Synthomer Np Discussion Threads

[ariane] 04/6/2007 07:35

SWX to probe Syngenta over management transactions


ZURICH (Thomson Financial) - SWX Swiss Exchange announced it has launched an
investigation into agribusiness firm Syngenta AG over a possible breach of
listing regulations on the disclosure of management transactions.
SWX will announce its findings, although no information will be provided
while the proceedings are ongoing, the Swiss bourse said.
Proceedings will continue for an indefinite period, it added.
[e-mail]
at/slj

[grupo guitarlumber] 27/5/2007 15:13

Why Syngenta marketed Agrisure RW corn

Gil Gullickson
Successful Farming magazine Crops Technology Editor

5/22/2007, 12:43 AM CDT




Ethanol is the belle of the corn demand ball that's significantly spiked corn prices since last fall. However, this spring's flap over Syngenta's Agrisure RW trait shows exports are still a key corn demand player.

Agrisure RW is a new corn trait Syngenta introduced this year to control corn rootworm. Syngenta is offering it through its NK, Golden Harvest and Garst brands. Curry Seed Company, Elk Point, South Dakota, is also offering Agrisure RW through an agreement with Syngenta. Syngenta's offering joins two already on the market, Monsanto's YieldGard Rootworm and Herculex RW, marketed by Pioneer Hi-Bred International and Dow AgroSciences.

Final U.S. approval to the Agrisure RW trait and stacks occurred in March 2007. However, this trait has not received approval for import into other countries.


Japanese approval
It's the lack of approval by Japan -- the largest U.S. foreign corn customer -- that particularly concerns farmers, commodity groups, grain exporters and grain shippers. They fear Agrisure RW corn could slip out of domestic marketing channels and end up in approved corn exported to Japan.

If this happens, some fear this could jeopardize export markets, particularly those going to Japan. In the 2005/2006 marketing year, 636 million bushels out of total U.S. corn exports of 2.147 billion bushels went to Japan, according to USDA.

The National Grain and Feed Association and the North American Export Grain Association had asked Syngenta not to market the trait this year for fear of commingling with corn export channels. In March, the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) requested Syngenta withhold Agrisure RW hybrids from the market this planting season, citing lack of Japanese approval. The NCGA recommends growers who intend to market this grain off-farm to contact their delivery point to ensure it will still accept this corn if Japanese approvals are not granted.

On May 1, the BNSF railroad stated it would not accept for transportation any carloads of corn or corn products containing Agrisure RW (MIR 604). POET, a major dry-mill ethanol producer based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is also not accepting corn containing Agrisure RW at any of its ethanol production facilities or tributary handling facilities.

"You get only one crack at it," when it comes to export markets, says Mark Lambert, Illinois Corn Growers Association (ICGA) communications director. He notes segregation of such hybrids from approved ones is possible.

"We've gotten better at it, but it only takes one slip-up and then they can slam the door," says Lambert. "These are good products, products that farmers want," adds Lambert. It's important foreign customers also want them, too, he adds.

"They're right, whether they are or not," says Lambert.


Why Syngenta released it
The Japanese government's approval for Agrisure RW has taken longer than expected, says Chuck Lee, head of corn products for Syngenta.

"In the past, they (Japan) were a lot like the U.S., when approval of a product also coincided closely with approval of the product in a stack," he says. "Now, Japan requires a stack to go through the same process as an individual trait. That has stretched out the backlog of products awaiting approval considerably."

In the meantime, Syngenta sold what it terms introductory amounts of Agrisure RW individually and in stacks to U.S. farmers this year. The yield edge such traits can give was one reason Syngenta cites. This coincides with the need to meet booming ethanol demand that's coupled with feed and food demand. "We need yield-enhancing traits to fuel those industries," says Lee.

Independent tests show it's becoming more common for rootworm resistant hybrids to yield 50 to 60 bushels per acre more than conventional hybrids treated with soil-applied insecticides where rootworm is a problem.

"We made the decision to sell Agrisure RW because yield-enhancing traits like rootworm corn can increase yields, and that's what pays the bills on the farm," says Lee. "If fully approved in the U.S., growers should have the right to plant them on their farm."

At the same time, Syngenta officials say they are cognizant of the need to maintain the trust of U.S. export customers.

"Be it this technology or the whole plethora of the new technology that's coming down the pike, we need to find ways not to delay technologies to the market and still be able to ensure that export markets get the grain with the specifications they want," says Jack Bernens, business unit head of Syngenta's Agrisure traits. "In this introductory year, we've tried to take extra measures to make sure this grain is directed toward domestic uses. We are providing tools to the value chain that they can use so that nothing inadvertently enters a shipment going for export. We can absolutely minimize the risk that there's going to be any issue with that, and at the same time not delay technology in the marketplace for the U.S."

In the meantime, Lee says the Japanese approval process for Agrisure RW continues to move forward. "We can't predict when it will have approval, but we have made it through several layers of the approval process," he says. "Our hope is it will come before harvest this fall."

[ariane] 15/5/2007 20:49

Swiss shares close little changed on mixed heavyweights UPDATE


Date : 15/05/2007 @ 17:25
Source : AFX




 


