By Syngenta Flowers

The Syngenta Flowers cuttings production site in Guatemala has suffered significant damage due to extreme high winds experienced in the area on Thursday, January 3, and Friday, January 4, 2008.

No injuries were reported; the site's staff and their families are safe. However, a signifcant portion of the farm's production area sustained major damage. This event does not affect the supply of cuttings from the legacy Fischer USA assortment.

While the damage in Guatemala is severe, the site represents only a portion of Syngenta Flowers' total cuttings supply. The company has begun re-sourcing product through the Syngenta global supply chain and network. Syngenta is in the process of rebuilding the Guatemala facility at short notice and, as such, is confident it can resume deliveries in the third quarter.

Syngenta Flowers remains committed to its customer and the high standards for sanitation that customers have come to experience from the company. Syngenta Flowers will not compromise customers' trust by shipping cuttings from stock that will not meet these standards.

The first priority of Syngenta is to its customers. The company is working diligently to minimize the impact of this unfortunate event on growers. Syngenta Horticultural Services has already been in touch with many affected customers; others will be contaced as scheduled ship dates approach. For urgent inquiries, customers are requested to contact their Syngenta Horticultural Services sales representative or call their Customer Care representative at 1-800-323-7253.