Pioneer Hi-Bred plant to boost seed output

Pioneer Hi-Bred expects to boost its hybrid canola seed production acreage by almost 60 per cent this year through its new Lethbridge, Alta. facility.

Pioneer, a DuPont subsidiary, officially opened the Lethbridge facility Thursday, saying the facility will be part of the company’s plan to lead the canola seed market by 2012.

DuPont, earlier this month, announced a plan to boost its points of sale for Pioneer seed in Western Canada by offering exclusive canola varieties to independent and co-op input retailers who sell DuPont’s ag chemicals.

The Lethbridge facility is “specifically designed” to produce hybrid canola, will allow Pioneer to increase its seed production acreage by 58 per cent “to meet increased demand for its canola hybrids,” the company said.

The $12 million, 30,000-square foot plant also includes office, warehouse and bulk storage space and will handle “all aspects” of Pioneer brand canola seed production, cleaning, conditioning, packaging and distribution from a single location, the company said.

Plans for the facility were first announced in March 2005. The company at the time said it had chosen Lethbridge for its “ideal growing environment with long seasons and irrigation.”