Year after year, growers around the world put their trust in the Syngenta products they know will deliver the yield and quality they need

Product Lines
Syngenta`s product portfolio is divided into seven product lines: five for Crop Protection (Selective Herbicides, Non-Selective Herbicides, Fungicides, Insecticides, and Professional Products) and two for Seeds (Field Crops, Vegetables and Flowers).

Crop Protection
Sales of $5507 million showed a slight decline for the full year but with a marked upturn in the second half, driven by Latin America and NAFTA. The performance of Insecticides and Professional Products was particularly encouraging, and sales of Selective Herbicides, the largest product line, were up after several years of decline. Modernization of the product portfolio continued to be a prime focus throughout the year. Total sales of new products reached $501 million. EBITDA rose one percent (CER¹) to $1239 million.

¹ Growth at constant exchange rates (CER).

Selective Herbicides
With a broad range of products adapted to all major crops and markets, Syngenta is a leader in selective herbicides. Weed competition remains a major drain on crop yield, and selective herbicides can control specific weeds without harming the crop. They are used mainly in corn – the largest market – small grain cereals, fruit and vegetables, soybeans and cotton. New products with improved environmental profiles or greater effectiveness are providing customer benefits and helping to limit the impact of herbicide-tolerant cropping systems. Sales of selective herbicides were driven by the CALLISTO® range, which more than doubled to $218 million, augmented by the successful US launch of the new combination product, LUMAX™, for broad-spectrum weed control. Sales of DUAL®/ BICEP® MAGNUM were strong in the second half, notably in the USA. In cereals, sales of the grass herbicide TOPIK® increased in NAFTA and Asia Pacific where wheat markets were buoyant. FUSILADE® sales for soybeans in Brazil advanced and new products were successfully rolled out in central and Eastern Europe.

Unprecedented broadleaf weed control, an outstanding environmental profile and excellent crop safety have resulted in this unique corn herbicide gaining market leadership within just three years since launch.

With reduced rate and high activity, this selective herbicide provides grass control in corn and soybean throughout the season.

Non-Selective Herbicides
Established major brands in the main types of non-selective herbicide have helped Syngenta gain a strong position in this sector. Used to remove weeds before crop planting and from orchards, vineyards and plantations, non-selective herbicides improve productivity and help prevent soil erosion by reducing the need for hand weeding and mechanical tillage. In recent years, demand has been driven by the increase in herbicidetolerant crops, which can be safely treated with specific non-selective herbicides. Sales of GRAMOXONE® were impacted by the channel de-stocking program in China, which more than offset growth in Brazil and Australasia. TOUCHDOWN®IQ® sales were lower due to a highly competitive US glyphosate market; two new product launches aimed at the chemfallow and premium glyphosate-tolerant segments have broadened the portfolio.

This unique non-selective herbicide is fast acting on contact and has many uses in a wide variety of crops.

Combined with enhanced delivery system IQ Technology™, TOUCHDOWN® is an advanced glyphosate-based non-selective herbicide, highly effective against broadleaf weeds and grasses.

Fungicides
State-of-the-art technology and a comprehensive product range have provided Syngenta with market growth opportunities in this sector, particularly in fruit and vegetable production. Fungicides are crucial to protect crop yield and quality by fighting fungal diseases, especially in cereals, rice, fruit, vegetables and vines. They are typically used in combination or series to provide effective control, while minimizing the emergence of fungal resistance. ACANTO®, AMISTAR® and UNIX® were all negatively affected by drought conditions in Western Europe, notably France and Germany, which resulted in significantly lower usage on cereals. AMISTAR® partly compensated for this with strong growth in Brazil where it is used to treat soybean rust, a significant new disease. Sales of RIDOMIL GOLD® were up slightly, with growth in the USA outweighing declines in Asia Pacific. SCORE® achieved strong growth on rice and vegetables in Asia Pacific and on a range of crops in Western Europe.

An early season strobilurin fungicide to boost yield and quality in wheat and barley.	A leading broad-spectrum strobilurin fungicide that delivers outstanding yield and quality improvements in cereals and many other crops.
A highly effective systemic fungicide designed to fend off attack from late blight and downy mildew diseases in a range of crops.	Fighting numerous diseases across a wide variety of crops, this systemic triazole fungicide has a long lasting action to provide substantial increases in yield.

