Syngenta Seeds announced Aug. 17 that it has completed the acquisition of Sensako, a South African seed company specializing in cereals.

Sensako is a leading seed research and development (R&D) company with roots going back to 1958. It has a strong wheat market position in South Africa, with additional sales in Namibia, Zambia and Lesotho. The acquisition will lay the foundation for growth and help accelerate Syngenta's entry into the South African seeds market in wheat, corn and sunflowers.

“We’re excited to connect Sensako’s talented team with our growing global seeds business,” Syngenta Seeds president Jeff Rowe said. “This strategic investment opens the door for us to bring more choice, innovation and technology to help growers thrive in the region. Most importantly, we’ll have the opportunity to bring our leading Viptera trait technology to growers to address the permanent, rapidly spreading threat of fall armyworm in South Africa.”

Sensako is currently a distributor for Syngenta’s sunflower seeds. Syngenta Seeds also sells vegetable seeds in South Africa, and Syngenta Crop Protection is a major player in that market.

“Thanks to the strong Sensako brand, Syngenta Seeds is able to enter the wheat market in South Africa as a market leader,” said Gaël Hili, regional director for Europe, Africa and Middle East (EAME) Seeds. “With our leading global germplasm pool and Sensako’s existing breeding programs and experienced R&D leadership in Africa, we also have a significant growth opportunity in core crops – corn, sunflower and soy.”

Patrick Graham, Sensako commercial director, said, “Since assuming ownership over Sensako in 2008, our core focus has been on benefiting grain producers and processors with our proven genetics and solid research platforms. In Syngenta, I am sure that we have a partner with similar values. Syngenta’s extensive experience, technology and knowhow in the seed arena, together with the platform and assets that Sensako offers, will be of tremendous value and benefit to South African agriculture.”