Swiss shares close little changed on mixed heavyweights UPDATE


(Updating with full report)
ZURICH (Thomson Financial) - Share prices closed little changed but off
intra-day lows thanks to US gains at the open linked to a benign set of US
inflation data with gains in Roche failing to offset losses in Nestle and
chemicals stocks, dealers said.
At the close, the Swiss Market Index was 3.74 points higher at 9,391.03,
while the Swiss Performance Index was up 4.44 points at 7,620.36.
The euro was slightly higher against the Swiss franc at 1.6517 sfr, while
the dollar was lower, at 1.2145 sfr.
Swiss shares rallied in late afternoon trade to close flat, spurred on by
the DJIA which surpassed 13,400 for the first time, after mild inflation data
raised hopes the Federal Reserve might cut interest rates later this year.
Top faller was Givaudan, down 15 sfr or 1.3 pct at 1,126 sfr hit by
better-than-expected first quarter results by rival Symrise.
Other chemicals ended also lower: Clariant shed 0.1 sfr to 20.7, while Lonza
was off 0.5 sfr at 20.7, both stocks extending recent losses.
Nestle was the second biggest faller, down 4.50 sfr at 475.75, following a
downgrade to 'hold' from 'buy' at Deutsche Bank, with the broker voicing concern
that record sales growth among food manufacturers may slow.
Top gainer here was Syngenta, up 4.1 sfr or 1.8 pct at 230.6 sfr, with the
agribusiness firm announcing that it has bought a 49 pct stake in Chinese seed
company Sanbei Seed.
Runner-up was SGS, up 17 sfr or 1.1 pct at 1,551 sfr, rebounding from
weakness yesterday.
Among pharmas, Roche gained 2 sfr to 228.8 sfr and Novartis closed flat at
70 sfr.
Elsewhere among insurers, Zurich Financial gained 0.50 sfr to 377.25 sfr,
reversing earlier losses ahead of first quarter results tomorrow, which are
expected to be unexciting but solid overall.
Peer Swiss Re added 0.5 sfr to 115.4, also reversing earlier losses.
Banks ended mixed: UBS managed to swing back into positive territory adding
0.1 sfr at 76.9 while Credit Suisse eased 0.25 sfr to 92.95 sfr.
Among mid-caps, focus was on Phonak, up 4 sfr or 3.6 pct at 115 sfr, after
the hearing aids maker reported sharply higher profits and sales.
Phonak also confirmed its guidance, saying it still expects to grow annually
by around 10 pct in the mid-term and announced it will change its name to
Sonova.





[e-mail]
ckj/lam

[ariane] 15/5/2007 20:38

Syngenta says to take a 49 pct minority stake in Sanbei, Chinese corn seeds co


ZURICH (Thomson Financial) - Syngenta said it is taking a 49 pct minority
stake in Sanbei Seed Co Ltd, a corn seeds company based in Longhua, Hebei
Province, Chinese
The transaction is subject to regulatory approvals from the Chinese
authorities.
Further details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Sanbei was founded in 1998 and employs some 500 staff. In 2006, it generated
sales of around 30 mln usd. Over 90 pct of the group's sales are generated by
corn seeds.



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ckj/hjp

[waldron] 07/5/2007 08:03

Home > News > Business > Business Analysis & Features
Biofuels: The great green con
So by blending crops such as sugar and corn with petrol, biofuels will slash carbon emissions and save the planet. Right? Not when the price is escalating food prices and the clearing of the rainforests
By Tim Webb
Published: 06 May 2007
Arnold Schwarzenegger, the Governor of California, uses it in one of his Hummers. Sir Richard Branson, the Virgin boss, wants to fuel his planes with it. American President George Bush hopes it can wean his country off oil imports from the Middle East. And next year, if tough new targets are met, it will be in every other litre of petrol sold at the pumps in this country.

Biofuel is the latest green craze. It is made from crops such as wheat, rapeseed, corn and sugar, and less commonly, waste products such as used cooking oil and tallow (animal fat). According to biofuel's many fans, blending conventional petrol and diesel with these crops or waste reduces the amount of crude oil needed and the overall amount of carbon released into the atmosphere.

Everyone is jumping on the biofuel bandwagon. In his State of the Union address in January, Mr Bush announced a 15 per cent target for the replacement of petrol by biofuels in US vehicles. Over the next 18 months, American biofuel production capacity will double to some 7 per cent of the petrol that the country consumes. The EU has set a less ambitious target of just under 6 per cent by the end of the decade; this could rise to 10 per cent.

But questions are starting to be raised about just how green biofuels really are. They encourage deforestation - responsible for around a quarter of the world's carbon emissions - as land is cleared to grow the crops. Biofuels have also driven up food prices, hitting the world's poor the hardest. According to the International Grain Council, at the end of this financial year the world's grain stocks (corn, wheat and barley) will be the lowest since the 1970s, mainly because of soaring demand from biofuels. Some of these "green" energy sources also use up more energy during the manufacturing and refining process than they save.

Politics - particularly the interests of big agricultural businesses - is starting to dictate the biofuel market. The US has imposed punitive import tariffs on Brazilian-made ethanol - one of the world's most efficient biofuels - and subsidises the export of its domestically made corn-based ethanol, which is one of the least efficient. This subsidy could lead to a trade war between the EU and the US.

The biggest drawback with biofuels is the deforestation that it directly and indirectly causes. How much deforestation takes place is hard to measure, but if new demand emerges - such as from biofuels - more land has to be found from somewhere.

Biofuel crops thrive best in tropical climates. For example, Brazil can make 6,000 litres of ethanol from a hectare of sugar cane (the staple crop for Brazilian biofuels), which is five times the output of a hectare of rape seed in the UK. It is also cheaper to produce biofuels in countries such as Brazil. According to Department of Transport figures, to grow and process ethanol in Brazil costs less than half what it does in the UK.

Sugar cane production in Brazil rose by halfbetween 1993 and 2003, from 2.8 million hectares to 4.2 million hectares, mainly to feed domestic demand. It is expected to increase by half again by the end of the decade to meet global demand.

It does not necessarily follow that sugar cane grown in Brazil to make biofuels will be planted on cleared rainforest or tropical savanna. According to a study commissioned by the Dutch government, sugar cane plantations usually replace land used for grazing cattle or other forms of food production. But the effect of sugar's advance is to displace other food production into the cerrado - tropical savanna covering a quarter of Brazil which, according to the World Wide Fund for Nature, is biologically the richest grassland in the world. According to scientific body the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, around a 10th is already being used for cattle grazing, but this will grow.

Because of the growth in sugar-cane farming, the Dutch report says, "livestock production is moving - particularly to the central part of Brazil, and particularly at the borders of the present agricultural land, into cerrados".

Deforestation caused by growing palm oil - another cheap biofuel staple - in Asia, principally Indonesia and Malaysia, is also causing concern. The Friends of the Earth environmental group estimates that 87 per cent of deforestation in Malaysia between 1985 and 2000 was to make way for palm oil plantations.

