Sumitomo Acquires Fungicide from Bayer
10 April 2014 
Leaf showing Asian soybean rust
Tokyo-based Sumitomo Corp. said on Thursday it acquired the fungicide metominostrobin from Bayer CropScience Japan. The deal was made through Summit Agro International, also known as Sumisho Agro, which is a subsidiary of Sumitomo.
Metominostrobin is a broad-spectrum, systemic fungicide with preventative and curative activity. It is especially potent on soybean rust, which can seriously damage soybeans.
Sumisho Agro’s acquisition of the fungicide includes distribution and marketing rights for all markets with the exception of sales and development of metominostrobin as well as its dossier for risk assessment in Japan, which will be retained by Bayer CropScience Japan.
“Sumisho Agro aims to sell several billion yen globally of the product by 2020 through increased global promotion of metominostrobin. In addition, Sumisho Agro will proactively engage in the development of the mixture of new compounds to expand the application of the product,” the company said in a statement.
Global cereal crop production has almost doubled from 1970 because of factors such as population growth and diet changes due to increased incomes. “Worldwide, it is said that there is a need to double cereal crop production to meet the estimated food demand projected by 2050 … Fungicides like metominostrobin will be instrumental in helping farmers meet this increased demand,” Sumitomo said.
Metominostrobin has already been registered as a crop protection product in Argentina, as well as other Latin American countries including Columbia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Additionally, it has been registered for crop protection usage in Asia, including Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, and in Israel, where demand for fruits and cereal crops is significantly increasing. Metominostrobin is in the process of being registered in Brazil, the world’s second largest soybean producer, through Iharabras, which Sumitomo Corp. has equity participation.
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