The Group’s proprietary variety EN Argument has rightfully received an award during the annual conference Leaders of the Russian Soybean Industry. The ultra-early-maturing variety has been recognized with an award in Yield Combined with High Protein and Oil Content category.

EkoNiva traditionally takes part in Leaders of the Russian Soybean Industry, an annual event organised by Syngenta. As part of the conference, leading soybean producers sum up the results of the season, present the newest developments and discuss the strategy for the coming year.

At demo trials, which took place at the testing grounds of Syngenta’s Seedcare Institute in Lopatki village, Ramon district, Voronezh oblast, over 50 soybean varieties bred by leading plant breeding companies were represented. Based on the results of independent evaluation, EN Argument received an award as a variety with outstanding parameters, i. e. protein content and yield. But the main feature of EN Argument according to the experts is its ultra early time to maturity. On August 14, it was the only variety out of the entire demo plot to be fully ripe and ready for harvest. The yield of EN Argument at the testing grounds reached 4.64 t/ha with a protein content 42.7% and vegetable oil content of 21.4%. The data of demo trials confirmed that the variety combines early maturity and consistent productivity, which makes it particularly attractive for regions with a short vegetation period and farms looking for high quality of the end product.

‘The ultra-early time to maturity of the variety makes it possible to start harvesting in the second half of August already, when the price for soybeans is quite high. According to the data of Institute for Agricultural Market Studies (IKAR), the average price per tonne of soybeans in Central part of Russia at the end of August 2025 amounted to 39,500 rub., whereas in October it decreased to 34,025 rub. Besides the direct economic advantage, early varieties are an important risk management tool. In the conditions of unstable autumn weather, they are a guaranty of timely harvest of the crop eliminating losses and machinery downtime. Another crucial agronomic factor is that EN Argument makes a perfect previous crop for winter crops. Harvesting in August frees up the field for sowing winter wheat, thus laying a solid foundation for next year’s harvest’, underlines Yevgeniy Kucheryavenko, Executive Director of the Group’s Plant Breeding Branch.

Initially, the variety was developed with harsh Siberian conditions in mind, however now it is gaining recognition among farmers of the Central part of Russia too. Due to its high productivity and protein content, EN Argument easily competes and even surpasses a lot of mid-maturing varieties. This is confirmed by the Group’s internal data: the variety demonstrates a consistently high yield and excellent protein content in production in Ryazan.

‘In season 2025, EN Argument delivered a gross yield of 3.1 t/ha with a protein content of 40.5 per cent in our fields’, says Vadim Bubenets, Chief Agronomist of EkoNiva’s production facility in Ryazan oblast.

EkoNiva’s plant breeding branch continues to work on the creation and introduction into production of effective soybean varieties capable of ensuring reliable results in different agriclimatic conditions.