The British Government has admitted that a "significant proportion" of UK biofuel demand will be met by imports. Indeed, analysts at Goldman Sachs believe that to meet the 2010 target wholly from domestically grown plants would take over a quarter of all available crop land in the country. This means buying biofuel crops from places such as Brazil and Indonesia, with all the environmental consequences - direct and indirect - of deforestation which follow.

Chris Brodie, a partner at the Krom River commodity fund, argues that agricultural prices will keep heading higher as more land is devoted to biofuel-crop production. Global grain stocks are already at historical lows because of biofuel replacement levels in the US, he says. When American biofuel demand doubles - and when the EU targets kick in - grain prices will increase even further. "You really need to apply common sense. The further we impact grain inventories, the impact on grain prices will be multiplied."

Politicians and the industry are aware of the deforestation that can result from biofuels and are taking steps to try to address this. Earlier this month, the Dutch government unveiled a framework to allow companies to measure the sustainability of the biofuels they are buying. Other European countries are considering similar, voluntary schemes. Under World Trade Organisation rules, individual countries are not allowed to ban imports for being unsustainable, which is why these standards are voluntary only.

Industry executives believe that as public awareness of biofuels and how they are made grows, consumers will increasingly choose to buy petrol labelled as sustainably sourced.

Andy Hunter, the director of Argent Energy, which makes biodiesel with tallow and used cooking oil rather than crops, says this will gradually discourage the production of non-sustainable biofuels as they will have a lower value. "As companies look at [the issue], it will put pressure on some crops. In the future, biofuels which can be branded as sustainable will command a premium."

But it is debatable how effective such standards will be in practice. Even if the EU managed to source all its biofuels sustainably, the effect - apart from easing consumers' consciences - would be to displace other forms of food production or biofuels destined for less ethical markets, which could be grown on cleared rainforest instead. "The EU tagging their biofuels as sustainable is hot air, unless everyone can persuade Brazil to stop cutting its rainforests down for crop production," says Mr Brodie.

The industry and the environ- mental lobby are facing a dilemma. Many leaders of biofuel businesses, such as Lord Oxburgh, the chairman of AIM-listed D1 Oils, appear genuinely motivated by concerns about climate change. They freely admit that biofuels are not perfect and present many challenges, both to the environment and ethically. Lord Oxburgh, for example, says one of the reasons he took up his post with D1 Oils was a desire to make biofuels using jatropha, a non-edible crop, which he says will only be grown on marginal land.

Lord Oxburgh - like the green lobby - holds out most hope for the second generation of cellulose-based biofuels, which use household waste and sewage, rather than crops, as feedstock, and promise to be much more efficient. He is concerned that by attacking the biofuels industry, environmentalists will prevent the development of this second generation of greener and more sustainable source.

Lord Oxburgh insisted earlier this year: "It's not a con. It's important that NGOs and others don't push too hard and damage what is movement in the right direction. The climate-change problem is so urgent that we must start with what we have and improve as we go along."

The view that it is better to press on with the biofuels we have and improve them later is common throughout the industry. Jonathan Johns from the Ernst & Young renewable-energy team says: "We recognise there are some compromises that need to be made if climate change is the priority. Getting biofuels established as a market is the main thing. Crop-based biofuels are a stepping stone to the second generation of biofuels, which is the real long-term solution."

But after investing billions of pounds in refineries to turn crops into biofuels, companies are unlikely to shut them down on environmental grounds once the second generation becomes commercially applicable, possibly in five years time. As Mr Johns admits: "It would be a mistake to get trapped into the first- stage technology of biofuels."

Experts say that the refineries could be converted to manufacture cellulose-based biofuels, but since this technology has not yet been fully developed, it is hard to say.

A spokesman for the World Wildlife Fund, which encourages greater investment in second-generation biofuels, argues: "It's dangerous to create the industry and then try to make it sus-tainable."

Any new industry is bound to have teething problems. And it would be grossly unfair to blame biofuels for all of the world's deforestation and rises in food prices. But there is only so much land to go around. As long as biofuels are made using crops - barring some technological breakthrough to increase the efficiency of crop production - then this could be the biggest green con of all.

Against The Grain: Corn conquers the American landscape

The US is the world's biggest gas guzzler. Last year, motorists consumed 140 billion gallons of petrol. America's ambitious targets also make it the world's largest biofuels market.

Partly because of the strong political influence of the agricultural lobby, as well as concern over reducing the country's dependence on oil imports, Washington wants to meet biofuel demand largely from domestically grown corn. The US currently accounts for two thirds of world corn exports. But as domestic demand for biofuels rises, these exports will fall, pushing up prices and encouraging countries like Brazil to clear more forest to make up the shortfall.

The amount of land needed to feed its biofuel craving is staggering. In the US, five billion gallons of ethanol were consumed last year out of a total of 140 billion gallons of petrol (although this is 3.6 per cent of the total volume, it is only 2.4 per cent of the energy, as ethanol is less efficient than petrol). In February this year, US ethanol production capacity was 5.6 billion gallons. This is set to double in the next 18 months.

Analysts estimate that some 12 million acres are needed to meet current US ethanol demand. As production capacity doubles, so will the amount of land needed to grow enough corn.

It is also estimated that to feed ethanol consumption of 7 per cent (by volume) will take up 40 per cent of total US corn production. It is expected, for example, that Iowa, the heartland of the US grain belt, will have to start importing some agricultural commodities because so much of its land will be turned over to corn.

The US Department of Agriculture reported at the end of March that farmers would plant 90.5 million acres of corn next year, the highest since 1944. US corn prices are up by half on a year ago.

[waldron] 03/5/2007 21:05

Syngenta downgraded to "neutral"

Thursday, May 03, 2007 5:00:07 AM ET
J.P. Morgan Securities

LONDON, May 3 (newratings.com) - Analysts at JP Morgan downgrade Syngenta AG (SVJ.ETR) from "overweight" to "neutral," while reducing their estimates for the company. The target price is set to CHF250.

