CIS Agro

What CIS Agro does

CIS Agro (legal name CIS Semillas S.A., also known as Compañía Internacional de Semillas) is a Chilean family-owned agricultural company founded in 1986, controlled since 2008 by the Sahli Lecaros family through Inversiones Nueve Chelines. The company operates two interlocking business lines built around Chile's natural counter-season advantage. First, it provides contract seed production services to international seed companies (Bayer/Dekalb, RAGT, Corn State/Monsanto, and others), producing basic and commercial seed of maize, soybeans, rapeseed, sunflower, canola, and vegetables in Chile's Southern Hemisphere off-season — enabling two crops per year for clients in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Second, it sells proprietary and distributed seed products (Dekalb corn, RAGT corn, rapeseed, sorghum, sweet corn, sugar beet, alfalfa) plus microgranulated fertilizers to Chilean farmers through the Coagra distributor network and a proprietary e-commerce storefront (tienda.cischile.cl). A third, smaller line produces premium extra virgin olive oil from company-owned Arbequina, Koroneiki, and Arbosana orchards in the Alcones valley, processed within four hours of harvest at an on-site mill, available under own brand and private label.

The company's core technology stack centers on dedicated seed production and processing infrastructure at a Paine facility (with separate GMO, GMO-free, and vegetable lines), an ISTA-methodology seed laboratory authorized by SAG (Chile's Agricultural and Livestock Service), ETS certification for biotech seed handling, a barcode-based traceability system from seed arrival to export, and a Super High Density olive planting system (1,600–2,000 plants/ha) with 100% mechanized harvesting. R&D and winter nursery services for global breeders are delivered through the CIS Alliance joint venture with US-based Gro Alliance. The company employs 11–50 people across offices in Santiago (headquarters), Paine (seed processing), and Alcones (olive operations).

Name

CIS Agro

Legal name

CIS Semillas S.A.

Website

https://cischile.cl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CIS Agro is a Chilean family-owned seed producer founded in 1986 that provides counter-season contract seed production for international seed companies and distributes Dekalb, RAGT, and proprietary seed hybrids plus olive oil to Chilean farmers and global clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Seed Production

NAICS

Oilseed and Grain Farming (1111), Oilseed (except Soybean) Farming (11112), Fats and Oils Refining and Blending (311225), Starch and Vegetable Fats and Oils Manufacturing (31122)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700), Fats & Oils (2070)

akta.pro primary industry

Hybrid Seed Production (AFAGAIAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seed Distribution & Wholesale (Channel Sales) (AFAGAIAM), Olive Groves (Olives for Oil & Table) (AFAGACAG), Olive Oil Production & Bottling (AFAKAEAC)

Keywords

• Contract seed production
• Hybrid seed distribution
• Seed laboratory testing
• Agricultural field services
• Extra virgin olive oil

Headquarters

HQ city

Santiago, RM

HQ country

Chile

HQ region

Latin America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Seed Production Services (B2B): Contract seed production services for international seed companies (Bayer, Monsanto, RAGT, and others), producing basic and commercial seeds of maize, soybeans, rapeseed, sunflower, canola, and vegetables in Chile's counter-season.
2. Seed Product Sales: Sale of proprietary and distributed seed brands (Dekalb maize, rapeseed, sorghum, sweet corn, beet, alfalfa) through Coagra distributors and direct e-commerce. Revenue is one-time per transaction with repeat purchase cycles tied to agricultural seasons.
3. Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Production and sale of premium extra virgin olive oil under own brand and private label / white label arrangements, using Arbequina, Koroneiki, and Arbosana varieties from company-owned orchards in Alcones valley.
4. Agricultural Inputs (Fertilizers, Cereals): Sale of fertilizers (Expertia Micro Force, Fertium Micro Force Plus) and cereals/sorghum since 2020, broadening the product portfolio.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CIS Agro produces and commercializes hybrid and basic seeds—including corn, sweet corn, rapeseed, sorghum, sugar beet, alfalfa, cereals, and fertilizers—and sells extra virgin olive oil from company-owned orchards. It also provides contract seed production, seed processing, laboratory, logistics, machinery, field management, and seed research and winter-nursery services for international seed companies and agricultural producers.

