Syngenta, FMC to commercialise new herbicide technology for rice crops in Asia

New Delhi: Agri-input firm Syngenta and FMC Corporation on Wednesday announced an agreement to commercialise a breakthrough herbicide technology that aims to control grass weeds in rice crops in Asia.

The new active ingredient 'Tetflupyrolimet', discovered and developed by the FMC with support from Syngenta, can be applied in traditional transplanted and direct-seeded rice.

Under the agreement, Syngenta and FMC will both bring Tetflupyrolimet-based products to key rice markets in Asia, an official statement said.

Syngenta will register and commercialize Tetflupyrolimet in China -- the world's largest rice market.

The company will also commercialize products containing mixtures of Tetflupyrolimet for rice in India, Vietnam, Indonesia, as well as in Japan and South Korea, it said.

Whereas, FMC will register and commercialize Tetflupyrolimet and an array of products in all these countries, except in China where it will focus on mixtures for rice.

Syngenta will further exclusively commercialize Tetflupyrolimet for rice in Bangladesh, the statement said.

Stating that this new production will be a game changer for millions of rice farmers, Syngenta said Tetflupyrolimet boosts the yield and quality of rice production by delivering season-long control of the most significant grass weeds.

"This innovation will drive a step-change in the yield and quality of rice harvests, address the growing challenge of weed resistance, and could transform the lives of millions of rice farmers," said Ioana Tudor, Global Head of Marketing at Syngenta Crop Protection.

Syngenta is excited by the potential of this new technology to elevate the sustainability of global rice production, Tudor added.

Rice production is central to the livelihoods of an estimated 150 million farmers globally, who supply a fifth of the world's dietary energy.

It is the most important food crop in developing countries, accounting for close to 30 per cent of the total calorie intake of these populations. Rice farming is also one of the most important sources of employment in rural areas.

Syngenta is one of the world's leading agriculture companies, comprising Syngenta Crop Protection and Syngenta Seeds.