Orion to collaborate with Vietnam on potato seed

South Korea’s Orion Corp. announced on Monday that it is strengthening its collaboration with the Institute of Agro-Biology, the Vietnam National University of Agriculture, to develop potato seeds.

In January, Orion signed a strategic partnership with the institute to develop new high-quality varieties suited to the Vietnamese environment.

Last Thursday and Friday, the institute's director and researchers visited Orion's facilities in South Korea.

They visited Orion’s Potato Research Institute in Pyeongchang County, Gangwon Province, and discussed ways to cooperate on breeding new potato varieties and establishing a supply system.

They also visited Orion's Cheongju factory to inspect the production lines for Poca Chips and Swing Chips, as well as the potato receiving, storage and quality control systems.

Orion, which established the Potato Research Institute in 1988, collaborates with China and Vietnam on potato variety development and operates a raw material supply system, having developed four new potato varieties.

Since 2016, Orion has been exporting seed potatoes to Vietnam, with exports of the Jinseo seed potato tripling compared to last year.

Write to Hyeong-Ju Oh at ohj@hankyung.com