Agrii, based in Andoversford, is set to launch a vegetable seed enhancement (VSE) facility in the autumn.

The company which supports sustainable and profitable farming systems across the UK, said the plant and machinery are operational and have the necessary authorisations ready to begin commercial activities later this year.

Agrii VSE has seed treatment trials in the field and in the glasshouse. Its commercial offer will be finalised this summer.

The idea for Agrii VSE was a business plan on paper little more than a year ago, and now has a working plant offering a range of seed treatments.

Skye Van Heyzen, Agrii Vegetable Seed Enhancement manager, said: "Our volume capacity remains confidential, but we will be targeting all commercial vegetable seeds including onions, carrots, parsnips, leek and spinach in the first year. From here we plan to expand into the higher-value crops, such as lettuce, kales and herbs. We will add more crop types as relationships with the seed houses develop.

"There are established players in this space and others are seeking to move into it too, so we recognise that our proposition has to be competitive and the service we deliver has to be professional. Our advantage is that as a company we are accountable and can back it up, while our network of agronomists is there to advise on the treatments best suited to the conditions on farm. Others in this space can't offer this level of support."

Agrii will screen the many forms of biological treatment available and use only those that actually work. In addition, all it treatments and packaging will be sustainable and free of microplastics.