In a research note published this morning, the analysts mention that the company's 1Q sales exhibited mixed trends, despite being ahead of the estimates. While Syngenta witnessed favorable conditions in its crop-protection business during the quarter, the market share in the seeds business was negatively impacted by the transition to the US corn acres, the analysts say. The favourable trends seen in the crop-protection business are unlikely to continue beyond 2007, in view of the uncertainty regarding weather conditions, JP Morgan adds. The EPS estimates for 2007 and 2008 have been reduced from $11.99 to $11.78 and from $12.75 to $12.29, respectively.

[waldron] 02/5/2007 16:36

HypoVereinsbank,goes for SELL

[waldron] 02/5/2007 11:55

Syngenta CFO says corn cultivation may grow slower than expected


ZURICH (Thomson Financial) - Growth in US corn acreage may fall short of US
Department of Agriculture forecasts, Syngenta chief financial officer Domenico
Scala said following the release of consensus-beating first quarter sales.
While at the same time reduction of soya bean acreage may be slower than
forecast by the department, Scala added.
The US Department of Agriculture had forecasts a 15 pct growth of corn
acreage and 11 pct reduction of soya acreage in 2007.
Scala also said that the Swiss agricultural chemical group remains confident
for corn in the mid- and long-term, given an increasing crop demand for
Bioethanol production.
Earlier, Syngenta reported a first-quarter sales growth of 9 pct to 2.96 bln
usd on improved sales in all product lines, and 25 pct sales growth for new
products.
The Swiss agricultural chemical group's results came in at the top of the
range of analyst expectations of 2.86-2.96 bln usd, or 2.92 bln on average, with
Syngenta also confirming its outlook for double digit growth in earnings per
share for 2007.
Sales in the group's key crop protection segment rose 9 pct to 2.04 bln,
while sales in the seed segment was up 11 pct at 949 mln usd.
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[waldron] 02/5/2007 07:47

Swiss shares TFN at a glance outlook


ZURICH (Thomson Financial) - Share prices are expected to open higher
tracking overnight gains in New York and after Credit Suisse reported a strong
set of first quarter results, dealers said.
In pre-bourse trading, the Swiss Market Index was 16.63 points higher at
9,414.46.
On Monday, the Swiss Market Index closed 8.37 points higher at 9,428.27 and
the Swiss Performance Index finished up 10.20 points at 7,620.11.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS
TODAY
-Swiss April PMI

TOMORROW
-Straumann Q1 results
-Holcim Q1 results
-Ciba Q1 results
-UBS Q1 results
-Swiss April CPI

TODAY'S PRESS
-none

COMPANY NEWS
-Syngenta Q1 sales boosted by new products, confirms outlook
-Syngenta confirms sees double digit growth in earnings per share for 2007
-Syngenta Q1 sales 2.96 bln usd vs 2.71 bln usd
-Credit Suisse posts consensus beating Q1 net, optimistic for long-term
prospects
-Credit Suisse total assets at end-March 1.552 trln sfr, up 4.5 pct vs
end-Dec
-Credit Suisse says market corrections cannot be excluded, increased
volatility
-Credit Suisse says business pipeline remains robust
-Credit Suisse Q1 net revenues 10.669 bln sfr vs 9.641 bln
-Credit Suisse Q1 net 2.729 bln sfr vs 2.604 bln

MACROECONOMIC NEWS
-none

MARKET NEWS/SENTIMENT
-Sentiment is generally positive after overnight gains on Wall Street and
gains in Asia this morning, while investors are awaiting fresh earning results
from Ciba, Holcim, and UBS tomorrow.

[e-mail]
jmt/slj

[waldron] 02/5/2007 07:18

Syngenta Q1 sales boosted by new products, confirms outlook UPDATE


(updating with details on segments, regions)
ZURICH (Thomson Financial) - Syngenta reported a first quarter sales growth
of 9 pct to 2.96 bln usd on improved sales in all product lines, and 25 pct
sales growth for new products.
Sales at constant exchange rates were 6 pct higher, reflecting the relative
weakness of US dollar.
The Swiss agricultural chemical group results came in at the top of the
range of analyst expectations of 2.86-2.96 bln usd, or 2.92 bln on average, with
Syngenta also confirming its outlook for double digit growth in earnings per
share for 2007.
Sales in the group's key corp protection segment rose 9 pct to 2.04 bln,
while sales in the seed segment was up 11 pct at 949 mln usd.
Meanwhile sales of new plant protection products grew 25 pct at 363 mln usd
driven by a particularly strong performance from Actara/Cruiser, Axial und
Avicta.
In terms of regions, Syngenta said sales growth in Europe, Africa and the
Middle East was driven by a continuing strong performance in Eastern Europe.
Sales across the NAFTA region were up, as new product sales offset the slow
start to the US planting season.
In the Asia Pacific strong growth in China and India offset lower sales in
Japan and Australia, while Syngenta saw double-digit sales growth in Latin
America driven by a strong late season in Brazil and Argentina.
[e-mail]
jmt/jfr/jmt/jfr

[waldron] 02/5/2007 07:12

Syngenta Ag 1st Quarter Results


RNS Number:9314V
Syngenta AG
02 May 2007


Media Release


First Quarter Trading Statement 2007



Basel, Switzerland, May 2, 2007

Sales in the first quarter of 2007 increased 9% to $2.96 billion; sales at
constant exchange rates (CER) were 6% higher reflecting the relative weakness of
the US dollar.

In Crop Protection, sales were 6% higher (CER). In Europe, Africa and Middle
East sales were driven by a continuing strong performance in Eastern Europe. In
NAFTA, growth was achieved across the region, notwithstanding a slow start to
the US planting season, with new products driving performance. In Asia Pacific,
China and India generated strong growth, more than offsetting lower sales in
Japan and Australia. A double-digit increase in sales was achieved in LATAM
driven by a strong late season in Brazil and a good performance in Argentina.

Sales increased across all product lines. Professional Products benefited from
early Seed Care demand and was augmented by the consolidation of Conrad Fafard
Inc. Sales of new products rose 25% to $363 million with ACTARA(R)/CRUISER(R),
AXIAL(R) and AVICTA(R) all delivering strong performances.

