Nufarm and Sumitomo collaborate on Sumitomo’s fungicide pipeline

Nufarm Limited announced recently that it has signed a long-term extension to a series of global collaboration agreements with Sumitomo Chemical Company. 

Since April 2010 when Sumitomo acquired a strategic investment in Nufarm, the companies have been collaborating in a number of areas most notably in distribution, development and manufacturing. 

The long-term extension of the collaboration agreements signed allows both companies to formalise arrangements relative to the development and distribution of a number of high value solutions focused strongly on Sumitomo’s fungicide pipeline. 

By utilising the novel chemistry in Sumitomo’s pipeline, often in combination with established and development chemistries in Nufarm’s portfolio, the compelling combinations create a platform which provides growers with a choice of powerful tools with which to combat major plant diseases and effectively manage the ongoing threat of resistance. 

Whilst the collaboration agreements are global in scope, Sumitomo and Nufarm will be prioritising strategically important, high value markets.  Sumitomo and Nufarm have already agreed to develop mixture products targeting Asian Soybean Rust in Latin America utilising Sumitomo’s proprietary fungicide chemistry in combination with Nufarm chemistry. 

Commercialisation of the respective products would begin following their registration and due regulatory approval from relevant authorities.  Registration submissions for the products in Brazil are planned from late 2017 onwards.  
Farmers in Brazil spend in excess of US$2b annually controlling soybean rust. 

Nufarm’s Managing Director and CEO, Greg Hunt said that “Nufarm is excited about this next chapter with Sumitomo Chemical, and leveraging the relative strengths of both companies to enable Nufarm to deliver on its strategic objectives. We are focusing on delivering a valuable portfolio in targeted crops and geographies.  Our collaboration with Sumitomo Chemical is a very important element of this”.