Seed Companies

There are many companies that sell vegetable seeds. However, the number of companies that actually grow their own seeds and develop new cultivars has been steadily decreasing over the past 50 years. Like other industries, the seed industry is rapidly becoming highly specialized.

For example, some companies specialize in retail sales. Of these companies, there are those that specialize in the home garden trade and others who deal with commercial growers. Some seed companies specialize in seed production and cultivar development and do not retail the seeds they produce, while other companies are involved in all aspects of the seed trade. Several companies do not sell seeds but specialize in coating seeds produced by other companies. Some companies specialize in specific crops such as the Hollar Seed Company which only produces cucurbit seeds and wholesales them to companies specializing in retail sales.

Many of the large vegetable seed companies are multinational. Very few of these companies are privately owned. Many are owned by other large multinational corporations. For example, Petoseed, Royal Sluis, Asgrow vegetable seeds and several other seed companies are now all owned by the Mexican Company, Seminis.