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BASF to build new manufacturing facility for biological crop protection products

The crop protection and chemicals business has announced it is to invest in a new fermentation plant for biological and biotechnology-based crop protection products at its Ludwigshafen site in Germany.

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Penicillium fungal cells in a fermentation broth.
Image:

Penicillium fungal cells in a fermentation broth.

Biological fungicides and biological seed treatments will be among the products set to be manufactured at the plant, where BASF is also planning to produce the main building block of a novel insecticide derived from a fungal strain.

Commissioning of the plant, which represents a high double-digit million euro investment, is planned for the second half of 2025. It will use microorganisms to convert renewable raw materials such as glucose into the desired products - a process known as fermentation.

See also: How soil biology can ward off pests - but should we buy it in?

"We see a growing demand for biological crop protection products," says Marko Grozdanovic, senior vice president, global strategic marketing at BASF Agricultural Solutions.

"In addition, fermentation is a very flexible technology that will allow us to bring more innovative biotechnology-derived products to the market in the future."

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