Thailand’s hybrid seeds take root in Pampanga

MANILA, Philippines —  From sizzling sisig to sweet desserts, Pampanga’s food carries the legacy of generations who knew how to bring out the best from the land.

As the Kapampangans say, “Basta Kapampangan, manyaman” – if it’s from Pampanga, it’s delicious.

For 36-year-old Melchor Sandoval, who has spent years working the fields of Pampanga, this saying goes beyond the province’s famous cuisine. It also reflects the pride he puts into every seed he plants and every crop he grows.

Sandoval, a farmer in the municipality of Candaba, is planting hybrid watermelon seeds that, in his words, not only yield high-quality crops but are also resistant to pests and diseases.

The variety, known as “sweet gold,” comes from the Seminis brand of global pharmaceutical and agricultural giant Bayer AG, which produces hybrid seeds in Thailand to supply key markets such as the Philippines.

“The Seminis or sweet gold variety is what buyers are always looking for, which is why it contributes a lot to us farmers. It always makes sure our produce is high quality so we can earn a bigger income,” Sandoval told The STAR in Filipino.

Bayer, through its Seminis brand, offers vegetable seeds for open-field and unheated protected crops. All of Bayer’s hybrid seeds supplied in the Philippines are processed in Thailand.

These varieties are designed to support regenerative farming practices and improve crop resilience against pests, diseases and extreme weather conditions.

This comes amid mounting pressure on local farmers due to climate volatility, shrinking arable land and food loss.

The government earlier noted that while crops remain the backbone of the country’s agricultural sector, they are also the most vulnerable to climate-related risks.

Last November, Super Typhoon Uwan (international name Fung-wong) battered the Philippines, causing more than P4 billion in agricultural losses.

The damage resulted in over 160,000 metric tons (MT) of lost production across nearly 100,000 hectares of farmland, according to the Department of Agriculture.

Notably, high-value crops bore the brunt of the damage, with losses hitting 80,446 MT valued at P2.66 billion.

Against this backdrop, Sandoval, who continues the farming legacy passed down by his parents, said Seminis seeds have proven to be resilient in any season, whether rainy or dry.

Sandoval sells his watermelons to various markets, including third-party companies that supply retail centers such as SM Retail, Landers and DALI Stores. He also supplies wet markets and smaller buyers like online sellers.

“The sweet gold variety of Seminis is more in demand in the market compared to other seeds,” the Kapampangan farmer said.

Recently, Bayer opened a P574-million (310 million baht) vegetable seed production facility in Khon Kaen, Thailand, positioning it as a key Asian hub.

Built on a 48,000-square-meter site, the facility supports farmers in key markets, including the United States, the Netherlands, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and countries across Southeast Asia.

‘Phl ripe for innovation’

Guillaume Huchet, vegetable seeds product supply head at Bayer, said the company is open to the possibility of launching a similar production center in the Philippines.

“We are revisiting and making sure that our manufacturing footprint is the most appropriate to our business very frequently. We are very open to opening new centers, making sure that we can deliver better quality products to our customers wherever they are,” Huchet told The STAR.

Amid global expansion efforts, Bayer is positioning the Philippines as a key strategic growth market as it further deepens its footprint across Southeast Asia.

“So it’s a very fast-growing market for vegetable consumption. And it’s also ripe for advancements in innovation, which makes it a great strategic initiative,” Bayer global vegetable seeds president Inci Dannenberg said.

And this push for innovation takes root in the hands of farmers like Sandoval, whose work in the fields gives life to every seed variety developed through years of research and development.