Monsanto destroys soybean yield from suspended program in Argentina

After having discontinued the Xtend program in Argentina, which would have produced soybeans resistant to the dicamba herbicide, leading to improved weed management, Monsanto has completed the destruction of all of the material that was harvested with their soybeans.

Last May, amid the battle with the government and agricultural entities for control of ports that would enable the company to charge a fee for Intacta soybeans that are resistant to insects, the company announced, from its headquarters in St. Louis in the United States, the suspension of the Xtend program before it could be launched.

According to market sources, over 3,000 hectares had been planted under the Xtend program by many seed companies that had agreed to use this Monsanto technology. After the suspension of the program, the multinational asked the National Institute of Seeds about the required steps to be followed in disposing of this material and were given several options, including the destruction of the material or the export. Under this solution, all the participating companies would have to destroy the soybeans. It is the standard procedure when a company leaves a development program.

A source from the company confirmed to La Nación newspaper that all of the soybeans produced by the Xtend program had been destroyed. “Xtend has completed its destruction program. The grain was broken, in accordance with the requirements. It was not burned,” the source said.