Nunza B.V., a Dutch holding comprising the two international vegetable seed producers Nunhems and Sunseeds, today announced that it has signed a letter of intent with Advanta B.V. to acquire the Dutch company Leen de Mos Holding B.V. Leen de Mos owns companies in the Netherlands and Spain. The acquisition should be completed by the end of the year.

The company, which was founded in 1945, is a leader in the breeding of various lettuce varieties and glasshouse cucumbers. Its activities concentrate on the breeding of hybrids and on resistance breeding, for example against fungal diseases. The company also markets attractive
tomato varieties and has in-house technologies for priming and pelleting. Leen de Moos employs 50 persons.

With this acquisition, Nunza strengthens its position as one of the leading vegetable seed producers in Europe and North America. The Nunza Group is the fourth largest global vegetable seed producer. Dr. Gerhard Prante, Chairman of the AgrEvo Board of Directors, said: "This acquisition is yet another step in AgrEvo's strategy to become a crop production company. By strengthening Nunza´s business in this way, we continue to build up our position in two key crops in the vegetable seed market."

The Nunza Group is one of the leading hybrid vegetable seed companies with subsidiaries in Europe, the Near East, the USA, Chile and India, and with a Joint Venture in China. The Group operates under the brand names "Nunhems" and "Sunseeds". Nunza employs around 750 people. It is engaged in breeding in over twenty vegetable crops, and occupies a strong position in biotechnology and seed technology.

AgrEvo ist a global player in Biotechnology, Seeds, Crop Protection and Environmental Health. The company markets a wide range of products for enhancing crop production, together with applications for urban pest control. AgrEvo operates in more than 70 countries with approx. 9000
employees. Sales for 1997 were DM 4,1 billion.

For further questions, please contact:

Dr. Wolfgang Faust
Tel. +49 69 305 3950
Fax +49 69 305 80376

Judith Heimann
Tel. +49 69 305 23782
Fax +49 69 305 80376

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