Syngenta reports higher Q1 sales as China drives growth
Sales rise as the company records gains in China and advances new crop solutions.
SWITZERLAND – Syngenta Group reported a rise in first quarter sales and profit, supported by strong performance in China and steady cost control.
The Swiss-based seeds and crop protection firm said sales rose by 2% to US$6.4 billion in the first three months of the year. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation reached US$1.4 billion, up 5% from the same period last year.
The company linked the results to growth in China and a focus on newer, higher margin products. It also kept a close watch on costs across its operations.
“This good result was achieved despite a market environment shaped by geopolitical uncertainty and trade disruption,” the company said.
Syngenta Group operates under Sinochem and continues to prepare for a planned listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. It competes with firms such as BASF, Bayer, and Corteva.
Crop protection sales rose by 3%, with China and Europe leading demand. The seeds business posted a stronger increase of 7%. In China, reported sales grew by 1%, but reached 11% when adjusted for the company’s exit from its grain trading unit.
The results come as the company expands its product pipeline. Earlier this month, Syngenta Group introduced VIRESTINA™ technology, a new herbicide aimed at resistant grass weeds in soybean and cotton. Argentina approved the product first, giving the company an entry point for wider global use.
The new solution uses an active ingredient known as metproxybicyclone. It targets weeds that no longer respond to common treatments such as glyphosate and clethodim. Farmers can apply it directly over crops, and it breaks down quickly in soil, which supports crop rotation and reduces strain on farmland.
The company developed the product at its Jealott’s Hill research centre in the United Kingdom. It completed the process in about 10 years, which is shorter than the usual 12 to 14 years needed for similar products.
With demand for food and feed crops still rising, the company continues to focus on improving yields while managing costs and market risks.
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