KWS positions itself in the growing market for oats

February 2021

Increasing amounts of cultivated areas and processing volumes in German hulling mills, rising demand among consumers for the superfood and the important role it plays in crop rotation: There is no doubt – Germany’s oats market is prospering. Against this backdrop, KWS is positioning itself with an expanded product portfolio. In December, the German Federal Plant Variety Office approved the summer harvest oat variety MAGELLAN.

KWS has been one of the leading breeders of oat varieties for many years, especially in France, thus leading to the strategic decision to expand the breeding program to include further focal markets such as Germany and Great Britain. “Oat is one of the most viable varieties and in the coming years, we expect strong results from this new breeding approach, including the development of marketable varieties and successful new KWS genetics,” emphasizes Hermann Klingemann, Head of the Special Crops and Organic Seeds division at KWS. “We are very pleased to include MAGELLAN in our portfolio, because now we can already offer a high-yield summer harvest oat variety for Germany.” In the coming years, KWS anticipates additional approvals for conventional and organic farming; several promising varieties are already undergoing official testing.

The recently approved yellow oat variety MAGELLAN performed impressively throughout the official three-year trials conducted by the German Federal Plant Variety Office, especially in terms of its outstanding grain yield. Furthermore, it is one of the few varieties that achieved the current highest rating of seven in both processing steps. MAGELLAN’s other characteristics include the good hectoliter weight, the low husk portion, the very good thousand grain weight and the good standing power. From an agronomic standpoint, MAGELLAN demonstrates an extremely well-balanced profile, therefore underscoring its suitability for organic farming.

As a summer harvest cereal, oat is also a valuable asset in terms of biodiversity and can also contribute to reducing weeds and enrich the rotation of cultures as a cleaning crop. This is in addition to all the positive features oats offer in terms of the nutritional value for humans. Oats’ contribution to more sustainable farming methods and modern nutrition trends are also boosting sales markets. With the strategic expansion of its product portfolio, KWS is well equipped to meet the increasing demand.