Syngenta

A Corporate Profile

By Corporate Watch UK
completed November 2002

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2. Products/ Projects

2.1 Agrochemicals
2.2 Seeds
2.21 Non GM Crops
2.22 GM Crops

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2.1 Argochemicals

Agrochemicals accounted for over 85% of Syngenta’s turnover in 2001.[8]

1. Herbicides (UK products are marked with *)
   AAtrex®, Gesaprim®, Dual®, Bicep®, Callistro®, Flex®, Fusilade®, Gramoxone®(paraquat), Reglone®, Topik®, Touchdown® (a glyphosate based product licensed for use on RoundUp Ready crops in the US), Alto*, Dosaflo*, FlexFoundation*, Gesagard*, Gesagard*
2. Fungicides (UK products are marked with *)
   Amistar®, Bravo®, Ridomil®, Apron® XL*, Ridomil Gold®, Score®, Tilt®, Unix®, Divora*, Favour*, Folio*, Fongarid*
3. Insecticides (UK products are marked with *)
   Actara®/Cruiser ®, Force®, Proclaim®, Karate®, Vertimec®, Insgar*, Plenium*
4. Seed treatments (UK products are marked with *)
   Apron® XL*, Dividend®, Maxim® / Celest®, Cruiser ®, Beret*

2.2 Seeds

Seeds accounted for approximately 15% of Syngenta’s turnover in 2001.[9]

2.21. Non GM crops
Syngenta produce the NK® range of hybrid seeds including corn, soya, sunflower, oil seed rape and other field crops. Other Syngenta seed products include Proshield™ Corn, Hilleshög® Sugar beet, S&G;® and Rogers® vegetables including cauliflower, sweet corn, beans, peas, tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and melons, and S&G;® Flowers.

2.22. GM Crops
On of Syngenta’s most controversial enterprises is the development and commercialisation of GM crops. Although very prominent in this field under 3% of Syngenta’s sales in 2001 come from GM crops. [10]

1. Functional Foods
   Zeneca’s slow ripening tomato was the first GM food product to be marketed in Europe in spring 1996, this line has since been discontinued.
2. Insect Resistant Crops
   Syngenta supplies two varieties of GM Bt insect resistant corn. NK® YieldGard® and NK® Knockout® (also called Event 176 or Maximiser) insect resistant Bt corn. NK® Knockout® is the only GM crop approved for commercial growing in the EU.
3. Herbicide Tolerant Crops
   Syngenta (Astra-Zeneca/Novartis) has conducted UK field trials of both Liberty Link and RoundUp Ready sugar beet. In the US Syngenta already markets a number of soya and maize crop lines incorporating Liberty Link and RoundUp Ready traits licensed from Aventis/Bayer and Monsanto respectively. It also markets its own version of glyphosate (RoundUp), called Touchdown for application on RoundUp ready crops[11]. Syngenta is currently developing a range of GM crops with ‘Acuron’ herbicide tolerance.[12]

For details of GM crops developed by Syngenta (and old crop lines developed by Novartis and Astra Zeneca) go to http://www.genewatch.org/GeneSrch/Companies/Syngenta.htm

For details of Syngenta crops currently undergoing field trials in the UK go to DEFRA GMO Public Register Index, http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/pdf/exper.pdf[13]

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References
[8] Calculated from figures in Syngenta Annual Review 2001 available online at http://www.syngenta.com/en/ar2001/ar_financial.asp (viewed 23.10.2002)
[9] Calculated from figures in Syngenta Annual Review 2001 available online at http://www.syngenta.com/en/ar2001/ar_financial.asp (viewed 23.10.2002)
[10] Calculated from figures in Syngenta Annual Review 2001 available online at http://www.syngenta.com/en/ar2001/ar_financial.asp (viewed 23.10.2002)
[11] ‘Comparison of Touchdown® with IQ Technology TM/Roundup UltraMax’ available online at http://www.syngentacropprotection-us.com/resources/prod/touchdown/TD12001.pdf
[12] ‘Novartis Announces New Herbicide Tolerance Technology’, Novartis Press release 19,02,1999, archived online at http://www.syngenta.com/en/media/article.asp?article_id=14
[13] DEFRA GMO Public Register Index, http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/gm/pdf/exper.pdf