The US’s top agriculture official has raised concerns over a $44bn Chinese bid for Swiss seeds and chemicals group Syngenta, saying he is worried about the impact it may have on how Beijing approves US-made genetically modified organisms and on global food security.
Because of Syngenta’s large presence in the US market for seeds and fertiliser it is also being scrutinised heavily by Washington and subjected to a voluntary national security review.
President Barack Obama and his administration have so far stayed quiet on the transaction. But in a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, Tom Vilsack, the US agriculture secretary, said he had concerns about the deal and its impact on US competition for the Chinese market.