Japan's Mitsui has agreed to acquire global business operations for DuPont's copper fungicide Kocide.

Mitsui's US subsidiary will establish a local company to buy the business trademarks for Kocide, as well as product registrations, registration data, manufacturing know-how and certain third-party contracts, along with the US group's copper fungicide production facility in Houston, Texas.

Under the terms of the deal, DuPont will continue to sell Kocide in the Asia-Pacific region for up to five years. Mitsui will supply and distribute Kocide and copper fungicide mixtures to DuPont for the purpose.

Copper fungicides are a key fungal and bacterial disease management tool for farmers in particular for organically-grown fruits and vegetables such as grapes and citrus fruits.

The main active ingredient of Kocide is cupric hydroxide, widely used as a protectant fungicide for disease control in stand-alone and mixture applications with other fungicides.

Cupric hydroxide is registered for use in more than 75 countries. Mitsui already manufactures and sells cupric hydroxide-based agrochemicals at Germany's Spiess-Urania Chemicals.