KWS underpins world-leading market position for sugarbeet seeds with further innovation

• New combination varieties combine the advantages of the successful CONVISO® SMART system with high Cercospora protection (CR+)
• Product launch in several European markets for the upcoming growing season
• Further European roll-out planned in the coming years
• Unique product innovation strengthens future growth in the sugarbeet segment

Following the outstanding market success of the CONVISO® SMART system for effective and sustainable weed control and the variety portfolio with high Cercospora protection based on CR+ genetics, KWS is further expanding its innovation leadership in sugarbeet seeds with the introduction of combination varieties.

With this year's growing season, highly innovative varieties are available in several European countries that combine the advantages of the CONVISO® SMART system with the high Cercospora protection of CR+. With the slogan "The ultimate DUO", KWS advertises the combination of these two important product segments.

"CONVISO® SMART and CR+ are already unique success stories that demonstrate our market-leading innovative strength in the breeding of sugarbeet seeds," explained Dr. Peter Hofmann, Member of the Executive Board, who is also responsible for the Sugarbeet Business Unit. "With the introduction of new combination varieties, we are supporting sustainable and competitive sugarbeet cultivation in Europe and at the same time strengthening our future growth."

The new varieties will be offered in the 2025 growing season in the markets of Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Poland, Italy, Romania and Slovakia, with other markets to follow in the coming years.

Additional information:

The CONVISO® SMART system, developed by KWS and Bayer CropScience, offers an efficient and sustainable way to control weeds in sugarbeet cultivation. The use of the system can increase the effectiveness of sugarbeet compared to classic weed control and at the same time reduce the number of treatments and the application rate of herbicides and thus chemical pesticides.

CR+ varieties offer a powerful additional tool to combat Cercospora, a leaf disease in sugarbeet cultivation that can lead to yield losses of up to 50%. About two-thirds of the world's cultivated area is at risk of moderate to high Cercospora pressure. Observations show that the disease is conquering new territory by spreading from south to north in the long term.

In the 2023/2024 financial year, both innovations contributed around 50 percent to total sales in the Sugarbeet segment (EUR 865 million).

About KWS

KWS is one of the world’s leading plant breeding companies. Around 5,000 employees* in over 70 countries generated net sales of around €1.68 billion in fiscal 2023/2024. A company with a tradition of family ownership, KWS has operated independently for almost 170 years. It focuses on plant breeding and the production and sale of seed for sugarbeet, corn, cereals, vegetables, oilseed rape and sunflowers. KWS uses leading-edge plant breeding methods to continuously improve yield for farmers and plants’ resistance to diseases, pests and abiotic stress. To that end, the company invested more than €300 million last fiscal year in research and development.

*Excluding seasonal workers

More information: www.kws.com

Contacts:

Peter Vogt  
Head of Investor Relations
Phone: +49-30 816914-490
peter.vogt@kws.com

Sina Barnkothe
Lead External Communications
Phone: +49-5561 311-1783
sina.barnkothe@kws.com