Syngenta says it's working with the grain trade, Nation Corn Growers Association and other "key stakholders" to address the situation with two Chinese grain companies that announced they won't accept grain containing the Agrisure Viptera trait.

Chinese orders for U.S. corn increased in July and recently began to include the 2011 crop.

Syngenta has obtained U.S. and key import market approvals for the Agrisure Viptera trait for all major markets as recommended by both the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO).

However, the company is still awaiting import approval from China, which we expect in late March 2012.

While the Agrisure Viptera trait is in compliance with the NCGA and Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) guidelines, Bunge and Consolidated Grain & Barge (CGB) have indicated they will not accept grain containing the Agrisure Viptera trait.

Syngenta says it is "disappointed" with the decision, but other major grain companies say they wilk accept grain containing the Agrisure Viptera trait.

This situation has caused concern among some grain traders.

China has not previously represented a substantial portion of the U.S. corn export market. According to the International Grains Council, last year the U.S. exported 1.7 million tons of corn to China. The updated U.S. Department of Agriculture forecast estimates that, even with increase, approximately 99% of the U.S. corn crop goes to domestic and foreign markets other than China.

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