SYNGENTA HAS announced it is to discontinue its controversial bundled marketing package of Colossus hybrid barley seed, own-brand agrochemicals and technical advice.

The Colossus Hybrid Barley System (HBS) will cease in the autumn, allowing growers to buy seed of the high yielding 6-row barley in the normal way.

The re-launch aims to help reduce the amount of paperwork farmers face, said Syngenta‘s Robert Hiles.

“After listening to grower concerns on the mounting farm administration pressure they face, the re-launch has been designed to offer simplified access to hybrid barley, while retaining the benefits of inbuilt agronomic advice.”

While growers can now purchase crop protection elements separately, the firm said it would continue to endorse the use of the key Syngenta agchem inputs used in the old HBS package.

Existing HBS contracts will continue for this season, with anyone already growing Colossus receiving inputs and advice as agreed.