Reuters | December 20, 1999 | K.T. Arasu
CHICAGO - Marc Henned, Novartis's corn marketing manager, was cited as saying that U.S. farmers are delaying purchases of corn and soybean seeds for next year's plantings because of poor commodity prices and the controversy over genetically modified crops, adding in an interview that there has been a 10- to 15-percent delay so far this year in seed bookings compared with last year.
He was also cited as saying the delays have as much to do with low commodity prices and unseasonably warm weather in the United States as they do with the uproar in Europe and Asia over genetically modified crops and food products, stating, "The weather is so nice that farmers are doing what they usually cannot do at this time of the year. But I don't think anyone is overly concerned with the delays. I think we are on track to meet our targets. We did increase our sales target and I think we can make it. Based on feedback we are getting, we are still looking at very, very good demand in the future."
