Almost a fifth, or 19%, of Latvian farmers see seed and variety renewal, along with the testing of new varieties, as one of the most significant areas for investment over the next three years. The trend is even more pronounced in neighbouring countries – 28% of farmers in Estonia say the same, and 25% in Lithuania. The data, gathered in a Baltic-wide study surveying 1 000 farmers from across the Baltics, points in a clear direction: the quality of seed material is becoming one of the most strategically important factors in agriculture. This signals a substantial shift in thinking within the sector, where more and more farms are coming to view seed material as an investment rather than a cost item.
Reducing risks and ensuring more stable results
Farming has become considerably less predictable in recent years, affected by climate change, extreme weather, growing risks from diseases and pests, and fluctuating yields. This is pushing farms to look for solutions that help reduce risks and deliver more stable results. It is precisely here that the quality of seed material is decisive, because it shapes the entire subsequent cycle – from germination through to harvest. Certified and tested seed material makes it possible not only to achieve better results, but also to plan work more accurately and use resources more efficiently.
The cheapest option at the outset can turn out to be the most expensive
Despite this growing awareness, uncertified seed is still used in practice, as in the short term it often looks like the financially more attractive option. Yet such a choice brings with it a series of significant risks. Uncertified seed material can be of uneven quality, which means plants develop at different rates. As a result, plants grow at varying speeds, complicating both crop management and harvesting, and affecting the quality of the end product. On top of this there is a considerable risk of disease and pests, since infections may already be present in the seed material and later spread throughout the crop. No less significant is the risk of weeds and admixtures of other crop species. By using uncertified seed, a farmer may unwittingly introduce weeds into their field that will compete for nutrients, moisture and space, reducing the yield potential. Dealing with such problems later requires additional resources and expense, which often exceeds what was saved at the outset. The apparently cheaper option can thus end up being the most expensive.
The advantages of certified seed material are becoming ever more important under present-day conditions. It is carefully selected, tested and true to a specific variety, ensuring even germination and predictable plant development. Calibrated seed of uniform size and weight produces an even crop, which allows fertilisation and crop protection work to be planned more efficiently and makes harvesting simpler. Disease and weed risks are also substantially reduced, because certified seed material is cleaned and inspected in line with quality standards.
Well-founded decisions and less uncertainty
Today, when so many unpredictable factors can affect the harvest, it matters that there are aspects farmers can rely on, such as the specific characteristics of a variety – its yield potential, length of the growing period, and resistance to lodging and disease. This makes it possible to take well-founded decisions and reduces the uncertainty that is becoming one of the greatest challenges in modern agriculture.
The fact that an ever greater proportion of farmers in the Baltics are putting seed quality among their priority areas for investment is no coincidence. It is a logical response to the sector's challenges and the growing need for stability and predictability. Under today's conditions, seed material is the strategic foundation of the entire farming cycle. By choosing high-quality, certified seed material, farmers are investing not only in the particular season, but also in the long-term development of their farm, in the quality of their harvest and in their competitiveness.