Mega-mergers reshape global agriculture

Bayer’s $66 billion deal to buy Monsanto to create a seed and crop-chemical giant follows ChemChina’s $47bn bid to buy Switzerland’s Syngenta, and Dow Chemical’s $69bn tie-up with DuPont

GM seeds

Conventional seeds

Agrochemicals

Bayer-Monsanto, ChemChina- Syngenta and DuPont-Dow will control three-quarters of global seed market, and two-thirds of world market in agrochemicals

Rise in global markets (US$ billions)

0 20 40 60 80 100

09-10 10-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 2014-15

37.9 17.2 10.8 65.9

38.3 18.0 12.9 69.2

44.0 18.8 15.7 78.5

47.3 19.1 18.5 84.9

52.7 19.3 21.1 93.1

56.7 23.8 30.0 110.5

Sources: PhillipsMcDougall, ETC Group

Picture: Associated Press