- Enza Zaden’s global subsidiaries hit 26 with a new venture in Tanzania.
- The seed company is a welcome boost to Tanzania’s horticulture sector whose exports clocked 175,000 tonnes in 2024 alone.
- Tanzania horticulture is projected to grow at an annual rate of 11 per cent.
Enza Zaden, the Netherlands’ major seed grower, has announced the expansion of its venture in Tanzania, boasting 16,000 square meters of international vegetable breeding grounds and state-of-the-art facilities. The firm’s Chief Executive Officer made the announcement at the launch of Enza Zaden, Tanzania, in the country’s horticulture seat, Arusha City.
“Today, we operate in 26 countries, employing over 3,000 people, of these, at least 1,000 are involved in research projects working to develop new vegetable varieties,” he announced.
Several dignitaries graced the launch event, including Ambassador Wiebe de Boer, envoy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Tanzania. The diplomat praised Enza Zaden’s choice to open the Tanzania venture, which, he said, ‘brings our countries even closer.’
“We are pleased that this Dutch company is collaborating with Tanzanians to achieve the goal of developing healthy seed varieties…this is the basis of bridging food security in the country and the world,” the Ambassador said.
Present at the launch was Tanzania’s Deputy Minister of State in the President’s Office (Planning and Investment), Mr. Stanislaus Nyong’o, who seconded the Dutch Ambassador and commended the opening of Enza Zaden in the country.
He said the opening of Enza Zaden will not only serve to increase food productivity but also create much-needed employment, especially for women and youth. “The horticulture sector predominantly employs women and youth and it is overall, a key sector for job creation, boosting exports and ensuring food security,” he said.
The Deputy Minister of State also underlined that Tanzania’s horticulture sector is growing at an impressive rate, recording an annual growth rate of 11 per cent. “Generally speaking, the entire agricultural sector grows at 12 per cent, highlighting the potential of the former,” he said.
Also present was the Director of Crop Development in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Enock Chimagu, who was pleased to point out that Tanzania’s reliance on imported seeds is decreasing, and the expansion of Enza Zaden’s venture will only increase the country’s seed production capacity.
He said Tanzania produced 71,356 tonnes of agricultural seeds in the fiscal year 2023/2024; “78.6 percent of our kernels are for domestic use, and with the expansion of Enza Zaden, Tanzania will become even more self-sufficient. ”
Thanking the Tanzania government officials, Enza Zaden Operations Manager Mr. Gerald Matowo reassured stakeholders that Enza Zaden food products adhere to Good Seed and Plant Practices (GSPP).
“We ensure quality management, our work methods comply with international standards and we adhere to global quality assurance,” he said.
Mr. Nyong’o spoke at Nduruma Ward, Meru District, during the inauguration of the expansion project for Enza Zaden, an organic seeds-growing farm in Arusha that develops high-quality kernels for export.
It was revealed that the horticulture sector in Tanzania has an export value of 668.7bn/- from a total production of 175,000 tonnes of produce shipped overseas in the current fiscal year.
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Enza Zaden Arusha venture
The company’s Arusha venture is constantly being upgraded, and the new facility is now designed to support increased seed production capacity. The 16,000-square-meter seed production facility integrates advanced technology for cutting-edge science applications in seed production.
With a keen focus on minimizing environmental impact, the facility features semi-closed, climate-controlled greenhouses that allow for consistent growing conditions throughout the year.
The use of greenhouse facilities allows operations to take place in a stable production environment despite changes in the external weather. To this end, the Arusha facility uses solar power and has an ultra-filtration system to reduce water usage and waste.
“This approach aligns with the our basic goal, to prioritize resource-efficient production methods in all our operations,”
The international seed farm is close to Arusha’s international airport, a strategic location allowing the company to streamline its supply chain and logistics.
“By been close to the airport, Enza Zaden is able to meet distribution demands efficiently,”
“The new Arusha site represents an expansion in Enza Zaden’s production infrastructure, designed to address both efficiency and sustainability in response to growing demand,”
Enza Zaden: A century of seed development
Enza Zaden is one of the world’s ten biggest vegetable breeding companies. In addition to the main crops—tomato, pepper, cucumber, and lettuce—Enza Zaden also breeds melon, onion, and many other vegetables.
The company was founded nearly a century ago (1938) by Jacob Mazereeuw. It initially sold vegetable seeds, potatoes, and legumes. After the Second World War, it focused entirely on professional vegetable breeding.
Enza Zaden started the first plant breeding activities in 1959, developing a tomato variety called Extase. In the 1980s, Enza expanded internationally, launching plant breeding in Crete and its first subsidiary in the United Kingdom in 1985.
Today, the company’s research sections and commercial subsidiaries are established across all continents, developing new vegetable varieties for domestic use and export.