Seeds sales increased 8% (CER). Corn and soybean sales rose 10%; growth in corn
more than offset lower soybean sales due to a forecast acreage shift in the USA.
Sales of Diverse Field Crops were slightly lower; Vegetables again delivered
good growth, notably in Europe and Asia Pacific.

For the full year 2007, the company continues to target double digit growth in
earnings per share*.

*Fully diluted, before restructuring and impairment and share repurchase program

Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to sustainable agriculture
through innovative research and technology. The company is a leader in crop
protection, and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in
2006 were approximately $8.1 billion. Syngenta employs around 19,500 people in
over 90 countries. Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in
New York (SYT). Further information is available at www.syngenta.com.

Media Enquiries: Medard Schoenmaeckers (Switzerland) [phone]
Sarah Hull (US) [phone]



Analysts/Investors: Jonathan Seabrook [phone]
[phone]
Jennifer Gough [phone]
[phone]

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This document contains forward-looking statements, which can be identified by
terminology such as 'expect', 'would', 'will', 'potential', 'plans',
'prospects', 'estimated', 'aiming', 'on track' and similar expressions. Such
statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual
results to differ materially from these statements. We refer you to Syngenta's
publicly available filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for
information about these and other risks and uncertainties. Syngenta assumes no
obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results,
changed assumptions or other factors. This document does not constitute, or form
part of, any offer or invitation to sell or issue, or any solicitation of any
offer, to purchase or subscribe for any ordinary shares in Syngenta AG, or
Syngenta ADSs, nor shall it form the basis of, or be relied on in connection
with, any contract therefore.

Unaudited First Quarter Product Line and Regional Sales

Syngenta 3 Months 2007 3 Months 2006 Actual CER(1)

$m $m % %
Crop Protection 2044 1872 + 9 + 6
Seeds 940 846 + 11 + 8
Plant Science 1 0 + 2 + 5
Inter-segment elimination(2) (28) (11) - -
Third Party Sales 2957 2707 + 9 + 6

Crop Protection
Product line
Selective herbicides 636 611 + 4 + 1
Non-selective herbicides 184 167 + 10 + 7
Fungicides 577 538 + 7 + 2
Insecticides 317 295 + 7 + 4
Professional products 319 244 + 31 + 29
Others 11 17 - 34 - 34
Total 2044 1872 + 9 + 6
Regional
Europe, Africa and Middle East 829 744 + 11 + 3
NAFTA 682 651 + 5 + 5
Latin America 231 182 + 27 + 27
Asia Pacific 302 295 + 3 + 1
Total 2044 1872 + 9 + 6

Seeds
Product line
Corn & Soybean 557 499 + 12 + 10
Diverse Field Crops 168 160 + 5 - 2
Vegetables and Flowers 215 187 + 15 + 9
Total 940 846 + 11 + 8
Regional
Europe, Africa and Middle East 383 343 + 12 + 3
NAFTA 507 465 + 9 + 9
Latin America 20 14 + 41 + 41
Asia Pacific 30 24 + 27 + 22
Total 940 846 + 11 + 8



(1) Growth at constant exchange rates.

(2) Crop Protection inter-segment sales to Seeds.




This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
END

QRFATMFTMMMMMMR

[waldron] 02/5/2007 06:37

Syngenta Q1 sales boosted by new products, confirms outlook


ZURICH (Thomson Financial) - Syngenta reported a first quarter sales growth
of 9 pct to 2.96 bln usd on improved sales in all product lines, and 25 pct
sales growth for new products.
Sales at constant exchange rates were 6 pct higher, reflecting the relative
weakness of US dollar.
The Swiss agricultural chemical group results came in at the top of the
range of analyst expectations of 2.86-2.96 bln usd, or 2.92 bln on average, with
Syngenta also confirming its outlook for double digit growth in earnings per
share for 2007.


[e-mail]
jmt/jfr

[waldron] 01/5/2007 19:39

Syngenta -- U.S. farmers shouldn't be held hostage by minority

Tuesday, May 1, 2007


By Janet Kubat Willette

Agri News staff writer

Syngenta says U.S. farmers shouldn't be held hostage by 5.8 percent of the market.

That's the portion of the U.S. grain crop consumed by Japan, which has yet to grant approval for Syngenta's Agrisure MIR 604, a rootworm event that can be found in select Garst, NK and Golden Harvest seed corn.

Farmers should have the right to plant yield-enhancing traits if they are approved by the U.S. government, said Chuck Lee, director of corn products for Syngenta.

Lee and Thomas Gahm, head of communications for Syngenta corn and soybean seed, participated in a conference call with Agri News.

Foreign markets who want products free of GMOs should be willing to pay a premium.

"It really comes down to money," the Syngenta spokesmen said.

The grain trade needs to figure out how to service different customers, the spokesmen said.

Syngenta's job is to create new high-yielding technology.

"We have got to find a way to increase yields, traits like Agrisure RW let us do that," the Syngenta spokesmen said.

Syngenta is asking farmers who are planting Agrisure MIR 604 to create marketing plans for the product.

The largest market in the United States is the feed market, which has no restrictions on accepting Agrisure MIR 604, Syngenta spokesmen said.

Agrisure RW can drift up to 660 feet in corn pollen. Syngenta is working on a strip test that it will make available to the grain trade.

Company spokesmen suggest buffer rows be planted. Those buffer rows can also be refuge acres if the variety isn't a rootworm variety.

The company has applied for permission to sell to Mexico and said they think they will have permission before August, Lee said.

Syngenta has also applied for permission to sell to Japan, but there is a backlog in Japanese registrations. The country has approved 59 trait products in the last decade and there are 47 events in the queue for the next 18 months, the Syngenta spokesmen said.

[ariane] 15/4/2007 19:42

The challenge & opportunity of Chinese corn production 04.13.2007
Syngenta product development head, Dr. Tom Francis, has been travelling to China since 2003. In this special report for Country Guide, he shares his insights on how corn production is changing in the country, and the opportunities and challenges this market presents for North American farmers and agribusiness

By Dr. Tom Francis



What strikes you about Chinese corn production is the size of the market and the quality of the corn.

