The Bundeskartellamt, Germany's competition authority, has cleared the acquisition of Wurth Pflanzenschutz GmbH by ZG Raiffeisen eG. Wurth Pflanzenschutz specializes in selling plant protection products, fertilizers, seeds, and various agricultural supplies, primarily to farmers in the Baden region of southwestern Germany.

Andreas Mundt, President of the Bundeskartellamt, noted that while there is a competitive overlap between the two companies in several regions, farmers currently have a wide range of suppliers to choose from. This availability of alternatives led the authority to conclude that the merger would not significantly hinder competition in the market.

This approval marks a shift from a previous merger attempt in 2009, which was withdrawn due to concerns over ZG Raiffeisen's potential strong market position in plant protection product sales. The recent investigation revealed that competitive conditions have changed significantly since then, with the presence of strong competitors such as RWZ and BayWA, as well as other private retailers.

The Bundeskartellamt conducted a thorough investigation, including surveying over 40 market participants, which confirmed that the competitive landscape has improved. As a result, the merger was approved in the first phase of the merger control process.