Romaine lettuce by Jose Orozco, USDA
Announced November 12, 2009, Syngenta is acquiring two U.S.-based lettuce seed companies: Synergene Seed and Technology and Pybas Vegetable Seed Company. The acquisitions will establish a significant position for Syngenta in the North American lettuce market and will broaden its lettuce development portfolio in Europe and Asia. The acquired companies are highly complementary and combine a broad and deep range of proprietary germplasm with excellent breeding and production capabilities.
Synergene is a lettuce seed company based in Salinas, California, with a diverse and proprietary lettuce gene pool. Pybas, based in Santa Maria, California, is well-known for its quality seed production and processing as well as its germplasm. Both companies will be integrated into the Syngenta Vegetables business. The lettuce seed market is valued at around $160 million globally.