ADQ Holdings intends to acquire a 35% stake in Limagrain Vegetable Seeds, marking a significant strategic step in its journey to enhance its capabilities in the agriculture sector. Limagrain Vegetable Seeds is recognized as a global leader in vegetable seed production, and this partnership aims to promote innovation and sustainability in agriculture, particularly in arid regions. Through this deal, ADQ Holdings seeks to improve food security and increase local production, reflecting a long-term vision to enhance the sustainability of the food value chain.
About Limagrain Vegetable Seeds
Founded in 1743, Limagrain Vegetable Seeds is a pioneer in vegetable seed production and boasts extensive expertise in this field. The company is headquartered in France and operates 56 research centers across 20 countries, showcasing its advanced capabilities in research and development. Its portfolio includes a comprehensive range of vegetable products covering 43 out of 50 major types. Through this collaboration with ADQ Holdings, the company aims to expand its innovations and adapt to climate challenges.
Research Partnership with Salah
Under the proposed collaboration, this project will bring together Limagrain Vegetable Seeds and Salah, one of ADQ Holdings’ companies specializing in agricultural food technology. The partnership will focus on developing vegetable seeds tailored to desert conditions, aiming to improve adaptability to harsh environments such as heat and drought. Research and development activities will take place at the Innovation Oasis in Salah’s center in Al Ain, where Limagrain’s expertise in vegetable genetics will contribute to achieving the ambitious goals of this project.
ADQ Holdings’ Plans for Food Security
This step is part of ADQ Holdings’ strategy to enhance national food security, with hopes of increasing local production to 50% of total consumption and reducing reliance on imports. Mansour Mohammed Al Mulla, the group’s Deputy CEO, expressed optimism, stating, “Expanding our operations to include the seed sector is a critical and vital step to enhance our presence.” The collaboration with Limagrain Vegetable Seeds will accelerate the innovation process and help achieve the strategic goals for the UAE.
Global Expansion
Sébastien Chaufour, CEO of Limagrain, welcomed the collaboration with ADQ Holdings, noting that the partnership reflects both parties’ commitment to innovation and sustainable investment. He added that this collaboration will strengthen Limagrain’s position as a global leader and open new avenues for expansion in emerging markets, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa. The deal will be subject to consultation with Limagrain employees and requires regulatory approval to be finalized.