Bayer Seed Business Up for Sale as Monsanto Deal Nears

As Bayer AG looks to clinch its planned $63 billion merger with American firm Monsanto, the German chemical and pharmaceutical producer is putting its global vegetable seed business up for sale and said it will provide BASF with data on digital farming, several unnamed sources told Reuters in an article published Thursday.

Laverkusen, Germany-based Bayer will potentially sell its seed unit as a way to satisfy antitrust concerns raised by European Union officials, the news organization reported.

Three sources “familiar with the matter” told Reuters that Bayer proposed a sale of its vegetable business to the European Commission last week. The body has recently voiced concerns that a Bayer-Monsanto merger could have impacts on competition for agrochemicals, seeds, and other agricultural products.

BASF announced in Oct. 2017 that it had reached an agreement with Bayer to acquire part of its seed – including certain varieties of cotton, oilseed rape, and row crops – and non-selective herbicide businesses.

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