P S***Pesticide Action Network North AmericaUpdates Servicehttp://www.panna.or /panna/===================================== *FYI* Look and compare with the value of bees and you will understand why bees continue to die from pesticides. ttul Andy- ===================================== P A N U P S *** Pesticide Action Network North America Updates Service http://www.panna.org/panna/ ===================================== April 30, 1997 Top Ten Agrochemical Companies in 1996 The top ten agrochemical companies all showed an increase in both dollar and national currency sales in 1996. Monsanto had the highest rate of growth, with a 22.8% increase over 1995 sales. Zeneca also showed double digit growth -- an 11.3% increase in dollar sales with a 9% increase in volume. Bayer had the smallest growth in sales (1.2%) and fell from third place in 1995 to sixth. After last year's merger of Ciba Geigy and Sandoz, the newly formed multinational corporation Novartis entered the ranking in first place. 1996 Agrochemical Sales of Top Ten Companies Company Sales (US$ mill.) % change vs. 1995 1. Novartis 4,527 + 4.5 2. Monsanto 2,997 + 22.8 3. Zeneca 2,630 + 11.3 4. AgrEvo 2,493 + 6.4 5. Du Pont 2,472 + 6.5 6. Bayer 2,360 + 1.2 7. Rhone-Poulenc 2,210 + 5.7 8. DowElanco 2,000 + 1.9 9. Cyanamid 1,989 + 4.1 10. BASF 1,541 + 8.4 Rhone-Poulenc and Du Pont both reported strong sales in Europe, Latin America and Asia. Rhone-Poulenc's sales were boosted by high sales of its new maize insecticide, Regent (fipronil), due to be launched in the U.S. next year. Much of the company's U.S. agrochemical business is based on the older carbamate insecticides such as Sevin (carbaryl), Temik (aldicarb) and Larvin (thiodicarb) which were acquired when Rhone-Poulenc bought out Union Carbide. The company is currently restructuring its U.S. operations to create two new business units which will focus on "new" and "mature" products. Monsanto's increased sales were due in part to sales of Roundup (glyphosate) which were allowed for use on transgenic herbicide-tolerant crops for the first time in 1996. Roundup Ready (glyphosate tolerant) soybeans were planted on over one million acres in the U.S. in 1996, and Monsanto predicts an eight to ten million acre crop this year. In addition, approximately 250,000 to 300,000 acres of Roundup Ready soybeans were planted in Argentina for the 1996/97 season. Since 1995, Monsanto has invested over US$200 million in glyphosate manufacturing technology, and plans to invest another US$180 million for 1997. While glyphosate-tolerant crops offer potential for expanded sales of Roundup, in the next few years most of the increase is expected to come from increasing adoption of "conservation tillage" practices in countries around the world. Monsanto estimates that the practice could be extended to more than 240 million acres worldwide by 2000, up from the 185 million acres at present. More than 40% of the volume growth of Roundup in recent years has come from expanded use of conservation tillage practices. The Danish Environmental Protection Agency is currently investigating claims that residues of glyphosate have been detected in Copenhagen's drinking water at levels exceeding European Union limits of 0.1 milligrams per liter. According to the head of the Copenhagen food safety agency, residues of up to 0.18 milligrams per liter have been found. Source: Agrow: World Crop Protection News, No. 278, April 18, 1997. Contact: PANNA =========================================================== | Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA) | | | | Phone:(415) 541-9140 Fax:(415) 541-9253 | | Email: [log in to unmask] http://www.panna.org/panna/| | PANNA, 116 New Montgomery, #810, San Francisco, CA 94105 | | | |*To subscribe to PANUPS send email to [log in to unmask] | with the following text on one line: subscribe panups | | To unsubscribe send the following: unsubscribe panups | | | |*For basic information about PANNA, send an email message | | to [log in to unmask] | =========================================================== ============== --- ~ QMPro 1.53 ~ ~ ))) In Stereo, Where Available (((