With ‘Stronger by Nature’ Agrico takes on the challenges of the potato sector

Agrico is strongly committed to addressing the challenges facing the potato sector through its varieties portfolio. Varieties that give growers confidence where it matters most: yield, quality, and income, under Agrico’s Stronger by Nature theme.

Stronger by Nature expresses exactly what Agrico stands for: varieties that are naturally bred and developed to thrive in a changing world. In doing so, Agrico directly addresses the challenges facing the potato sector, including the impact of climate change, stricter legislation, changing market demands and societal pressure. These developments place increasing demands on growers, customers, and partners. Especially in these times, the need for certainty and confidence is greater than ever: varieties that can withstand the unpredictability of nature while delivering high yields, excellent quality, and stable income security.

The introduction of this new theme does not signal a change in direction for Agrico. On the contrary, says variety marketer Daniëlle Hanse. “With Stronger by Nature, we are putting into words what Agrico has been doing for many years: breeding strong varieties. It is a clear way for us to communicate where the strength of our varieties lies.”

Four pillars

At this stage, Stronger by Nature is built around four pillars: nematode resistance, virus resistance, excellent storability, and late blight resistance (the Next Generation varieties). “It is not about combining a wide range of resistances or characteristics in a single variety,” explains Peter Oldenkamp, Director of Agrico Research. “Rather, it is about offering a broad range of varieties, each with one or more characteristics that provide additional resistance against one of these challenges.”

Looking ahead, Agrico aims to further expand the Stronger by Nature theme by adding new elements, such as drought or heat resistance. However, Agrico is cautious about making such claims about its varieties. “It is important that we can substantiate these with independent data, for example, resistance levels, or storage performance under certain temperatures. We do not want to make vague claims about our potatoes having improved drought or heat tolerance without being able to measure and compare this objectively,” Peter explains.

Stronger by Nature is therefore still evolving, Daniëlle adds. “The needs of our customers are changing and we adapt accordingly. With our portfolio, we can always offer a suitable variety for every growing condition. Each variety contributes in its own way to healthy, profitable, and sustainable potato cultivation.”

Next Generation

Next Generation has become a strong and widely recognised label within the potato sector. Next Generation varieties have natural late blight resistance and have proven their value in real-world conditions. The next step in development at Agrico is stacked resistance; combining multiple resistance genes within a single variety, to further strengthen the plant’s defence against late blight. A preview of this was presented at the Varieties and Seedling Show 2025, where two promising seedlings with stacked resistance genes were showcased among all future varieties.

Late blight resistance is a key focus within Agrico’s portfolio, but as Daniëlle emphasises, the company’s approach goes much further. “The foundation of all our varieties is low input (minimising costs) and high output, ultimately leading to higher returns for growers. This is what we want to demonstrate. It reflects the vision on which our entire varieties portfolio is built. With Stronger by Nature, we highlight not only the strength of our genetics, but also the diversity of our portfolio. Every variety contributes in its own way to healthy, profitable, and sustainable potato cultivation.”

Maintaining a strong position

Agrico is one of the frontrunners in variety development and aims to maintain this strong position. To preserve its lead in a rapidly changing world, the cooperative is currently making significant investments in its breeding company, Agrico Research. The new facilities will enable more extensive marker research to take place and allow for more targeted development of characteristics in seedlings, such as disease resistance and quality characteristics. In practical terms, this will accelerate the introduction of new varieties to the market, including those with multiple natural late blight resistances. Stronger by Nature perfectly reflects what Agrico stands for: drawing strength from nature itself. Daniëlle concludes: “At Agrico Research, we develop varieties that are naturally strong and future-proof thanks to their genetic traits. Our breeding is based on natural crossing methods (non-GMO), and results in varieties that are ready for the challenges of both today and tomorrow, with respect for people and the environment.”