Syngenta today announced plans to launch two new TOUCHDOWN® herbicide products in the USA for the 2004 season - Touchdown Total™ and Touchdown HiTech™. These products will complement the established Touchdown IQ™ and Touchdown® CF offer.

Touchdown Total™ is a glyphosate herbicide product containing IQ Technology. It is targeted mainly for glyphosate-tolerant crops and will be labeled for use in soybeans, cotton and corn, in addition to pre-emergence treatments in conservation tillage systems.

Touchdown HiTech™ is a highly concentrated glyphosate product designed mainly for markets where customers use their own additives, and to penetrate dense foliage.

These new glyphosate-based herbicides have been developed as novel formulations to better meet the needs of specific markets. They will be used for herbicide-tolerant systems, no-till weed control, clearing fallow land and applications in the tree, nut and vine markets.

Mike Mack, President of Syngenta Crop Protection for North America said: “The glyphosate herbicide market in the US is a significant opportunity for Syngenta across all major crops. Syngenta is further strengthening its leading product portfolio by offering additional Touchdown® herbicides that are tailored to meet important needs of growers”.

Touchdown Total™ was registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in November 2003. Registration of Touchdown HiTech™ is expected in the first quarter of 2004.

Syngenta is a world-leading agribusiness. The company is a leader in crop protection and ranks third in the high-value commercial seeds market. Sales in 2002 were approximately US $6.2 billion. Syngenta employs some 20,000 people in over 90 countries. The company is committed to sustainable agriculture through innovative research and technology. Syngenta is listed on the Swiss stock exchange (SYNN) and in London (SYA), New York (SYT) and Stockholm (SYN).