Mosaic and BioConsortia, which are both based in California, have entered into and agreement to develop and launch the latter’s nitrogen-fixing microbial products for all crops, including corn, wheat, rice, fruit and vegetables, in China, India, Thailand and Vietnam.

This follows a collaboration to develop these products for the Americas at the end of 2020 and successful field trials in the US and Canada. Fertiliser producer Mosaic already has sales channels in place in the region.

The US-based Green Chemistry division of the Minafin Group has formed a strategic partnership with Origin Materials of West Sacramento in California to industrialise speciality products based on Origin’s biobased, carbon-negative materials in the pharmaceutical, agricultural, cosmetics and personal care, and automotive industries. No further terms were disclosed.

Indian speciality chemicals and custom synthesis firm Anupam Rasayan has acquired 24.96% of Tanfac Industries from Birla Group Holdings and others for €17.3 million. It is also launching an open €18 million offer to acquire a further 26%, potentially giving it a majority stake, alongside Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation.

Italian CDMO Olon has reached a long-term strategic partnership for the manufacturing of the protein-based biocontrol products of Belgium’s Biotalys. This, the companies said, will secure the global supply of Biotalys’ first product, Evoca, a biofungicide that is planned for market introduction in the US in 2H 2022, subject to regulatory approval. 

Croda has agreed to sell most of its Performance Technologies & Industrial Chemicals (PTIC) business to Cargill Velocity Holdings, a wholly owned subsidiary of Cargill in a €915 million deal should close in the summer of 2022, subject to regulatory approvals and consultation with employee representatives. The company had stated its intention to reviewing ownership options for PTIC in May 2021.

Karan Chechi of ChemAnalyst looks at why demand is growing for a key alternative to agrochemicals

Agrochemicals such as pesticides, fertilisers and plant growth enhancers have played a crucial role over the last century. They allowed agricultural productivity to keep up with population growth and saved billions from starvation.

Indian chlor-alkali producer Meghmani Finechem is to spend €21.6 million to expand into the chlorotoluene value chain at its site in Dahej, Gujarat. Due to be commissioned by Q4 2024, this will be the first plant in India to be back-integrated into toluene chlorination, and will produce pharmaceutical and agrochemical intermediates.