Finally we have “escaped” from our non-stop tour activities here in Japan so maybe I can clear out all my interviews from Germany and Brussels, which seems like it was a month ago.

The last of our interviews with BASF executives was Markus Heldt, who is group vice president for BASF North American Ag Chem. In this photo, he is being interviewed by Wayne Wenzel with Farm Journal/Top Producer as Dan Muys with Quarry Communications looks on.

Heldt tells us a little bit more about Headline and its use against soybean rust, especially with increased acreage of soybeans in the southeast now for biofuels production.

“I think the overall hike in the commodity prices – corn, soybeans, wheat – has helped farmers to focus on yield and the willingness to invest in fungicides,” says Heldt. “So that environment is clearly favorable for our business for the foreseeable short term future for the agriculture in North America.”

As for the future of Headline, Heldt sees significant growth potential. “In what we call the traditional crops, especially wheat with higher price, still significant growth potential. And if you look at corn, we have less than 10 percent of the available acreage treated, so there’s about 90 percent growth potential.”

Heldt also talks about Pristine fungicide and ramped up efforts to market products for specialty crop producers.

Listen my interview with Markus here:
basf-markus.mp3

View the Flickr Photo Album from BASF in Germany and Brussels