Syngenta sells UK seed breeding business to focus on hybrids
© Tim Scrivener Global crop protection and seeds firm Syngenta has agreed the sale of its UK malting barley seed breeding activities to major breeder Ragt.
Syngenta’s decision to sell off its remaining UK seed breeding operations follows an announcement in June that it would close its site in Cambridgeshire and relocate its hybrid plant breeding operations out of the UK to western Europe.
The firm told Farmers Weekly that the decision was made to sharpen its focus on hybrid cereals, as part of its wider global strategy.
See also: Syngenta to reduce plant breeding programme in UK
Sarah Iveson, commercial unit head for north-west Europe at Syngenta, said the firm remained fully dedicated to its UK business and farmers.
Ms Iveson said: “This divestment of our malting barley business allows us to double down and focus on where we feel will be strongest and most scalable from a hybridisation of cereals perspective.
“We no longer have any breeding activities based in the UK.
“But we still have UK trialling activities screening adapted material for both hybrid barley and hybrid wheat.”
She added that Syngenta had bolstered its commercial team in the UK and taken on additional technical support, which would enable it to give local advice to growers.
Adaptation
Robert Hiles, head of seeds portfolio management at Syngenta Europe, said technology had advanced to the point where hybrid cereal breeding programmes in western Europe could be tailored using adaptation zones to suit UK conditions, through the use of data and artificial intelligence.
The acquisition includes the seed breeding site at Market Stainton in Lincolnshire, with 10 employees being transferred to Ragt.
Damien Robert, managing director of Ragt, added: “This acquisition strengthens our position in key European markets and builds on the strong foundations established by Syngenta.
“We see clear synergies within our existing portfolio and significant potential to accelerate technologies that will benefit growers across Europe.”
Future plans for Syngenta
Syngenta intends to continue focusing on cereals hybridisation and suggests that its future hybrid varieties should be able to achieve higher yields.
Its X-Terra hybrid wheat varieties are set to launch in France in 2026, the UK in 2027, and Germany in 2029.
Syngenta currently has seven hybrid barley products, which are AHDB recommended.
There are also a further 14 hybrid wheat and hybrid barley varieties in the process of being registered.
Mr Hiles said: “We’ve seen a very clear plateau in wheat yields across Europe.
“Advancements in wheat, with X-Terra, will further increase grower profitability by combining high and stable yields with traits that improve land-use efficiency and sustainability.
“It will enable growers to see a positive return on investment, and that’s ultimately what we are looking to achieve.”