UPDATE 1-Syngenta Q3 sales up 21 pct, top poll
* Crop protection prices up 3 percent
(Adds detail, background)ZURICH, Oct 14 (Reuters) - Swiss group Syngenta ,
the world’s largest agrochemicals company, is eyeing further
sales growth for the full-year after third-quarter sales jumped
21 percent, beating expectations thanks to strong demand in
Latin America.The maker of products to kill weeds and bugs as well as
genetically modified seeds said quarterly sales had risen to
$2.7 billion, compared with a forecast for $2.48 billion in a
Reuters poll.Syngenta, which has been able to raise crop protection
prices 3 percent, said on Friday it had seen a good start to the
Latin American season, with soybean growers in Brazil and
Argentina increasing their investment.”For the full year we expect substantial top line growth,
higher profitability at constant exchange rates and a
significant increase in free cash flow,” chief executive Mike
Mack said.Spiralling wheat, corn and soybean costs have been
encouraging farmers to buy more products from Syngenta, and
rivals such as DuPont and Monsanto , as they seek
to boost yields and offset inflation.Earlier this month, Monsanto posted forecast-beating sales
thanks to global growth in both corn and cotton sales.