Product overview

CIS Agro is a Chilean family-owned agricultural company offering a portfolio of seed products (corn, sweet corn/choclo, rapeseed, sorghum, sugar beet, and fertilizers) alongside integrated agricultural services (seed production, processing, laboratory, logistics, machinery, and field management). The core product line centers on Dekalb corn hybrids and other seed varieties distributed through the Coagra network in Chile, complemented by a premium extra virgin olive oil line from company-owned orchards. The company leverages Chile's counter-season geographic advantage to produce seeds for international clients (US, Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia) and provides R&D services via its CIS Alliance joint venture. The portfolio is unified by shared agricultural expertise, with seed products (Dekalb corn, sweet corn, rapeseed, sorghum, sugar beet, fertilizers) forming the commercial product core, and the service offerings (seed production, processing, laboratory, logistics, machinery, field management, winter nursery research) providing the operational infrastructure that differentiates CIS Agro's business model.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CIS Alliance: Joint venture research services offering growouts, manual pollination crosses, isolations, trials and cages for row crops, cereals, oilseeds and vegetables.

Products and services

• Corn hybrid seeds Hybrid corn seeds for grain and silage production, including DKC 6980, DK 645, DK 585, DK 555, DK 478, and DK 469, with semitardío, intermediate, and semiprecoz vegetative cycles. CIS Agro distributes Dekalb corn hybrids in Chile.
• Sweet corn seeds Sweet corn seeds for fresh-market and processing production, including Bendecido, Infiel, Antu, Acampao, Bandido, Colozal, Uzain, and Bienportao varieties.
• Rapeseed (canola) seeds Rapeseed (canola) hybrid seeds under the Dekalb brand, including conventional and Clearfield varieties such as DK Exception, DK Expansion, DK Imageos CL, DK Imminent CL, DK Implement CL, DK Imaret CL, DK Impression CL, DK Imperial CL, Vestal CL, DK IMOVE CL, and DK Immortal CL.
• Sorghum seeds Sorghum hybrid seeds including SP 4105 multi-cut pasture sorghum, SP 4555 Sudan grass-type sorghum with high digestibility, and NK 300 silage sorghum with up to 20% grain at harvest.
• Sugar beet seeds Sugar beet seeds, including Manitou, Olimpo, Admiral, and Monro, plus Brick fodder beet, in monogerm and multigerm varieties for domestic and export markets.
• Alfalfa seeds Alfalfa seeds listed in CIS Agro's product catalog for Chilean agricultural producers.
• Cereals Cereals commercialized as part of CIS Agro's agricultural inputs portfolio beginning in 2020.
• Microgranulated fertilizers Specialized microgranulated fertilizers including Expertia Micro Force and Fertium Micro Force Plus, with slow-release nitrogen, highly soluble phosphorus, and low-chloride potassium, for agricultural producers.
• Extra virgin olive oil Premium extra virgin olive oil made from Arbequina, Koroneiki, and Arbosana olives grown in company-owned orchards in the Alcones valley and processed at the on-site mill by centrifugation. It is offered in monovarietal or blended forms, including private-label products, with acidity below 0.2%.
• Seed production services Off-season and counter-season seed production for international clients, covering maize, soybeans, rapeseed, sunflower, canola, and vegetables in Chile. The service supports global clients in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia and can support two crops per year.
• Seed processing services Third-party seed processing at the Paine facility with separate GMO-free, GMO, and vegetable plant lines, barcode traceability software, ETS certification, a SAG-authorized laboratory, and drying capabilities.
• Seed laboratory services Seed laboratory analysis using ISTA methodology, including germination, physical purity, other species determination, humidity, cold-vigor testing, and mechanical damage assessment. The laboratory is SAG-authorized for official seed certificates.
• Logistics services Door-to-port and door-to-door logistics for seed and agricultural product imports and exports, including air and sea transport coordination and documentation management at origin and destination.
• Agricultural machinery services Agricultural machinery services for soil preparation, sowing, mechanical detasseling, spraying, and mechanized harvesting, operated by specialized technicians and mechanics.
• Field management services Field administration and seed-multiplication management led by CIS Agro's technical team, including operation of more than 300 hectares of irrigated fields.

