DLA Piper has advised Swiss company Syngenta on the acquisition of Nidera Seeds.

Syngenta has entered into a binding agreement to acquire Nidera Seeds, which is currently owned by COFCO International Ltd. Completion of the transaction is subject to clearance by the relevant merger-control authorities, and the financial terms of the transaction are not disclosed.

Nidera Seeds is an important player in the South American seeds market with a strong presence in key South American countries, including Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay and in Europe. Syngenta is a leading agriculture company, with more than 28,000 employees in over 90 countries.

The company is working to transform how crops are grown, and is committed to rescuing land from degradation, enhancing biodiversity and revitalizing rural communities.

At DLA Piper, partner Dr Benjamin Parameswaran and counsels Dr. Isaschar Nicolaysen and Sebastian Decker led and coordinated the transaction globally, assisted by Corporate associates Diedrich Schröder and Sophie von Mandelsloh, all Hamburg. The German team was supported by Amsterdam-based Corporate partner Daphne Bens and Corporate associate Jochem Beurskens. Further support was given from Paris-based Corporate partner Sonia de Kondserovsky, Corporate legal director Cécile Szymanski, Corporate associate Amandine Delannoy, Tax counsel Emilie Renaud, Tax associate Romain Valère, Real Estate associate Lydia Chouali and Litigation & Regulatory associate Maxime Molkhou. The international team received additional support from the Brazil-based relationship firm Campos Mello Advogados, with partner Fabiano Gallo and associates Rafaella Chiachio and Natasha Najman coordinating legal support from Uruguay and Paraguay.

The Syngenta in-house legal team for this transaction comprised of Ingolf-Christian Quandt, Patricia Moreira and Rinaldo Zangirolami.