Bayer and BASF announced today that BASF’s acquisition of Bayer’s vegetable seeds and certain crop protection operations has been completed.
Following completion of the deal, the integration of Monsanto into the Bayer group can begin. One of the requirements of the U.S. Department of Justice was that Bayer and Monsanto remain separate companies and continue to operate separately until completion of these divestments to BASF. The businesses acquired by BASF had total sales of around €2.2 billion ($2.5 billion) in 2017.
BASF has acquired Bayer’s entire vegetable seeds business, operating under the Poncho, VOTiVO, COPeO, and ILeVO brands; the R&D platform for hybrid wheat; and a digital farming platform. The transaction also includes Bayer’s oilseed rape business in Australia; certain glyphosate-based herbicides in Europe, used mainly for industrial applications; canola-quality juncea research initiatives; and certain nonselective herbicide and nematicide research projects. Following the acquisition, BASF’s ag portfolio includes seeds and traits, chemical and biological crop protection, soil management, plant health, pest control, and digital farming.
By Natasha Alperowicz
Source: Chemical Week
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