South Korea Approves Syngenta’s Corn Hybrid

Posted by Matt Hopkins|1 March 2011

MINNETONKA, Minn., United States — Syngenta Seeds, Inc. has received import approval from regulatory authorities in South Korea for hybrids containing the Agrisure Viptera 3111 trait stack, according to a press release.

The approval allows the importation of U.S. corn grown from hybrids containing the Agrisure Viptera 3111 trait stack into South Korea for food, feed or processing use. South Korean authorities previously approved the single Agrisure Viptera trait in October 2010, according to the company.

“Import approval from South Korea provides U.S. corn growers access to yet another valuable market,” said David Morgan, president of Syngenta Seeds in a prepared statement. “With corn prices expected to remain at near-record levels this year, the advantages of growers enjoying more yield from the same number of acres are plain to see.”

Corn hybrids with the Agrisure Viptera 3111 trait stack have in-seed defense against the multi-pest complex, which includes corn earworm, fall armyworm, Western bean cutworm, black cutworm, dingy cutworm, stalk borer and sugarcane borer, among others. Syngenta estimates damage from these pests costs U.S. corn growers 238 million bushels of corn and $1.1 billion in annual yield and grain quality losses, according to the release.