Hyderabad firm buys Monsanto’s cotton seed biz

Hyderabad-based Tierra Agrotech Pvt Ltd has acquired the branded cotton seeds business of Monsanto Holdings as the US-based seed giant battles a bitter dispute with former Indian licensee Nuziveedu Seeds in the Delhi High Court that has drawn both the countries’ governments. Monsanto had earlier threatened to exit India after New Delhi had imposed price controls.

“Tierra targets to scale up its breeding and research programme by integrating the acquired business and by strategically investing to deliver high-yielding cotton hybrids,” an Indian newspaper reported quoting Tierra Agrotech managing director Suresh Atluri as saying.

However, Mahyco Monsanto Biotech (India) (MMB), a joint venture with India’s Mahyco, will continue to sell genetically modified cotton seeds under license to more than 40 Indian seed companies.

Monsanto Holdings, an MMB licensee, had only a small share of India’s cotton seed market and focuses largely on vegetable seeds, such as beans, broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower.