Product line performance: Crop Protection
Crop Protection’s growth in 2005 reflects the breadth of its modern product portfolio, raising productivity for farmers. Product lines include selective and non-selective herbicides, fungicides and insecticides; all prevent yield loss from weeds, diseases and pests. Products are also designed for markets beyond agriculture such as turf care, materials protection and consumer lawn and garden; these are combined with seed treatment under Professional Products.
Accounting for the highest proportion of Syngenta sales, selective herbicides control specific weeds without harming crops. In corn herbicides, Syngenta’s leading position in the USA continues to be reinforced by the successful CALLISTO® range. Farmers realize that to control weeds on glyphosate-tolerant crops, they cannot rely on glyphosate alone; weed control using selective herbicides before and after the crop emerges is required to maximize yields.
Major selective herbicide brands include CALLISTO®,DUAL GOLD®, ENVOKE®, FUSILADE®MAX and TOPIK®. AXIAL™ will be launched in 2006.
Sales of selective herbicides were driven by the CALLISTO® range, with further successful launches in Europe and growth of over 30 percent in the USA, notwithstanding increased herbicide-tolerant acres. Growth in the CALLISTO® range was partly offset by a decline in sales of older products such as DUAL®/BICEP® MAGNUM and atrazine. Sales of the cereal herbicide TOPIK® were lower in Western Europe but continued to grow in Eastern Europe. APIRO® continued to increase on rice in Japan and South Korea.
Non-selective herbicides are used to control weeds before crop planting. They are also used to remove unwanted vegetation from orchards, vineyards and plantations. Nonselective herbicides improve productivity and help prevent soil erosion by reducing the need for hand weeding and mechanical tillage.
GRAMOXONE® supports soil conservation by leaving the roots of plants intact. Demand for TOUCHDOWN® has been largely driven by the increasing use of herbicide-tolerant crops, which can be safely treated with specific non-selective herbicides.
TOUCHDOWN® showed significant growth in the USA, Argentina and Eastern Europe driven by the launch of new brands and marketing programs. GRAMOXONE® sales were weaker in southern Europe and in Brazil owing to drought conditions in the first half, offset somewhat by good growth in China.
Fungicides are crucial to protect crop yield and quality by fighting fungal attack. They are typically used in programs or in combinations to provide effective control and minimize the emergence of fungal resistance.
In Latin American soybeans, programs based on AMISTAR® have been essential to protect crops against the devastating disease, soybean rust. In Europe, particularly Germany, fungicide combination products and programs based on BRAVO® performed well for the control of resistant strains of septoria, an important disease affecting wheat.
Major fungicide brands include AMISTAR®, BRAVO®, RIDOMIL GOLD®, SCORE®, TILT® and UNIX®.
Fungicides grew strongly in North America, Eastern Europe and Asia. In the USA, the soybean rust market proved to be small but AMISTAR® benefited from its versatility, with good demand on wheat, potatoes, vines and nuts. Sales of the cereal fungicide ACANTO® grew strongly in France. SCORE® continued its expansion in the emerging markets of Asia, notably China and Vietnam.
Insecticides protect crops from pests that threaten crop yield and quality. This is particularly important in fruit and vegetables. Syngenta’s modern insecticide products are replacing older chemical technologies. The convenience and performance of ACTARA® as a soil application, particularly for vegetables, generated growth in a number of markets worldwide.
Major insecticide brands include ACTARA®, FORCE®, KARATE®, PROCLAIM® and VERTIMEC®.
Growth in insecticides was driven by strong performances in the USA and Brazil. In the USA sales of KARATE® almost doubled following an exceptional outbreak of soybean aphids in the second half. Sales of FORCE® were buoyant capitalizing on an increase in acres treated for corn rootworm. ACTARA® continued to grow strongly in Brazil and Japan.
Many herbicides, insecticides and fungicides also have important applications in areas beyond agriculture. Professional Products includes seed treatment and a range of applications in home care and lawn and garden markets.
Major Professional Products brands include CRUISER®, DIVIDEND®, HERITAGE®, ICON® and MAXIM®.
Seed treatment, in which seeds are directly coated with a product to protect the young plant, is the fastest-growing segment of Professional Products. The seed treatment CRUISER® showed double digit growth with particular success on soybeans in the USA. In cotton, DYNASTY®, a new seed treatment fungicide, was launched, and AVICTA™, the first seed treatment to control nematodes, was registered. AVICTA™ will be launched in 2006.
Growth was driven by Seed Care but was also significant in Lawn & Garden. HERITAGE® performed well on turf in the USA and Japan. In Home Care, professional pest management and materials protection also contributed to growth.
