Working as an analytical chemist doing analytical methods development for pesticide residues at Stauffer Chemicals-1974-1986
The subject of pesticides research and application is very close to my heart. I have worked in the pesticide industry research department for over 25 years prior to my employment for the US Food and Drug Administration-my last job before retirement. I was an an analytical chemist developing analytical methods for pesticides residues for four private companies, namely, Chemagro Corp ( US Bayer subsidiary), Shell Development Company, Stauffer Chemical Company and Chevron Chemical Company. Today only two of the above firms remain in the pesticide business. The Chevron Pesticide department was purchased by Sumitomo Company in 1990, named it Valiant Company. Shell Development and Stauffer Chemical companies got out of the pesticide business in the 1970'ND 1980's respectively.
My first industrial job in a private company here in the US was for Chemagro Corporation ( 1964-1969). The company treated its employees very well and even gave us a 13-month salary bonus during Christmas. I left the company for a higher salary and worked for Shell Development Company( 1969-1974) in its agricultural division in Modesto, California. I worked for five years when Shell decided to close the facility and not get involve with the pesticide business. I then worked for Stauffer Chemicals ( 1974-1986) in Richmond, California. After working at Stauffer for 12 years the company decided again to get out of the pesticide business. I was lucky to get a similar job in nearby Chevron Company in its Ortho Division (1986-1990). Again after 4 years, Chevron decided to sell its Ortho Division to Sumitomo Company of Japan. Sumitomo called the company Valiant Company headquartered in Walnut Creek, California. For decades the pesticides business was in its low cycle and not very profitable, but today this industry is booming worldwide.
According to the report( www.gmwatch.org), the world's six largest agrochemical manufacturers, who control nearly 75% of the global pesticide market, are also seed industry giants. Here are the top ten pesticide company in the world.
1.Bayer(Germany)n: the world's biggest agrochemical company is also the world's seventh biggest seed company.
2. Syngenta( Switzerland): the world's second largest agrochemical company is also the world's third largest seed company.
3. Monsanto:( USA) the world's biggest seed company is the world's fifth largest agrochemical company.
4. DuPont:(USA) the world's second biggest seed company is also the world's sixth largest agrochemical company.
The number 5 and 6 are BASF of Germany and Dow USA. The 7, 8, 9 and 10 are Makhteshim of Israel, Nufarm of Australia, Sumitomo of Japan and Arysta Lifescienc of Japan respectively. These top 10 companies control 89% of the global agrochemical market.
Symbiotic Sales: The world's six largest agrochemical manufacturers are also seed industry giants. Despite sky-rocketing fuel and fertilizer costs, high grain prices created soaring demand for commercial seeds and pesticides in 2007. After two decades of sagging sales, the world's largest pesticide companies rebounded last year - in large part due to the subsidy-driven boom in agrofuel crops.
According to Chemical & Engineering News, BASF, Syngenta, Bayer, Dow and DuPont are competing to fill "the glyphosate gap" - a gap that's growing fast because at least 14 weed species on five continents have developed resistance due to massive applications of glyphosate. As a result, farmers must employ more toxic chemicals to kill the resistant weeds. Commonly known as the "pesticide treadmill," it's a classic case of chasing a new techno-fix to mop up the mess of an older, failed technology. Agrochemical giants prefer to describe the resistance problem as a business opportunity: In the words of Syngenta's Crop Science CEO, John Atkin: "Resistance is actually quite healthy for our market, because we have to innovate."
No comments:
Post a Comment