Monsanto to Acquire Central America's Largest Seed Company

Expects Deal to Expand Hybrid Corn business

June 19, 2008
Fort Mills Times, SC

ST. LOUIS — Monsanto Co. plans to acquire Marmot S.A., which operates Central America's largest corn seed company, Semillas Cristiani Burkard. Terms were not disclosed, and it wasn't immediately clear when the deal would be finalized.

Monsanto says the acquisition solidifies the St. Louis-based company's position as the leading corn seed provider in the Latin American and Central American regions, and will enable Monsanto to provide new higher-yielding corn seed offerings to farmers.

SCB is based in Guatemala City and focuses on hybrid corn seed production, particularly corn, sorghum, forage sorghum, soybeans, and pastures or grass-type seeds. SCB is also a distributor of Seminis vegetable seeds, a product of Monsanto's vegetable seed division.

http://www.fortmilltimes.com/124/story/200291.html