Questions raised after Syngenta exits paraquat market

Australia's grain industry is seeking answers after crop protection giant Syngenta announced it will stop supplying paraquat-containing products in Australia and New Zealand, citing commercial reasons for the decision.

The move comes just over a month after the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) completed its decades-long review of the herbicide, allowing paraquat to remain available for agricultural use but introducing tighter

restrictions on application rates and permitted uses to reduce risks to farm workers, birds and mammals.

While the APVMA decision drew mixed reactions from farming and health groups, growers are now focused on what Syngenta's departure means for the future supply of the herbicide.

Grain Producers Australia Research, Development and Extension spokesperson Andrew Weidemann said the decision was significant because Syngenta had been the original registrant and a major supplier of paraquat in Australia for decades.

 Grain Producers Australia Research, Development and Extension spokesperson Andrew Weidemann. IMAGE: Grain Producers Australia.

"Syngenta has been the stable foundation of this market for decades. Its withdrawal leaves some important questions about what happens next," he said.

"Australia is a relatively small market, and decisions like this call future investment into question.

"If companies cannot see sufficient value in maintaining products here, growers risk being left with fewer choices at the same time we urgently need more tools to manage herbicide resistance."

Grain Producers Australia Western Region Director Duncan Young said the organisation would now seek clarity on what the decision meant for existing registrations and the ongoing supply of paraquat products.

Western Region Director at Grain Producers Australia Duncan Young. IMAGE: GPA

He said the announcement was deeply disappointing for growers, particularly following the time and effort industry invested in contributing evidence and practical experience throughout the APVMA review.

"After everything growers and industry have put into securing a workable, science-based outcome, this feels like a slap in the face," Mr Young said.

“It shows how vulnerable Australian growers can be when our market is viewed against larger markets overseas.”

Mr Young said the withdrawal also raised broader questions about whether Australia’s market and regulatory settings encouraged companies to maintain established products and invest in bringing new chemistry to Australian growers.

Fellow industry group GrainGrowers also expressed disappointment over the announcement, although Chair Rhys Turton said growers would continue to have access to paraquat through other suppliers.

Grain Growers Chair Rhys Turton. IMAGE: GrainGrowers.

He said paraquat remained an important part of sustainable farming systems, helping growers reduce soil erosion and fuel requirements on farm.

"(These chemicals) underpin the sustainable grain production methods we practise today, which reduce soil erosion and fuel requirements on farm," Mr Turton said.

“GrainGrowers has worked closely with industry to demonstrate the importance of these herbicides in Australian farming systems."

He said science-based evidence had been critical throughout the APVMA review process, and tighter requirements around paraquat application were likely to have contributed to Syngenta's decision.

"Today’s ruling includes revised assessments which will restrict some major application rates, but it is positive that science-based evidence has prevailed in important areas of this decision," Mr Turton said.

GrainGrowers said the announcement reinforced the need for continued investment in crop protection research and development to maintain existing chemistry and develop new solutions for Australian grain production.