MEDIA RELEASE PR31964
Syngenta's Tropical Sugar Beet Receives World Business and Development Award
MUMBAI, Sept 25 /PRNewswire-AsiaNet/ --
Syngenta announced that yesterday it received the 2008 World
Business and Development Award (WBDA) for the development and successful
introduction of a new sugar beet that can be grown under tropical climate
conditions and brings significant advantages to farmers, the environment, the
sugar and ethanol industries and the economy.
The WBDA, presented by the United Nations Development Program,
the International Chamber of Commerce and the International Business Leaders
Forum, acknowledge the contribution of the private sector to help achieve the
UN Millennium Development Goals. The award recognized Syngenta's tropical
sugar beet as "an example of technological innovation that helps increase
sustainable agricultural productivity to meet the world's growing demand for
food, feed and fuel".
"We are very proud of this achievement. It is a reminder of
the importance of the work we do in addressing the challenges of feeding a
growing population and finding alternative energy sources," said Martin
Taylor, Chairman of Syngenta. "Tropical sugar beet is also a good example of
sustainable agriculture, since it improves land use and helps water
management. It also illustrates how Syngenta works in partnership with
agriculture in developing countries around the world."
About tropical sugar beet
Tropical sugar beet can be grown in relatively dry areas as it
requires substantially less water than sugar cane. The beets are also faster
growing, allowing farmers to grow a second crop on their land in the same
period as sugarcane crops take to mature. This increases farmers'
productivity and income, bringing significant benefits also to the
agricultural sector of developing markets. Tropical sugar beet delivers
similar output yields to sugar cane and can be used both for processing sugar
for food and conversion to bio-ethanol. An alternative to cane, it supports
biodiversity when used in areas with extensive sugar cane monocultures.
It took Syngenta 11 years to develop tropicalized sugar beet.
In 2007, the beet was successfully introduced in India. In the State of
Maharashtra, for example, Syngenta helped a cooperation of more than 12,000
smallhold farmers to build and operate a bio-ethanol production plant that
runs on Syngenta tropical beet. In Colombia, the building has started of two
beet-to-ethanol plants, which are expected to start processing tropical sugar
beet in 2009.
Syngenta is currently conducting adaptation trials in many
other tropical countries such as China, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, Kenya,
South Africa, Ethiopia, Brazil, Peru, Mexico and in the USA.
For further information and pictures:
Footage material can be downloaded under:
About Syngenta
Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness committed to
sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. The
company is a leader in crop protection, and ranks third in the high-value
commercial seeds market. Sales in 2007 were approximately $9.2 billion.
Syngenta employs over 21,000 people in more than 90 countries. Syngenta is
listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in New York (SYT). Further
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This document contains forward-looking statements, which can
be identified by terminology such as 'expect', 'would', 'will', 'potential',
'plans', 'prospects', 'estimated', 'aiming', 'on track' and similar
expressions. Such statements may be subject to risks and uncertainties that
could cause the actual results to differ materially from these statements. We
refer you to Syngenta's publicly available filings with the U.S. Securities
and Exchange Commission for information about these and other risks and
uncertainties. Syngenta assumes no obligation to update forward-looking
statements to reflect actual results, changed assumptions or other factors.
This document does not constitute, or form part of, any offer or invitation
to sell or issue, or any solicitation of any offer, to purchase or subscribe
for any ordinary shares in Syngenta AG, or Syngenta ADSs, nor shall it form
the basis of, or be relied on in connection with, any contract therefor.
Syngenta International AG
Media Office
CH-4002 Basel
Switzerland
Tel: +41-61-323-23-23
Fax: +41-61-323-24-24
Media contacts:
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Anne Burt
USA +1-202-628-2372
Analyst/Investor contacts:
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USA +1-202-737-6520
SOURCE: Syngenta India Ltd.
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