It's truly incredible to imagine that peasant farmers annually plant about 26 million hectares of corn - just slightly smaller than the U.S. crop - without mechanization. It's also an extraordinary sight. As you drive along the rural roads in Jilin Province, one of China's leading corn-growing regions, the miles and miles of impressive corn fields that monopolize the view rival any sight I've seen in Iowa and Illinois.

The reality, however, is that these tremendous cornfields are a patchwork quilt of 2-acre plots owned by individual peasant farmers who work in concert to bring these uniform fields to life. Each seed is dropped into a hole made by a stick, covered then stepped on. As the plants emerge, they are hand-thinned, fertilized and watered as needed.

This is how corn has been grown in China for centuries, but it's changing - albeit slowly. The biggest single factor reshaping corn production in the country is the Chinese people's growing appetite for meat protein. Just 25 years ago the Chinese diet was primarily soybean based, but as demand for meat grows so does the demand for corn. Currently, consumption of corn for animal feed is growing 3% to 5% annually. Growing demand from other sectors such as starch processing (15% to 20%) and ethanol processing (10% to 15%) are also contributing to an unprecedented domestic need for increased corn production.

How does China meet this growing demand for corn? What role will North American agribusiness play? What impact will the country's corn production evolution have on markets and North American farmers? All these questions will be answered over time, but it is apparent that the Chinese are determined to be self-sufficient in their 3 major crops - rice, wheat and corn - and they are not willing to be dependent on imports or rely on foreign technology.

To become self-sufficient, the Chinese need access to seed genetics and technology as well as mechanization from Europe and North America. The challenge China now faces is convincing agribusiness that the country is a good place to invest and do business - a place where technology rights and ownership will be respected and protected.

In the short term, it's unlikely that China will become a competitive force in corn export markets. Unlike powerhouse exporting countries like Brazil and Argentina, which have relatively small populations, China must first serve the tremendous domestic corn demand from its more than one billion people.

The Chinese do want to be a player in the global agricultural market. They have already developed a car industry and they will be players in all forms of technology - from computers to seed to biotechnology. In the next 10 to 20 years, Chinese companies will likely be selling seed and biotech traits to North American farmers.

When it comes to corn production, one of the major hurdles the Chinese need to overcome is plant density. The average plant per acre population in China is 14,000 to 17,000 plants compared to 30,000 to 35,000 in North America. This is a key contributor to lower average Chinese corn yields - 5.3 metric tonnes per hectare (about 85 bu./ac.), which is at least 35% less than average Canadian yields.

Lower populations promote production of a smaller number of larger cobs, making harvest easier for peasant farmers. However, it is a key contributing factor to lower yields. From a yield perspective, China is where Canada was 30 years ago.

The move to higher populations would increase production, and contribute to self-sufficiency, but while the Chinese are intent on improving their genetics to boost corn yields, they do not appear to be as anxious to embrace the necessary mechanization required to manage the production increase.

While mechanization would contribute to yield increases, it would also displace the labor currently supplied by millions of peasant farmers. Today, travelling through China's corn regions, you do see some planters and combines, but they are few and far between.

Mechanization will eventually come to China, and this presents a great opportunity for North American agribusiness. As more and more enterprising Chinese farmers begin to rely on machinery, there will be strong demand for a wide range of production equipment and storage and seed treatment facilities - everything from grain bins and dryers to seed conditioning plants. The Chinese will try to manufacture this equipment, but the know-how and technology will likely first be sourced in Europe and North America.

Syngenta began working in China over 5 years ago to determine the potential of the market, assess opportunities and evaluate the performance of its corn genetics under Chinese growing conditions. We currently operate a breeding station in Beijing.

There is indeed vast opportunity, but working in the country does present challenges. For example, a foreign company cannot hold more than 49% equity in a rice, corn or wheat business. It must be majority owned by a Chinese company. This philosophy allows the Chinese to maintain control of know-how and technology. They do not want to be dependent on another country or private interests because a failure in any one of these crops would mean significant hardship for their people.

This approach will likely change over time, but currently it does present hurdles for companies such as Syngenta that need to protect their intellectual property rights. Seed counterfeiting is very common in China and seed companies have to take significant precautions - including 24-hour security surrounding seed nurseries - to protect inbreds from being stolen and sold commercially.

The World Trade Organization has put pressure on China to step up protection measures, noting the country will not be able to encourage investment, and increase access to foreign technology and know-how unless it respects intellectual property.
Protection of intellectual property rights also creates roadblocks for biotechnology growth in China. Currently, cotton is the only crop that is genetically modified. Bt cotton is used, but there are significant technology protection issues. There are literally millions of farmers, which makes it difficult to ensure technology is protected and owners are compensated for its use.

When I talk with people about Chinese agriculture, they routinely ask the same question. How do you do business with all those farmers? Seed distribution in the county actually operates similar to what we see in North America with a large number of co-ops selling to farmers in local areas. However, the vast number of farmers makes it difficult to track all the seed that moves locally and it would be impossible to have every farmer sign a Technology Agreement and follow up on it.

China has been slow to approve Bt genes and other transgenic traits even though regulatory requirements are being met. Currently there have been no approvals for the sale of biotech traits in corn. Again, this is likely the result of China not wanting to be dependent on multinational corporations for technology. China's biotech knowledge and capabilities are developing quickly and it is generally agreed that biotech approvals will be forthcoming when the country develops its own technology as an alternative to foreign biotech traits.

The Chinese people I've worked with have been committed, very receptive and open-minded. Mastering English - the language of the Internet - will open communication and allow the Chinese to fully understand what's happening in the rest of the world and make Chinese agriculture a force to be reckoned with. CG

Chinese corn facts
When planting corn, to compensate for poor seed quality,
Chinese farmers drop 3 kernels in each hole. After emergence,
excess seedlings are thinned by hand.
China's corn region spans a wide range of maturities. Heat unit ranges vary from 2500 CHU in the north to over 4000 CHU in southern regions.
There are no unique corn diseases in China. But there is a high frequency of diseases such as Northern corn leaf blight. Head smut is also a prevalent disease and hybrids require very good resistance.
Many North American corn hybrids adapt well to Chinese growing conditions while others fail. N3030, for example, and other NK Brand, Syngenta hybrids have demonstrated strong performance.

