A consortium led by women investment group WIPHOLD and the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) has bought agricultural seeds business Zaad Group for R1.4bn from JSE-listed Zeder Investments.
The other consortium members include the Industrial Development Corporation and Phatisa Food Fund.
Zaad owns, develops, imports and distributes a broad range of agronomy, forage and vegetable seeds into mainly Europe, Africa and other emerging international markets.
It also distributes speciality agrochemicals into Africa. The consortium said Zaad played a vital role in supporting food production with its seed, crop protection and agrochemical products.
The group supplies more than 100,000 farmers around the world and has a large distribution network offering access to new emerging markets
— Patrick Dlamini, PIC CEO
It serves the commercial farmer market in South Africa and smallholder and emerging farmers across Africa. Wiphold Group CEO Gloria Serobe said, “Agricultural inputs are a cornerstone of food security, and Zaad occupies a strategically important position within this value chain.”
PIC CEO Patrick Dlamini said Zaad had in-house research and development capabilities, developing intellectual property for high-quality agricultural input products that significantly enhance yields for farmers and contribute to food security.
“The group supplies more than 100,000 farmers around the world and has a large distribution network offering access to new emerging markets.”
Zaad’s operations are: Agricol, a seed company, Farm-Ag which specialises in the manufacture and distribution of crop protection products and agrochemicals, supplying farmers with dependable, quality chemicals.
Bakker Brothers, which produces vegetable seed genetics, is domiciled in the Netherlands, enabling access to premium varieties tailored to regional growing conditions.
It also has EA Seed, which operates across east and southern Africa, offering seed and input solutions through in-country distribution networks that extend Zaad’s reach into some of Africa’s most important agricultural markets.
The deal is subject to regulatory approvals.
TimesLIVE
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