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Akola Group is investing €9.5 million in a seed factory in Latvia, to be operated by its subsidiary SIA Dotnuva Seeds. With an anticipated annual capacity of approximately 30,000 tons, the site will primarily produce cereal and leguminous plant seeds. The future factory will encompass 4,550 square metres, housing a production unit, warehouse and a two-story administrative building with a laboratory, office workstations and technical facilities. Jonas Bakšys, a member of the management board of Akola and CEO of SIA Dotnuva Seeds, said: "The future factory will allow faster access to Latvian and Estonian farmers, shortening the logistics chain". "We are working with as many as 30 breeders from different European countries, researching and introducing new varieties suitable for the climate of each country. Farmers will benefit greatly from the increased diversity of supply. We have foreseen the possibility of using promising new Swedish seed preparation technologies in production." Bakšys added: "The demand for certified seeds is growing as farmers understand the returns these seeds generate. Today, we can sell more seeds than we produce. Five years ago, we produced around 20,000 tons of seed within the year - even a little less than we sold in the last six months. We plan to produce around 20,000 tons of cereal and legume seeds in Latvia annually when the factory starts up. If the market continues to grow, we will increase the factory's capacity to 30,000 tons of seeds." The facility is expected to be operational by mid-2025.