[waldron] 07/4/2007 12:02

Syngenta AG ADS Is Moving Out Of A Trading Range

Thursday, April 05, 2007; Posted: 02:06 PM



(RTTNews) - Syngenta AG ADS (SYT | charts | news | PowerRating) has been climbing in the last week and today the stock has jumped to a multi-year high. Shares gapped up at the open and have been trading in a narrow range all day and are currently accelerating to the upside on increased volume and are taking out the highs of the trading session.

Shares of Syngenta AG ADS are currently trading higher by $1/17 at $40.36.

[waldron] 06/4/2007 16:27

9. Significant Shareholders
During 2006 Syngenta received via disclosure notifications the information that two shareholders exceeded the threshold of 5% holdings in
Syngenta shares.
As of December 31, 2006, Syngenta itself held 6,614,409 shares in treasury corresponding to 6.36% of the share capital, as outlined in
Note 4.

[waldron] 06/4/2007 15:15

ADR 5 to 1

[waldron] 06/4/2007 14:32

Farmers Rely On Syngenta In Their Fields


The boom in corn planting has been a boon to Syngenta (SYT ), a Swiss seed and crop-protection company based in Basel. Its stock has jumped 34%, to 39.17 in the 13 months since the company was featured in this column on Mar. 13, 2006. Some analysts see more upside ahead. The brisk demand for corn to make ethanol is boosting farmers' need for Syngenta products to thwart field pests such as corn rootworm. Syngenta Chief Financial Officer Domenico Scala says 2007 will be a "volume growth story" driven by an improved farm market. He says Syngenta, which posted sales of $8 billion in 2006, expects to return to shareholders $800 million in 2007 through increases in dividends and share buybacks. Patrick Lambert of Swiss broker Cheuvreux sees earnings of $12.35 a share in 2007 (before special charges), up from $10.96 in 2006. His 12-month stock price target is 54. Alexandre Pasini of Bank Vontobel says 2007 will be a strong year as U.S. corn acreage is forecast to rise 8%. This will lift commodity prices and lead to favorable planting conditions. He rates the stock "outperform."

Note: Unless otherwise noted, neither the sources cited in Inside Wall Street nor their firms hold positions in the stocks under discussion. Similarly, they have no investment banking or other financial relationships with them.


By Gene G. Marcial

[waldron] 05/4/2007 19:26

4/5/2007 11:12:23 AM
Syngenta Explains Plans on Agrisure RW Corn

AgWeb.com Editors

Given the strong increase in U.S. corn planting intentions signaled in USDA's Prospective Plantings Report issued March 30, Syngenta has announced it plans to make its Agrisure™ RW corn available to farmers this year for planting to keep up with strong demand and maintain "a healthy balance in grain supply for all markets."

Agrisure™ RW is a new technology that offers built-in control of corn rootworms while maintaining yield potential, the firm notes, adding that it has full approval for planting in the United States.

The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) and North American Export Grain Association (NAEGA) called on Syngenta to hold off allowing farmers to plant the corn this season until Japan and other foreign markets for U.S. corn given their regulatory okay. Here's a link to that story.

Syngenta counters they are seeking full regulatory approval in Japan as well as other major export markets for U.S. corn and corn products. Pending Agrisure RW approval in Japan, Syngenta has implemented a comprehensive grower communication/commitment program.

Consistent with what the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) has advised growers, this program is designed to inform all Agrisure RW growers that until Japan approval is granted, grain produced from Agrisure RW hybrids must be directed to domestic uses and away from export channels. Specifically, Syngenta notes the following actions apply to the Agrisure RW hybrid:

Garst, Golden Harvest and NK Brand dealers will not deliver seed to any Agrisure RW customer who does not sign a Grain Use/Marketing Commitment agreement stating they commit to deliver Agrisure RW grain only to non-export locations and provide the name and address of the end-use location.

Growers will also be required to sign a stewardship agreement confirming they understand their obligations to market the grain appropriately.

Agrisure RW seed will carry a bag tag that states the product does not have Japanese approval and must be directed to domestic uses.

During the season, additional communication will be sent to these growers reminding them of their obligations to only market Agrisure RW grain to domestic end-uses.

Syngenta will use a third party resource to identify end-use locations that do not export corn (approximately 1,600 sites have previously been identified for growers) and will work with growers to provide additional grain placement assistance to any grower unable to deliver to an approved end-use location.

[waldron] 05/4/2007 18:49

Strong Corn Demand Fuels Monsanto

|Published: April 04, 2007 4:21 PM




SAN FRANCISCO (Dow Jones) -- More farmers hopping on the ethanol bandwagon helped propel Monsanto Co.'s earnings higher, prompting the seed company to raise its outlook for what executives called a "stellar year" for corn on Wednesday.



The St. Louis, Mo.-based maker of seeds and weed killer (MON) said net income for its fiscal second quarter ending Feb. 28 increased 23% to $543 million, or 98 cents a share, while sales gained 19% to $2.6 billion.



Results topped analysts' expectations of 94 cents a share on revenue of $2.44 billion, as polled by Thomson Financial.



Decisions by farmers to sow more of their acres with corn, especially higher margin seeds with special genetic traits, drove Monsanto's sales higher. Monsanto now has about a 26% market share of the U.S. corn market, and the company said that portion could rise to nearly 30% for its fiscal year ending in August.



"This is a year in which all growth stories revolve around corn," said Monsanto Chief Financial Officer Terrell Crews in a conference call with investors.



Lower sales of soy seeds and their specialized traits offset some increased sales of its biotech corn. Monsanto said its share of the U.S. soybean market stayed flat with its historical average of about 18%.



