Syngenta halts paraquat sales in Australia amid regulatory and commercial pressures
Consensus Summary
Syngenta has announced it will stop selling the herbicide paraquat in Australia, citing new restrictions introduced by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority in June and commercial unviability due to regulatory constraints and supply chain costs. The decision follows decades of production and widespread use in agriculture, despite paraquat being banned in more than 70 countries. While generic versions of the herbicide will remain available, Syngenta’s exit creates uncertainty for farmers and raises questions about future investment. The APVMA’s June restrictions, which include stricter application limits and personal protective equipment mandates, were deemed insufficient to fully address health concerns, as some experts continue to link paraquat exposure to Parkinson’s disease. Syngenta had previously planned to continue supplying Australian farmers through a third-party manufacturer, but this approach is now abandoned.
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Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Syngenta will stop selling paraquat in Australia due to new APVMA restrictions and commercial unviability
- Paraquat is banned in more than 70 countries
- APVMA announced new restrictions on paraquat in June
- Generic paraquat products will still be available for Australian farmers after Syngenta’s exit
- Syngenta cited regulatory constraints and an increasingly expensive supply chain as reasons for discontinuing paraquat
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Paraquat has been prohibited in the European Union since 2007
- Syngenta has produced paraquat for decades
- APVMA assessed that paraquat exposure through approved uses does not increase Parkinson’s disease risk, but imposed new restrictions to address acute exposure and animal risks
- The APVMA’s new restrictions include phasing out backpack sprayers, mandating additional PPE, and lowering the maximum application rate per hectare
- A Melbourne neurologist (Assoc Prof Wes Thevathasan) told the ABC last month that exposure to paraquat increases Parkinson’s disease risk by around threefold
- Syngenta announced plans to end paraquat production at its UK plant in March, with global production ceasing by the end of June
- Syngenta had previously committed to supplying Australian farmers via a third-party manufacturer, but this plan is now ending
- Syngenta’s managing director, David Van Ryswyk, stated that dedicating resources to unprofitable legacy products is no longer sustainable
- Western Victorian farmer Andrew Weidemann expressed concern that Syngenta’s exit may make APVMA label changes more difficult and costly for the industry
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian states paraquat has been produced by Syngenta for decades, while the ABC mentions Syngenta’s exit from Australia creates uncertainty despite generic sales continuing, implying a shift in market stability
- The Guardian notes APVMA found no evidence paraquat exposure through approved uses increases Parkinson’s risk, while the ABC includes a neurologist’s statement last month linking paraquat exposure to a threefold increased risk
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