Groupe ISAGRI has acquired weather and irrigation solutions data specialists Sencrop.
ISAGRI owns a smaller weather service – Météus – which is going to be absorbed by Sencrop. In addition, it owns Landmark Systems, which specialises in farm and estate management software in the UK.
The company suggests the acquisition will ensure the continuity of innovation and provide farmer users with an even higher level of service, moving Sencrop from a ‘start-up’ company to being part of a family-owned, independent and solid agri-service structure.
With farm margins under severe pressure and climate change forcing an agri-environmental transition the partnership comes at a crucial time says Michaël Bruniaux, co-founder of Sencrop. “For existing users, very little will change – our weather stations and app will continue to function as normal. But in the longer term, farmers will benefit from the synergies of our two businesses.”
“By integrating Sencrop, Groupe ISAGRI is strengthening its position with a European ag-tech nugget that shares its DNA of innovation, technological excellence, quality and customer service,” adds Pascal Chevallier, managing director at ISAGRI. “The merger will ensure the long-term viability of the network in which our customers have invested, guaranteeing the presence of a solid partner who will listen to their needs, and provide them with appropriate solutions that make the most of current and future technologies.”
The deal fits in perfectly with ISAGRI’s Horizon 2028 project, which aims to make the company a global technological leader in connected agriculture.
For farmers, using weather data to act at the right time, whether to sow, protect, irrigate or harvest crops, has become key and can make a significant difference to crop yields, says Martin Ducroquet, co-founder of Sencrop. “We are delighted to be able to build on our agro-meteorological platform and improve our service for all farmers.
“This move comes at a time of consolidation in the ag-tech sector, and ISAGRI is the ideal partner to accelerate the development of our unique collaborative platform. We have strong synergies which will bring about the emergence of tomorrow’s leader in precision agriculture, where data and AI will play a key role.”
