[UPDATED] Berlin | Reuters—plans to shut down production of the glufosinate-ammonium weed killer due to growing competition as well as high energy and raw materials costs, the German chemicals group said on Wednesday.
The move will impact two production sites in Germany and 300 jobs at those facilities which will be retained until the end of 2025 and then gradually reduced.
BASF said it faced growing competition from generic suppliers of glufosinate-ammonium and alternative technologies.
Nevertheless, glufosinate is to remain a “key component” of BASF’s herbicide portfolio. In future, the company intends to source the active ingredient from third-party suppliers.
BASF is also working on the development of next-generation glufosinate solutions, which should achieve the same effect with significantly lower quantities.
BASF acquired the product from Bayer in 2017 as part of a larger deal to buy seed and herbicide businesses from the company for 5.9 billion euros (C$8.69 billion).
At the time, Bayer was trying to persuade competition authorities to approve its acquisition of Monsanto.
—Reporting for Reuters by Patricia Weiss, Rachel More and Chiara Holzhaeuser
