Seed that isn't sown, but instead ends up as bird seed or is thrown away. A shame, says Victor van Tol. He is introducing a new initiative to 'save' vegetable seeds: Seed Fair. Growers can purchase seeds at half the price under the new initiative, starting with spinach seed and bean seed. Offered by a breeder, who now has no 'hassle' with leftover seeds.
This concerns high quality seeds that come from the assortment or returned batches, but which still have excellent properties and are not normally sown.
Online
As of today, the first version of the platform is accessible to everyone. The concept is a combination between a webshop and an auction site. Growers receive a lot of information about the various varieties: this way they can choose which varieties best fit into their cultivation plan. They can directly purchase a lot with a discount or make an offer. With a good offer, it will be allocated quickly. In this way it is guaranteed that all seeds eventually end up in the ground, explains Victor, who is also founder of Snappcar, a car-sharing platform.
“I found out through an acquaintance that breeders do not get a significant part of their seeds sown into the ground. Lots remain in a warehouse and in the worst case are thrown away or sold as birdseed.” Victor thinks this waste is a shame. “It is a huge shame, because although the stock is limited, it is still of excellent quality: high germination power and good resistance. At SnappCar I have a lot of experience in connecting supply and demand, which is how the idea arose to create a platform where growers can buy these batches for a hefty discount.”
First SeedFair seeds sown
The first seeds have gone into the ground at Veggieland, spinach grower for the fresh market. The growers saw potential in the SeedFair platform and therefore conducted a test with three different spinach varieties. “The quality of the seeds seems to meet our requirements. All three varieties have germinated well, ”says Dorus Droog of Veggieland. “We can use these varieties for part of our acreage, the adjusted price means that we can cover the cultivation risk. By sowing a little extra, we try to hedge climate risks towards our customers. In this way we make a sustainable contribution by using limited stocks instead of being destroyed. ”
First breeder connected
In the search for a first breeder, Victor ended up with Pop Vriend from Andijk. They see added value in taking part in a test with their leftovers. Normally these are a lot of hassle. During the test phase of SeedFair, various spinach and bean varieties from Pop Vriend can be ordered via the site. All supplies have a high germination rate of over 85% and can be treated on request.
International
Victor indicates that his ambition is to broaden the range in the near future. "Think of onions, carrots and other vegetables." In the long term, the plan is to save one third of the seeds that are currently thrown away from destruction. "At the moment, the Dutch growers are the first to order from us, but we are definitely going across the border."
