Malting Barley Business Update
07 January 2026, UK: Syngenta has completed the transfer of its 2-row spring and winter malting barley seeds business to RAGT, with effect from December 30, 2025.
With the completion of the transaction, RAGT has acquired the Market Stainton site in Lincolnshire, a recognised centre of excellence for malting barley breeding and eleven Syngenta employees dedicated to malting barley have now formally transferred to RAGT. This acquisition also covers certain Syngenta trademarks, registrations, and related assets.
We believe RAGT is well positioned to ensure that this business continues to serve the needs of the malting barley value chain and our teams have worked closely with RAGT to ensure a smooth transition.
We would like to express our sincere appreciation for the dedication and professionalism demonstrated by our 2-row malting barley teams over the years. Their contributions have shaped the success of this business and strengthened Syngenta’s reputation for excellence across the industry.
Syngenta remains fully committed to the growth and development of our business in the UK and Europe. We believe this move will allow us to better align our resources and capabilities to focus on our strategic priorities – hybrid wheat and barley – where we see strong potential for innovation, scalability, and long-term growth.
Syngenta continues to lead the hybridisation of cereals, with the new generation HYVIDO® Neo hybrid barley varieties and our planned commercial X-TERRA® hybrid wheat launch in the UK in 2027 building on over 20 years of hybrid cereals excellence. This is all supported by comprehensive UK-based trials ensuring all our hybrids are adapted to local growing conditions. Our investment in all hybrid technology underscores our long-term commitment to providing British farmers with cutting-edge solutions for sustainable and profitable farming.
The core strengths of our business remain robust, and these changes are designed to sharpen our focus and reshape our investment to strengthen the pipeline. Our customers will continue to receive the same high-quality products, technical expertise, and service that they have come to expect from us and our local commercial and technical teams remain wholly committed to supporting the success of our customers.
Syngenta remains committed to supporting the UK market by delivering innovative, sustainable, and effective solutions designed to meet farmers’ evolving needs.
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