SibAgroCentre presents Express and Clearfield sunflower hybrids at KazAgroFarm-2026
The expansion of sunflower acreage is driving increased demand for seed, Olesya Rybalkina told ElDala.kz. According to her, farms in Kazakhstan most frequently request seeds for Express and Clearfield technologies. At the same time, farmers and processors are showing growing interest in high-oleic sunflowers. The company has already submitted a new hybrid in this category for official variety trials: its oleic acid content reaches 85.4%. The company's range also includes conventional hybrids and varieties selected to suit individual farms' needs and growing conditions.
SibAgroCentre has operated in Altai Krai since 2000. The region has seven distinct soil and climate zones. Rybalkina explained that the company's breeding work targets both dry areas and areas with greater moisture availability. All of the company's hybrids are classified as very early or early maturing; according to her, their short maturity period makes them suitable for Kazakhstan, the Urals and Siberia. The company's seeds are used in Pavlodar and East Kazakhstan regions, as well as in the north of the country. The company offers varieties and hybrids for different regions based on their local performance.
The company's breeders trained under specialists at the V. S. Pustovoit All-Russian Research Institute of Oil Crops. The company has developed its own collection of sunflower varieties and hybrids and also produces and sells seeds under licences from other Russian scientific institutions. These include the Federal Altai Scientific Centre for Agrobiotechnology, the Federal Scientific Centre for Grain Legumes and Cereal Crops in Oryol, and the Ufa Federal Research Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS). In addition to sunflowers, its range includes flax, rapeseed, buckwheat, mustard, chickpeas, peas and forage crops. The company supplies substantial volumes of maize seed to farms in northern Kazakhstan.
For livestock farms, the company offers the Belosnezhny silage sunflower variety. The variety is characterised by drought and frost tolerance. Rybalkina highlighted its use in northern and eastern Kazakhstan, where frosts can occur in late spring and early autumn. According to her, in unfavourable seasons this sunflower helps maintain forage production when yields of other silage crops decline. She also described growing Belosnezhny alongside maize in alternating strips: this approach allows silage to be harvested even after the maize has been damaged by frost and dried out.
According to Rybalkina, including silage made from Belosnezhny in dairy cattle diets increases milk fat and protein content, as well as daily milk yields. She also noted that the variety is suitable for land with low soil quality ratings. Dairy farms in Pavlodar region operating on low-fertility soils include it in their cropping plans every year. The variety is also grown by farms in Kazakhstan's northern and eastern regions.
The company continues to breed sunflower varieties alongside hybrids. Rybalkina explained that under certain weather conditions, varieties can outperform hybrids in yield, and recommended that farms include both groups in their cropping mix. As examples, she cited the results of two varieties: the very early-maturing oilseed variety Aley yielded 3.2 tonnes per hectare in Samara region, while the large-seeded confectionery variety Altai yielded 4 tonnes per hectare in Orenburg region. According to her, farmers primarily consider the balance between quality and price when choosing seed.
The SibAgroCentre group of companies takes part in KazAgroFarm every year. Rybalkina said that company representatives use the exhibition to discuss the next season with existing partners and establish contacts with farmers from different regions of Kazakhstan. At the previous exhibition, the company signed several contracts. The Altai Research and Production Association also organises scientific and practical seminars for farmers each year; the company's specialists advise farms on field operations.
