BASF Crop Protection pipeline valued at three billion euro

Following its strategy to bring comprehensive solutions to farmers, the company will launch new products for all crop protection indications in row and specialty crops. This promising pipeline is the result of continuous investments in research and development (R&D). In 2015 alone, BASF spent 514 million euro ($563 million) on R&D in its Crop Protection Division.

“We have been very successful in translating ideas and challenges into best-in-class products and services for growers across the globe,” said Markus Heldt, President of BASF’s Crop Protection Division. “Innovation remains a crucial component of agriculture today. It is a dynamic market, with ever-changing needs and new challenges, and we are happy that we can contribute with new solutions and technologies,” he added.

In the fungicide area, BASF is making great progress in bringing a new blockbuster compound to farmers across the globe, starting from 2019. Already in an advanced phase of development, the new fungicide has demonstrated outstanding biological performance and is expected to become a key tool of effective disease control.

BASF is a leading provider of both novel active ingredients and new formulations for herbicides. A new advanced dicamba-formulation is a leading forthcoming innovation in the herbicide field. Engenia™ is designed for use in dicamba/glyphosate-tolerant cropping systems and is a highly efficient tool to control resistant weeds in row crops. Pending registration, Engenia™ is anticipated to be available first in the Americas later this year.

The herbicide pipeline also includes innovations in herbicide tolerance and weed resistance management technologies. BASF is developing compounds targeting novel sites of action that have shown outstanding control of resistant weeds, such as black grass, in a range of crops. In addition, a new herbicide-tolerant system for rice, Provisia™ Rice System, will enter the market in 2017.

BASF’s insecticide portfolio is also expanding with two new compounds, increasing the number of tools for insect control and resistance management by the end of the decade. The active ingredient broflanilide brings a new mode of action to the fields that demonstrated excellent levels of control over chewing pests. The other novel active ingredient, Inscalis™, is effective against piercing-sucking insects, providing a long-lasting respite from aphids, whiteflies, and certain leafhoppers, psyllids, and scales for use in specialty crops, row crops, and ornamentals. Both products will be launched in several markets across the globe.

BASF’s track record in successfully commercializing new products has proven a key growth pillar for the Crop Protection unit. Recently, more than 40 per cent of business sales were generated by products launched in the past five years. To further expand its market success with innovations, BASF Crop Protection will continue to invest approximately nine per cent of its sales in R&D.