But the end result worked in Monsanto's favor, with sales in its seeds and genomics division climbing 22% from the year-ago to $1.8 billion. Sales in its agricultural productivity segment, which includes its Roundup Ready herbicide, rose 12% to $779 million.



Shares jumped as much as 6.5% to $59.66, the highest since the company's current stock started trading in 2000.



'Most highly anticipated crop season'



Farmers have been enticed by corn prices, which have surged on expectations that a rapid build-out in ethanol refineries will soak up more of the nation's corn harvest. Corn prices traded in the futures market topped $4.49 a bushel in March, a 66% gain from September 1.



And in a highy anticipated report last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it expects U.S. farmers to plant about 15% more corn acres than last year, or 90.45 million acres.



Monsanto backed this projection for the year's plantings, which CEO Hugh Grant called "perhaps the most highly anticipated crop season in my career."



The company has taken the lead in the race to sell farmers genetically engineered seeds that increase crop yields.



Monsanto said it had sold out of its DeKalb brand's triple-stack corn seeds, which contain Monsanto-engineered genetics to ward off above- and below-ground insects plus the effects of weed killer. It expects its triple-stack corn seeds to be planted on 16 million acres in the United States this year, up from 6 million last year.



Citigroup analyst P.J. Juvekar said a comparable triple-stack product sold by DuPont (DD) through its Pioneer brand will only be sown on 2 million acres this year, far short of Monsanto's expected 16 million. Switzerland's Syngenta Ag (SYT) won't have its triple-stack product out until next year, said Juvekar.



Monsanto executives Wednesday were quick to stress that they would be able to hold onto this advantage over the longer-term, an attempt to override some stock analysts' concerns that it will soon face more pressures from DuPont and others.



"Success both in 2007 and beyond hinges on our ability to bring better performing products with higher value and to share generously to farmers faster than our competitors," said Grant.



Still, Banc of America Securities analyst Kevin McCarthy cited encroaching pressure from DuPont and Syngenta as one reason he kept a hold on the company's share.



(END) Dow Jones Newswires

04-04-07 1619ET

[waldron] 03/4/2007 20:53

Ethanol boom could worsen world hunger -- Minnesota University study


WASHINGTON (AFX) - The boom in ethanol fuels in the US and elsewhere could
have devastating effects on food prices and worsen world hunger, according to a
study by C Ford Runge and Benjamin Senauer of the University of Minnesota.
The study said the rush into ethanol threatens to divert massive amounts of
corn and other food crops into biofuels.
The researchers write in the May/June edition of Foreign Affairs that
governments should stop incentives for ethanol until biofuels can be
economically produced from sources other than corn and soybeans.
"Resorting to biofuels is likely to exacerbate world hunger," they said.
"Several studies by economists at the World Bank and elsewhere suggest that
caloric consumption among the world's poor declines by about half of one percent
whenever the average prices of all major food staples increase by 1 pct."
The researchers said the surge in energy prices along with subsidies and
incentives given by governments has pushed farmers into diverting massive
amounts of corn, oilseeds and other crops into ethanol.
In the US, this affects corn, but in Brazil it involves sugar cane and in
Africa cassava.
"If, all other things being equal, the prices of staple foods increased
because of demand for biofuels, the number of food-insecure people in the world
would rise by over 16 mln for every percentage increase in the real prices of
staple foods," they wrote.
"That means that 1.2 bln people could be chronically hungry by 2025 -- 600
million more than previously predicted."
They said the biofuel craze could push up corn prices 20 pct by 2010 and 41
pct by 2020. This could affect other crops such as rice or wheat, since farmers
are converting their fields to corn or other plants more profitable because of
their potential for ethanol.
"In the United States, the growth of the biofuel industry has triggered
increases not only in the prices of corn, oilseeds, and other grains but also in
the prices of seemingly unrelated crops and products," they said.
"The use of land to grow corn to feed the ethanol maw is reducing the
acreage devoted to other crops. Food processors who use crops such as peas and
sweet corn have been forced to pay higher prices to keep their supplies secure,
costs that will eventually be passed on to consumers."
The authors said the ethanol market is further distorted by subsidies that
make diversion of crops even more profitable.
"Rather than promoting more mandates, tax breaks, and subsidies for
biofuels, the US government should make a major commitment to substantially
increasing energy efficiency in vehicles, homes, and factories; promoting
alternative sources of energy, such as solar and wind power; and investing in
research to improve agricultural productivity and raise the efficiency of fuels
derived from cellulose," the authors said.
[e-mail]
afp/jsa

[waldron] 30/3/2007 20:36

SYNGENTA ACQUIRES FISCHER GROUP
Mar. 30, 2007

Source: PRNewswire

Syngenta announced the acquisition of the Fischer group for a consideration of approximately $67 million on a cash and debt free basis. Fischer is a privately held vegetative flowers company specializing in the breeding and marketing of flower crops. For the fiscal year 2005/2006, Fischer reported sales of $86 million; the company is headquartered in Germany.

"We are delighted to welcome the Fischer organization to Syngenta with its strong record in marketing and innovation," said Robert Berendes, Head of Business Development at Syngenta. "This will accelerate the implementation of our Flowers strategy and strengthen our global leadership position."

Josef Fischer, CEO of Fischer, commented: "Combining our varieties, cultivation knowledge and supply processes will enhance our service and support to all our customers, with whom we can now access exciting growth potential in flowers."

Fischer is highly complementary to Syngenta Flowers, bringing leadership in three of the ten best-selling flower crops to its existing portfolio. It is the global leader in pelargonium (geranium) and has leading positions in poinsettia and New Guinea impatiens. The company sells flower crops in over 20 countries under well-known brands including Fischer(R) and pelfi(R); these brands will be maintained. Fischer employs around 1,700 people.

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2007, pending regulatory approvals.

Syngenta's S&G(R) Flowers is a worldwide leader in the pot and bedding plant industry with a large proprietary portfolio. Operating on a global basis, S&G breeds and markets superior proprietary flowers as seeds, young plants and cuttings for the ornamental industry. In 2006, Syngenta reported flowers sales of $228 million.