean production, the transition from low technology to high technology corn production and new biotechnology traits," Oestreich said. "As DuPont grows its business in Brazil and around the world, all farmers will benefit from our worldwide crop genetics, research and development efforts. We have employees in 70 countries focused on a common goal -- to increase productivity to help meet growing world demand for food, feed, fuel and materials."

The research center is planting its first crop in June and will be fully operational by 2008. It is part of a $100 million reinvestment plan by DuPont to increase investment in plant genetics, biotechnology and other high-value growth opportunities to increase speed-to-market for new seed products. The plan includes the addition of more than 400 positions globally, mainly in research and development at Pioneer, and expanding R&D efforts at 67 of the 92 Pioneer research centers worldwide.