Syngenta

Syngenta is one of the largest companies in the agribusiness and the first to focus exclusively on this sector. The company is in the category of plant protection ( Syngenta Crop Protection ) leader and in the category " commercial seeds " ( Syngenta Seeds) in third place. The largest competitor is Monsanto. Sales 2011 (2010) was 13.3 ( 11.6 ) billion U.S. dollars. Syngenta employs over 26,000 people in over 90 countries.

Syngenta has worked well in biotechnology.

History

The company was formed on 13 November 2000 from a merger of the agricultural divisions of Novartis (61% of the share capital ) and AstraZeneca ( 39%). Since then carried out numerous corporate acquisitions and collaborations in this activity sectors.

A milestone in the company's history was 2001, the complete DNA sequencing of the rice genome by the Genome Research Syngenta (in collaboration with Myriad Genetics, Inc. ). The company also belonged to the Research Consortium to Golden Rice and holds several patents this new variety, however told the waiver of license payments, so that farmers can grow their own seed free even after the cross-breeding of local varieties of rice. In 2003, Syngenta the launch of the world's first hybrid barley variety in the UK with the name Colossus known.

Syngenta is headquartered in Basel (CH) and today has three major research centers in stone (CH ) Bracknell (UK) and North Carolina (USA).

Products and impact

The herbicide atrazine was banned in the EU in 2004, because its residues frequently in groundwater were detected. Approximately 34,500 tonnes of atrazine are used annually in the U.S. yet.

Criticism

Critics accuse the company 's commitment before in the field of genetic engineering. In addition, Syngenta is accused of taking from the sale of the herbicide paraquat poisoning and deaths of farm workers in purchasing. This product is to be used, for example in developing countries at palm oil plantations, contrary to the application instructions of the manufacturer, without the necessary protective clothing. Paraquat is banned in the EU and Switzerland also because of its high toxicity to humans. In 2012, the Group has therefore been nominated for the Public Eye Award.

As part of protest actions against the company, there was Escalades Syngenta facilities by the peasant movement Via Campesina, in October 2006 in southern Brazil and in December 2007 in the northeast near Cajazeiras; while parts of the corporate furnishings were destroyed, two people died. To end the conflict, Syngenta handed over in October 2008, the research farm to the Brazilian regional administration. This has informed the future to produce seed of regional locations on this farm.