Insecticides
A broad range of recently launched insecticide products enables Syngenta to offer growers outstanding protection against insect pests that threaten crop yield and quality. With growth in this sector related to new product invention, Syngenta’s modern insecticide portfolio provides global reach in the most important markets of fruit and vegetables, cotton, rice and corn. Sales of insecticides showed robust growth despite a marked impact from range rationalization. ACTARA® achieved sales of $127 million with continuing strong growth, particularly on cotton and soybean in the USA and Brazil, and on rice in Japan. Sales of FORCE® were buoyant associated with an increase in corn rootworm pressure in the USA. Growth in KARATE® was broad-based. PROCLAIM® showed good growth in Japan, with expanded labels for vegetables, and in Australia where the cotton market recovered after a drought in 2002. VERTIMEC® benefited from high pest pressure and gained market share, notably in the USA and Italy.

With rapid action and the ability to be applied directly to the soil, this high performance thiamethoxambased insecticide controls a multitude of pests in a wide range of crops.

Using ZEON TECHNOLOGY®, a novel rapid release formulation, KARATE® efficiently controls the most damaging insects across a wide range of crops, providing consistency, flexibility and value.

Professional Products
Syngenta is exploiting substantial growth opportunities that exist in areas beyond commercial agriculture, with many herbicides, insecticides and fungicides having uses in public health, forestry, industrial weed control, golf courses and home and garden applications. Some insecticides and fungicides are also used as seed treatments to protect crop growth during its early stages. Together these make up the Professional Products product line. Professional Products grew strongly despite a marked impact from range rationalization. Seed Treatment continued its strong growth particularly in North America, Brazil and Argentina. The main driver was CRUISER®, which increased sales by over 50 per cent to $88 million. MAXIM® benefited from strong demand in soybean and corn. Turf and Ornamental sales were adversely affected by phase-outs and by cool US weather. Public Health sales were stable with good sales of ICON® for vector control in Asia and Africa offsetting low pest pressure in the USA. First US sales of IMPASSE™, the innovative termite barrier, were made.

Offering highly effective protection against soil-dwelling and early season pests, this thiamethoxam-based insecticide is becoming increasingly popular in seed treatment across a broad range of crops.

Field Crops
The demand for Syngenta Field Crop seeds is driven by the need for increased yield and agronomic quality. With advanced breeding capabilities in corn, soybeans, sunflowers, oilseed rape, sugar beet and cereals, Syngenta continues to be one of the leading seed producers in all major arable crops. NK® corn sales performed strongly, driven by Latin America, but were lower in the fourth quarter due to closer alignment with consumption in NAFTA. Sunflower and oilseed rape showed strong growth in Europe; soybean sales increased, notably in NAFTA. These improvements more than offset a decrease in HILLESHÖG® sugar beet mainly attributable to declining EU acreage. GM products accounted for 17 per cent of Seeds sales.

A mark of quality for field crops seed, including corn, soybeans, sunflower and winter oilseed rape.

Vegetables and Flowers
In a market that continually strives to deliver consumers fresh, high quality produce, Syngenta has impressive offerings in both vegetables and flowers. In Vegetables, including tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, cabbage, sweet corn, hot and sweet peppers, melons, watermelons, beans and oriental radish, Syngenta seed varieties help to satisfy consumer requirements and those of food companies and growers. In Flowers, where diversity and novelty are crucial, commercial growers are offered a wide variety of seeds, young plants and cuttings. Vegetables grew particularly strongly in Europe, where Syngenta has established leading positions in tomato, pepper and watermelon. In the USA, New Produce Network™ sales continued to expand driven by the PUREHEART™ watermelon; the new BELLAHEART™ cantaloupe melon was launched. Sales of S&G® flowers increased, primarily in Europe reflecting strength in the fast-growing young plant segment and improved customer relationship management.

Setting standards for vegetable seeds across Europe, Africa and Asia, as well as flower seeds and young plants worldwide.