Belgian agricultural company Biobest Group plans to take full control of Biobest Maroc. Biobest already owns 50% of the Moroccan company. It plans to buy the remaining 50% of the shares and voting rights. Biobest Maroc produces biological pest-control products for farmers. These include beneficial insects and mites that help protect crops, especially in greenhouses.
The company was set up in 1998 as a joint venture between Biobest Group and Azura Group, a major producer of tomatoes and herbs. Its facility has since become an important production site for Biobest’s global operations.
The site produces bumblebees used to pollinate crops. It also breeds predatory mites and other insects used to control pests.
The planned takeover follows a wider move by Biobest to take full ownership of some of its joint ventures. The group has already made a similar move with Biobest Antalya in Turkey.
Biobest is part of Belgian holding company Floridienne. The group was renamed BioFirst Group in 2024 as it expanded beyond pollination and insect-based pest control into a wider range of biological agricultural products.
The group operates in more than 70 countries. Its recent expansion includes the €532m purchase of Brazilian company Biotrop in 2023, which strengthened its business in biostimulants and biological products for large-scale farming.
Biobest chief executive Jean-Marc Vandoorne said: “Biopesticide solutions are a global strategic priority for us… We are stepping up our contribution to reduce the reliance of growers on synthetic chemical pesticides.”
Gaëtan Waucquez, a representative of Floridienne, said: “This allows Biobest to transform from a horticulture biocontrol and pollination specialist to a major global biologicals player in agriculture.”
The move comes as farmers face tighter rules on the use of chemical pesticides, particularly for produce exported to the European Union.
Biological pest control is increasingly used in the production of tomatoes, peppers, berries and citrus fruits.
