Japan
May 23, 2022
Sumitomo Chemical has received registration approval in Brazil, the world’s largest country of soybean production, for its soybean fungicide EXCALIA MAX®, which contains the novel active ingredient INDIFLIN®*.
EXCALIA MAX® is a fungicide containing the novel active ingredient INDIFLIN® developed by Sumitomo Chemical, and shows excellent efficacy against Asian soybean rust, the most serious soybean disease, and target spot as well. Including Brazil, the South American market currently represents some 30% of the global crop protection chemicals sales, and is expected to continue to steadily grow as the biggest market in the world. Sumitomo Chemical has been working to consolidate its global footprint in the crop protection business by building its own operations in major markets. As part of this initiative in South America, the Company acquired four South American subsidiaries of Nufarm Limited, a major Australian agricultural chemical company, in April 2020 to gain manufacturing and sales operations in the region, while also establishing in Brazil a research and development center with its own testing field, thereby building integrated operations, from development through formulation to distribution. Fully leveraging these capabilities, the Company will start the sale of EXCALIA MAX® for the soybean crop season beginning in 2022 and accelerate market penetration of this new fungicide.
INDIFLIN® was registered in Brazil after it had been designated as a priority list product under a mechanism of the country’s agricultural chemicals registration system to prioritize evaluations for products effective at controlling serious pests and diseases. Sumitomo Chemical launched a fungicide containing INDIFLIN® in Japan in 2020, followed by the US, Canada and Paraguay in 2021, while evaluations by authorities are currently progressing in various countries and regions, such as Argentina and the EU. The Company will continue to expand its line of products containing INDIFLIN®, and grow them as blockbuster and growth engines of its crop protection business.
Sumitomo Chemical will continue its efforts to offer innovative solutions meeting the needs of agricultural producers, and contribute to ensuring the stable supply of safe and quality food, which is increasingly in high demand worldwide.
* INDIFLIN® is the trademark for inpyrfluxam (ISO common name). INDIFLIN® belongs to a class of fungicides known as succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors (SDHI), which inhibit the energy production process of pathogenic fungi.