Seed production and turnover of the Maize Research Institute Zemun Polje

The total seed production and marketing of Maize Research Institute is presented since its establishment. Soon after its founding, Maize Research Institute became lieder in maize breeding in Europe. By now, about 1.5 million tons of hybrid seed (valued about 1.8 billion US$) was produced, and more than 770,000 tons exported (value of abut 1 billion US$). 55% of all officially registered hybrids in the country belong to Maize Research Institute; it occupies about 50% of the local market, and 60% of total country maize seed export, thus exporting about 65% of its production. Currently both, local and foreign market can absorb about 10,000 tons of Maize Research Institute s seed, with additional export of about 100 tons of basic seed. Considering the export of seed, the elapsed period of time could be divided in three different periods, each of them lasting about two decades: first creative beginning (1945-1964); second growth and maintenance of high production and export (1965-1984); and the third stagnation of production and decrease of export.