The plant breeder industry invests around 20% of its turnover in R & D. Get a new variety involves an investment of up to 3 million euros. Industrial property protection means the results of the work of breeders, thus sustaining improvement programs and development of varieties.
The National Association of Plant Breeders (Anove) stressed the importance of this factor for the breeder sector and for the farmer. Without this protection, could not maintain improvement programs and development of varieties.
The seed is the first factor of production and the only essential for the production of plants, and as such constitutes the first link in the food chain, whose traceability is essential to ensure safety to consumers.
The plant or plant breeding is a highly technological activity of great economic importance, based on research and development for the development of new plant varieties. Plant variety has proven to be one of the most efficient ways to increase productivity, improve quality and nutritional value, as well as to solve problems such as diseases, pests, water scarcity or other environmental constraints media.
Each new variety is a work of original creation of different existing providing greater value to farmers and society as a whole. Depending on the species, get a new variety can make 10 to 15 years of work and between 1.5 and 3 million euros. Research and development of new varieties by breeding companies has enabled farmers to double yields over the past 50 years, with an increase in crop quality.
Improvement programs require great efforts in time and resources, both human and financial. The development of new varieties is only possible with continuous investment in research programs, since it is the only source of funding.
The plant breeder industry invests on average around 20% of its turnover in R & D and devotes up to 30% of its staff in research work. In order to protect and encourage these efforts, the law grants to breeders about industrial property rights that allow a balance between the benefits to farmers and society receive from this activity, and the need to reward creators so that the varieties permitted to recover the investments made and ensure sustainable progress.
Reproduction or illegal purchase of seeds or plants, or reemployment for sowing grain without applying industrial property rights, undertake research and threaten the future of our agriculture.
Source: Anove
