Crystal Crop Protection Ventures into Vegetables and Flower Seeds with Acquisition of ‘I&B Seeds’
This strategic move will enable Crystal to diversify its seeds business and strengthen its presence in the high-value vegetable and flower segments.
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Crystal Crop Protection Limited, a leading agriculture solutions company, has announced its 12th acquisition by acquiring I&B Seeds, a prominent player in the flower and vegetable seeds market, holding a leadership position in marigold seeds with its Indus and SPS brands. This strategic move will enable Crystal to diversify its seed business and strengthen its presence in the high-value vegetable and flower segments.
Commenting on the acquisition, Ankur Aggarwal, Managing Director of Crystal Crop Protection Limited, stated, “This acquisition marks a pivotal moment in our growth strategy. At Crystal, we are deeply committed to the well-being of our farmers. By expanding into the vegetable and flower seed segments, we are not only diversifying our offerings but also enhancing our ability to provide farmers with high-quality seeds that can significantly increase their incomes. Our focus is on empowering farmers with innovative solutions that improve yields and profitability, ensuring they have access to the best resources for their cultivation needs. I&B Seeds’ expertise in the flower and vegetable seeds market, combined with our strong portfolio in field crops, will allow us to better serve the agricultural community and contribute to sustainable farming practices across India.”
Crystal’s current seed portfolio includes brands like Proagro, Sadanand, Surpass, and Dairy Green, covering field crops such as cotton, maize, pearl millet, mustard, fodder, wheat, berseem, and sorghum. With the addition of the Indus and SPS brands through the I&B Seeds acquisition, Crystal will further diversify its product range and expand its reach to more farmers. This new venture is expected to boost Crystal’s seed division, contributing to a 30% increase in topline growth.
Praveen Noojibail, Managing Director of I&B Seeds, stated, “This acquisition is a great opportunity for Crystal Seeds to combine I&B Seeds’ legacy in flower and vegetable seeds with Crystal’s extensive resources and distribution network. The size and strength of Crystal will help accelerate the reach of innovative and high-quality seeds to farmers across India and beyond, ensuring better yields and profitability.”
George Ball, Chairman of W. Atlee Burpee Company and Partner in I&B Seeds, also stated that this will be a great opportunity for I&B Seeds’ R&D to reach farmers on a larger scale and help them produce better crops.
Crystal has been actively expanding through strategic acquisitions, marking its twelfth overall and fifth in the seeds business. Notable acquisitions include the Sadanand cotton seed portfolio from Kohinoor Seeds in 2023, and the cotton, pearl millet, mustard, and sorghum portfolio from Bayer in 2021. Between 2018 and 2022, Crystal acquired several agrochemical and seed brands from major multinationals like Syngenta, FMC, and Dow-Corteva. Additionally, in 2018, the company enhanced its capabilities by acquiring a manufacturing facility from the Solvay Group.
