Ludwigshafen — BASF will consider buying seed assets that rivals are putting on the block to win antitrust approval for tie-ups, saying bargain prices could persuade BASF to overcome its traditional reluctance to expand into the seeds industry. Sources familiar with BASF’s thinking have said that competition regulators looking at potential buyers of antitrust-related assets might favour new entrants to the seed market, such as BASF, over established players, to stoke competition in a quickly consolidating market. "There are assets that will come to market for antitrust reasons and they might come at prices that are different from those that we have seen in the past. That’s why we will look into it and see whether it makes sense for us," deputy CEO Martin Brudermueller told a news conference at the group’s headquarters. "Seed assets are an option, not a must," he added. Rival Bayer said in May that it would sell its LibertyLink-branded seeds businesses, a key part of asset sales requ...
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