Syngenta Halts Genetic Engineering Projects in Europe
 (SRC:Die Welt -- ATH:n/a)
Syngenta has halted all of its field trials of genetically modified (GM)
crops and seed material varieties in Europe, and is transferring them to
the U.S.  David Lawrence, director of research at Syngenta, says that the
Switzerland-based company decided to shift its operations away from Europe
because of public resistance to GM crops, high "authorization hurdles," and
a lack of market opportunities.  Syngenta recently withdrew its GM crop
operations from the U.K.  The European Commission reports that no GM field
trials have been registered for the U.K. next year, and the article says
that Germany is "well on the way" to a similar situation.  According to the
European Commission, five GM field trials are planned in Germany this year,
and nine in Spain, which will be the greatest number for any country in
Europe.  The article reports that Syngenta earns 85 percent of its sales
from its plant protection business, in which it is the world leader.  The
component of its business with more potential to expand, however, is the
production of seed varieties, in which Syngenta is third in the world
behind Monsanto and Pioneer Hi-bred, owned by DuPont.  Last year, Syngenta
invested US$146 million of its US$727 million research budget in
biotechnology, although it earned only 3 percent of the year's sales from
GM crops.  The article can be viewed online at the link below.
 http://mail.merid.org/Rockefeller/biotech.nsf/Stories/041309CA4457492285256F66007DB4B4