BASF has commissioned a major new fermentation facility in Ludwigshafen. This marks a significant push into biological and biotechnology-based crop protection as global demand for sustainable farming solutions accelerates.

 

The company said the BioHub plant — backed by a high double-digit million-euro investment — is now producing key biological active ingredients used in next-generation fungicides, seed treatments and insecticides aimed at reducing agriculture’s environmental footprint while improving supply chain reliability.

 

The facility uses fermentation technology, where microorganisms convert renewable raw materials such as glucose into crop protection ingredients. 

 

Commercial production began this year, including the bacterium Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, the core ingredient in the biological fungicide Serifel, and the primary building block for Inscalis, BASF’s new insecticide based on the fungal strain Penicillium coprobium.

 

The move brings critical production capabilities in-house at a time when global agricultural suppliers are under pressure to secure manufacturing flexibility and reduce supply chain vulnerabilities.

 

“The successful commissioning of the BioHub marks an important step forward in Industrial Biotechnology for BASF Agricultural Solutions,” said Melanie Bausen-Wiens, Member of the Management Board of Agricultural Solutions, in charge of Technology. 

 

“By bringing fermentation production in-house, we directly link our expertise in research with industrial-scale manufacturing, allowing us to accelerate and adapt biotechnological innovations.”

 

BASF said the plant forms part of a broader strategy to expand its BioSolutions portfolio as the biological crop protection market continues to grow worldwide.

 

“The global market for biological crop protection solutions continues to grow steadily,” said Maximilian Becker, Member of the Management Board of Agricultural Solutions, in charge of Business. 

 

“With this new fermentation plant, we have established a scalable and flexible platform that enables us to strengthen our BioSolutions portfolio while ensuring a consistent and dependable supply for our customers.”

 

The investment underscores BASF’s increasing focus on sustainable agriculture technologies. The Agricultural Solutions division invested €990 million in research and development in 2025 and generated sales of €9.6 billion during the year.