What Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops does

The Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops (Institut za ratarstvo i povrtarstvo), operating commercially as NS SEME, is a Serbian public scientific research institution designated as an 'Institute of National Importance for the Republic of Serbia.' Founded in 1938 and headquartered in Novi Sad, the institute develops and commercializes certified hybrid and variety seeds across more than ten crop categories, including maize, sunflower, soybean, wheat, barley, rapeseed, forage crops, vegetables, flowers, and alternative crops such as industrial hemp and buckwheat. Its core technology is scientific plant breeding; the institute runs dedicated breeding departments for small grains, maize, legumes, sunflower, and vegetable/alternative crops, supported by accredited Soil and Agroecology, Seed Testing, and Biotechnology laboratories. Its sunflower breeding program is globally significant — approximately one in eight sunflowers worldwide carry NS hybrid genes, with proprietary genetic resistance to Orobanche (broomrape races A–F+) and integration of Clearfield, Clearfield Plus, SUMO, and DUO herbicide-tolerance systems.

The institute generates revenue primarily through direct-to-farmer sales of certified seeds under the NS SEME brand, priced per kilogram or per seed unit in Serbian Dinars, distributed through a nationwide regional representative network, an online sales platform (prodaja.nsseme.com), a toll-free hotline (0800 000 021), and a Novi Sad distribution center. Internationally, the institute exports to over 40 countries through official distributors and importers (e.g., Agrostart in North Macedonia). Complementary revenue and impact come from laboratory services (soil analysis, seed testing, biotechnology R&D) and a structured agricultural education program delivered in partnership with the Serbian Ministry of Agriculture. The institute is led by director Dr Svetlana Balešević Tubić, employs 501–1,000 staff, and sustains scientific authority by hosting major international conferences, including the 2026 ORO-STRESS symposium with the International Sunflower Association and the 67th Oilseed Production and Processing Conference.

Name

Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops

Legal name

Institut za ratarstvo i povrtarstvo, Institut od nacionalnog značaja za Republiku Srbiju

Website

https://nsseme.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1938

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops (NS SEME) is a Serbian state-designated agricultural research institute that breeds, produces, and sells certified hybrid and variety seeds across ten-plus crop categories to farmers in Serbia and over 40 export markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Seeds (Plant Breeding & Hybrid Seed Production)

NAICS

Oilseed and Grain Farming (1111), Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112), Soybean Farming (111110)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Certified Seed Production (AFAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Plant Breeding & Variety Development (Conventional) (AFAGAIAF), Seed Testing, Certification & Quality Assurance (Germination, Purity, Phytosanitary) (AFABAFAM), Seed Distribution & Wholesale (Channel Sales) (AFAGAIAM), Vegetable Seeds (Open-Pollinated & Hybrid) (AFABAFAE)

Keywords

• Plant breeding research
• Hybrid seed production
• Agricultural seed sales
• Sunflower genetics
• Crop variety development

Headquarters

HQ city

Novi Sad

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Seed Sales: The institute generates revenue primarily through the sale of certified seeds of its proprietary varieties and hybrids of field crops (maize, sunflower, soybean, wheat, barley, rapeseed) and vegetable crops. Seeds are sold in various packaging units (per kg, per seed unit/sj) through direct sales, regional representatives, and online platforms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

The Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops, operating commercially as NS SEME, develops and sells certified seeds of proprietary field and vegetable crop varieties and hybrids. Its portfolio spans maize, sunflower, soybean, wheat, barley, rapeseed, forage crops, vegetables, flowers, and alternative crops, complemented by accredited laboratory services (soil analysis, seed testing, biotechnology) and agricultural education programs.

Product overview

Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops (IFVC), operating as NS SEME, is a Serbian agricultural research institute of national significance that develops and commercializes seeds and agricultural products. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of hybrid and variety seeds across multiple crop categories: maize hybrids (NS 3006, NS 3022, NS 4009, NS 6000, NS 6030), sunflower hybrids (NS Ronin, NS Kruna, NS H 8005, NS H 7749 SUMO, NS Pegaz, NS Smaragd CLP, NS Gricko), soybean varieties (Favorit, NS Westeros, NS Hogar, NS Demetrius), cereal varieties (wheat, barley, oats), rapeseed varieties (Jovana, Mira), forage crops (alfalfa, NS Junior), vegetable varieties (peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans including NS Anka), flower varieties, and alternative crops (buckwheat, industrial hemp, mustard, camelina). The company also provides laboratory services (soil analysis, seed testing, biotechnology) and agricultural education programs. The product portfolio is organized by crop type with specialized sub-categories for different farming systems and market requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NS SEME: Commercial seed brand of the Institute for Field and Vegetable Crops, producing and selling seeds for various crops including maize, sunflower, soybean, wheat, vegetables, and forage crops. The brand is known for its certified seeds with the tagline 'PROVERENO. PRISTUPAČNO. POUZDANO.' (Verified. Accessible. Reliable.)

