Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 2.2 summarizes information on 21 companies that each had global
seed sales of over $100 million in 2009, including BASF, which made signifi-
cant investments in crop biotechnology but did not have substantial seed or
trait sales. Six of these companies also had a significant market share for crop
protection chemicals.
The Big 6 firms (Monsanto, Dupont, Syngenta, Bayer, Dow, and BASF)
hold a unique position in integrating biological and chemical technologies in
agricultural input markets. In 2009, three of these firms—Monsanto,
DuPont/Pioneer, and Syngenta—were the top three global seed companies,
and they also ranked fifth, sixth, and first, respectively, in global sales of crop
protection chemicals.
Bayer, another Big 6 firm, only entered the seed market in 2002 with the
acquisition of Aventis Crop Science; by 2009, it ranked sixth in global seed
sales. Dow (fourth in crop protection sales in 2009) ranked seventh in global
seed sales, and BASF (third in global crop protection sales), which began
research in seed/biotechnology around 1998, reported no seed or trait sales as
of 2009.
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However, both BASF and Dow have made significant investments
in agricultural biotechnology.
Two European-based companies, Limagrain and KWS, also had seed sales
of over $600 million in 2009.
Limagrain, originally a producer-owned cooperative based in France, is
active in both the markets for seeds of field crops and vegetables. KWS, based
in Germany, concentrates on seeds of field crops. Limagrain and KWS have a
joint venture, AgReliant, in the North American market.
In 2009, at least 13 companies had global seed sales between $100 million
and $600 million. Three companies (Land O'Lakes/Forage Genetics
International, DLF-Trifolium, and BarenBrug Holland BV) specialized in seed
of forage and/or turf grass.
Another Dutch seed company, Rijk Zwaan, and two Japanese-based
companies, Sakata and Takii, specialized in vegetable and/or flower seed.
Several European-based companies, In Vivo, Saaten-Union, RAGT,
Florimond Desprez, Euralis Group, and Maisador Semences, focused mainly
on field crops but also had forage/turf grass products as well as sugar beets.
Finally, the U.S. soybean breeding company, Stine Seeds, likely fits into this
category as well, although Stine Seeds does not disclose sales information. In
2009, these companies (except BASF) invested in crop improvement and sold
proprietary seed for a range of crops (fig. 2.1).
