The Hindu Business Line : BASF increasing thrust on biotech

BASF, the world's leading chemical company and global player in agricultural products, is increasing its thrust on biotechnology, as it sees the field playing an important role in increasing crop productivity. While demand for food and feed will continue to increase with a growing population, the recent emergence of demand for crops as a source for biofuel is likely to have an additional impact on food availability.

Mr Michael Heinz, President of the Agricultural Products division of BASF AG, believes that crop protection has till now focused on input traits such as resistance to insects and fungal attacks and that "huge productivity gains will mostly come from biotech."

Spend on biotech

BASF's strengths right now lie in fungicides and insecticides. It will, however, spend € 330 million over the next three years in plant biotechnology. In 2006, BASF completed the acquisition of Belgian biotech company CropDesign, which delivers traits such as yield enhancement and drought tolerance for the global seed market for crops such as corn and rice.

New potato variety

The company now claims to have a competitive discovery pipeline. It has commenced field trials for drought-tolerant crops. It has conducted successful field trials of fungus-resistant potato plants, in Sweden, the Netherlands and Germany. BASF has also developed Amflora, a genetically optimised potato that "switches off" the Amylose component and produces pure Amylopectin starch.

GM crops

Genetically-modified crops, however, continue to go through a very stringent regulatory process with such products continuing to witness strong resistance in Europe.

BASF failed to get the required majority for immediate approval for Amflora in 2006. The dossier was referred to the Council of Ministers and the company hopes to get approval in time for the cultivation season beginning April 2007.

If BASF gets approval for Amflora, it will be the first genetically enhanced product to be permitted for cultivation in Europe since 1998.

In its annual press conference last week, the BASF management reiterated its commitment to biotech, stating that their investment in biotech was for the long term and that they expected their initiatives to turn fruitful only around 2010-11.

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BASF increasing thrust on biotech