Products and services

• Maize Hybrid Seeds Portfolio of proprietary maize hybrids (NS 3006, NS 3022, NS 4009, NS 6000, NS 6030 and others) for commercial grain and silage production, with mid-early to mid-late maturity options, drought tolerance, and yield potential up to 17 t/ha dry grain. Sold per seed unit (25,000 kernels).
• Sunflower Hybrid Seeds Comprehensive sunflower hybrid portfolio including conventional (NS Ronin, NS Kruna), Clearfield (NS Pegaz), Clearfield Plus (NS Smaragd CLP), SUMO (NS H 8005, NS H 7749 SUMO), and confectionery (NS Gricko) hybrids. Features genetic resistance to broomrape (Orobanche races A-F+), downy mildew, rust, and sunflower moth. Oil content 46-50%; yield potential up to 5.8 t/ha.
• Soybean Variety Seeds Soybean varieties across maturity groups 000, 00, 0, I, and II (Favorit, NS Westeros, NS Hogar, NS Demetrius, NS Sedef, NS Viseris, NS Atlas, NS Zmaj, NS Aurelius, NS Simba, Granit and others). Yield potential 4.5-7 t/ha. Price includes NS-nitragin microbiological fertilizer for nitrogen fixation.
• Cereal Seeds (Wheat, Barley, Oats, Triticale, Rye) Small grain varieties including wheat (72 din/kg), barley (82 din/kg), oats (82 din/kg), triticale, and rye. Selected for high yield, cold resistance, and rich protein content for bread production, feed, and brewing industries.
• Rapeseed (Oilseed Rape) Seeds Spring rapeseed varieties Jovana and Mira for the 2026 selling season, priced at 13,200 din/unit (1,500,000 seeds = 3 ha).
• Forage Crop Seeds Forage seed varieties including alfalfa (880 din/kg), red clover (950 din/kg), forage pea NS Junior (200 din/kg), grain pea Partner (165 din/kg), Sudan grass (400 din/kg), and fodder sorghum. Cold-resistant and drought-tolerant varieties for reliable livestock feed production.
• Vegetable Seeds Vegetable seed portfolio including pepper (66 din/packet, 1g), watermelon (550 din/20g), melon (660 din/20g), cucumber (418 din/20g), radish (330 din/20g), chard (220 din/20g), zucchini (253 din/20g), pumpkin (308 din/20g), celery (605 din/20g), peas (121 din/250g), and beans (594 din/500g). Also features the bush bean variety NS Anka achieving about 10 t/ha yields.
• Alternative Crop Seeds Alternative crop varieties including broomcorn REFORM and PRIMA (8,000 din/3kg), common millet BISERKA (10,000 din/25kg), oil pumpkin OLIVIJA (3,000 din/kg), phacelia NS PRIORA (1,500 din/kg), industrial hemp MARINA, buckwheat NOVOSADSKA, grain sorghum GOLD, and Hokkaido squash.
• Mustard and Camelina Seeds Mustard varieties NS-CRNA and NS-BELA (8,250 din/20kg) and camelina varieties NS-Slatka and NS-Zlatka (13,200 din/7.5kg).
• Flower Seeds Flower seed varieties including zinnia, china aster, garden balsam, marigold, night-scented stock, four o'clock, petunia, moss rose, cornflower, baby's breath, strawflower, and sweet william.
• Medicinal and Spice Plants Varieties of medicinal herbs (peppermint, marigold, chamomile) and spice plants (basil, dill) for small-scale and commercial herb production.
• Soil Analysis Laboratory Services Accredited laboratory offering soil testing and agroecological assessments for agricultural producers, with necessary authorizations and accreditations.
• Seed Testing Laboratory Services State-of-the-art laboratory providing expert and scientific seed quality testing for field crops, vegetables, grasses, and medicinal plants, including germination and purity analysis.
• Biotechnology Laboratory Services Biotechnology research and development services supporting the institute's plant breeding programs, including molecular and tissue-culture based techniques.
• Agricultural Education and Training Programs Professional agricultural training modules covering ruminant nutrition, vegetable production, soil health, precision agriculture, regenerative agriculture, irrigation systems, and digital agriculture. Delivered in partnership with the Serbian Ministry of Agriculture at institute facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• NS sunflower hybrids achieve genetic yield potential of 5.5-5.8 t/ha for seed yield
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• DOO Industrijsko bilje (Industrial Crops Ltd)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2026One of three organizing institutions of the 67th Oilseed Production and Processing Conference (along with Institute for Field and Vegetable Crops and Faculty of Technology, Novi Sad).
• Faculty of Technology, Novi Sad (Tehnološki fakultet)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2026One of three organizing institutions of the 67th Oilseed Production and Processing Conference. Represents academic partnership for oilseed research and processing technology.
