Syngenta to strengthen winter wheat and winter oilseed rape businesses

Syngenta has entered into an agreement with Swedish agriculture cooperative Lantmännen to acquire certain winter wheat and winter oilseed rape (WOSR) breeding and business operations.

Under the deal, Syngenta will acquire Lantmännen’s WOSR businesses in Germany and Poland.

With this move, Syngenta will gain access to high-quality germplasm, a seeds pipeline and commercial varieties which will complement the company’s crop portfolio.

The employees of Lantmännen in Germany and Poland will also join Syngenta.

Syngenta noted that the deal will support the continued development of hybrid cereals to growers worldwide.

Syngenta plans to strengthen its breeding programme in WOSR, allowing the development of highly competitive hybrids with yield stability and winter hardiness as well as broader disease resistance.

As part of the deal, both companies will also enter into an R&D collaboration in wheat, and Lantmännen will distribute Syngenta cereals and WOSR seeds in Sweden.

Syngenta COO John Atkin said the acquisition reinforces the firm’s position in the important cereals and WOSR markets of Germany and Poland and immediately enables it to market Lantmännen seed for these crops in both countries.

"We will also incorporate their high-quality genetics into our international breeding programmes to develop seeds that offer significant productivity benefits to growers," Atkin added.

Lantmännen agriculture sector head Johan Andersson said: "Through this deal Lantmännen will get the opportunity to commercialise Syngenta cereals and oilseed rape seeds in our home market.

"We will continue the breeding activities in Sweden and Holland in winter and spring wheat, spring barley, oats, triticale, spring oilseed rape, forage crops, willow and potatoes. Lantmännen will also continue to market seeds of these crops in Sweden as well as the international markets."

The financial details of the deal have been not disclosed.

Tthe transaction, which is subject to approval by the German competition authority, is expected to be completed in July 2014.

Syngenta is a Swiss agrochemicals company with more than 28,000 employees in over 90 countries.