Quantifiable outcome

• Extra virgin olive oil produced within 4 hours of harvest, with acidity levels below 0.2%
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bayer / DekalbcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2023In 2023, CIS Agro was chosen by Bayer as the exclusive representative of the Dekalb brand in Chile and began distribution of Dekalb corn hybrids nationwide. This is a flagship partnership leveraging CIS Agro's 35+ years of agronomic expertise and extensive distribution network through Coagra.
• RAGT (France)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2016CIS Agro became the exclusive distributor of RAGT maize seeds in Chile, adding a prestigious French seed brand to its portfolio.
• Gro Alliance (USA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIS Alliance is a joint venture between CIS Agro (Chile) and Gro Alliance (United States), offering research services in row crops, cereals, oilseeds, and vegetables in Chile. The partnership combines the experience and support of both companies to provide winter nursery and seed research services to global breeders.
• CoagracoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCoagra is the primary agricultural distributor network through which CIS Agro sells Dekalb seed products. Coagra branches are located across key agricultural regions of Chile including Curicó, Talca, Linares, Chillán, Los Ángeles, Rancagua, Santa Cruz, San Fernando, and San Vicente.
• ANPROS (Asociación Nacional de Productores de Semillas)minorOthersANPROS operates a GPS system via internet that allows monitoring of seed fields from different companies and establishing appropriate isolations. CIS Agro participates in this system as part of its seed production operations in Chile.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• KWS SAAT: European independent seed company focused on corn, sugar beet, cereals, and oilseeds. Comparable product portfolio to CIS Agro's distributed brands; broader global footprint and ownership of proprietary genetics.
• Limagrain: French farmer-cooperative seed group active across field crops, vegetable seeds, and cereals. Comparable multi-crop European seed company with global production footprint and similar distribution philosophy.
• Syngenta Group: Global seed and crop protection major with overlapping corn, sunflower, and oilseed hybrid portfolios that compete with Dekalb and RAGT in Chilean and export markets.
• Corteva Agriscience (Pioneer): Largest global corn seed competitor to Dekalb; competes for the same Chilean farmer wallet via Pioneer brand. Comparable hybrid maize, rapeseed, and oilseed portfolio and trait stack.
• Bayer Crop Science (Dekalb): The principal client and brand partner whose Dekalb maize CIS Agro distributes exclusively in Chile. Comparable corn and oilseed genetics portfolio at global scale; relationship is both partnership and competitive context.

Regional players

• ANASAC: Chilean agricultural inputs company with seed, crop protection, and fertilizer distribution across similar Chilean channels. Closest domestic comparable for agricultural input distribution and farmer relationships.

Direct peers

• RAGT Semences: French seed company and existing CIS Agro distribution partner. Comparable European multi-crop seed breeder with similar hybrid maize, rapeseed, and cereal portfolio across global markets.
• S&W Seed Company: Multi-crop seed company (alfalfa, sorghum, sunflower, wheat) with global production and distribution footprint. Highly comparable business model: contract production plus proprietary and distributed branded seed sales.
• Gro Alliance: US-based contract seed production and research company; the explicit JV partner in CIS Alliance. Operates winter nursery and seed production services comparable to CIS Agro's core counter-season business model.
• AgReliant Genetics: US-based seed research and production company for corn and soybeans. Comparable contract seed production model with North American farmer distribution and similar trait licensing approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/cischile
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cis-semillas-s-a-
• Instagraminstagram.com/cisagro

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles26 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 CIS Agro