• Serbian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management (Ministarstvo poljoprivrede, šumarstva i vodoprivrede)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 June 2026The ministry partners with the institute for agricultural education programs. Under an annual training plan, the institute delivers educational modules to agricultural advisors and producers across Serbia (outside Vojvodina) on topics including ruminant nutrition, vegetable production, soil management, precision agriculture, and regenerative agriculture.
• International Sunflower Association (ISA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026The institute co-organized the 6th International Symposium on Broomrape in Sunflower and 1st Meeting on Biotic and Abiotic Stress in Sunflower (ORO-STRESS 2026) with ISA. This partnership positions the institute as a global leader in sunflower research and enables knowledge exchange with over 100 international scientists. The institute previously organized major international sunflower conferences in 1988 and 2022.
• SyngentaminorOthers · 16 June 2026Diamond sponsor of the ORO-STRESS 2026 International Sunflower Symposium organized by the institute and ISA. Represented at the opening ceremony.
• Agricultural Cooperative Agrostart (Zemljoradnička zadruga 'Agrostart')coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 5 June 2026Zemljoradnička zadruga 'Agrostart' from Režanovce serves as the official representative and importer of NS SEME products for the territory of North Macedonia. They organize field day events and promote NS genetics to Macedonian farmers.
• Company KlečovceminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2026Partner company that co-organizes field day events (Dan polja) with NS SEME and Agrostart in North Macedonia, hosting demo trials and demonstrations of NS seed varieties.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• KWS SAAT: German-headquartered plant breeding company focused on sugar beet, maize, cereals, oilseeds and vegetables — directly overlapping with NS SEME's cereal (wheat, barley, rye), maize and rapeseed programs in European markets.
• Euralis Semences: French cooperative seed company with a strong European sunflower and oilseed hybrid portfolio. Closely comparable to NS SEME in sunflower breeding, herbicide-tolerance systems and oilseed crop focus.
• RAGT Semences: French seed company active in sunflower, maize, cereals, sorghum and forage crops. Competes with NS SEME in European sunflower hybrids and in cereal and forage seed segments.
• Saaten-Union: German seed cooperative selling cereals, maize, oilseeds and catch crops across Europe. Overlaps with NS SEME on wheat, barley, oats, rapeseed and other field crop varieties sold in European markets.
• DLF Seeds: Global leader in forage and turf seed (alfalfa, clovers, grasses) headquartered in Denmark. Directly comparable to NS SEME's forage crops portfolio (alfalfa, red clover, fodder grasses).
• Limagrain: French farmer-cooperative seed group with strong sunflower, maize, wheat and vegetable seed divisions under LG, Vilmorin and Clause brands. Direct competitor to NS SEME in European sunflower and field crop seed markets.

Broad incumbents

• Syngenta Group: Global seed and crop protection company whose NK Seeds brand competes with NS SEME in maize and sunflower hybrids. Directly overlaps on Clearfield and herbicide-tolerance trait systems, and was a diamond sponsor of IFVC's ORO-STRESS 2026 symposium.
• Bayer Crop Science: Parent of Dekalb and formerly Monsanto, with deep sunflower, maize and soybean hybrid portfolios and trait stacks. Competes with NS SEME on the same crops in Europe and globally, with materially larger R&D resources.
• Corteva Agriscience: Global seed and crop protection major with Pioneer and Brevant brands competing directly with NS SEME in maize, sunflower and soybean hybrids. Comparable across hybrid seed product lines, though with vastly larger R&D and global distribution scale.

Emerging players

• Caussade Semences: French independent seed company specializing in sunflower, maize, oilseed rape, sorghum and legumes. Competes with NS SEME in sunflower and oilseed rape across Southern and Eastern Europe.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/NSseme
• Facebookfacebook.com/NsSemeProizvodjaci
• Instagraminstagram.com/ns.seme
• Xx.com/nsseme

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops