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September/October 2018
Canada: Main facts and figures for Agriculture Beneficial nematodes in Biocontrol
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Precision Ag: Variable Rate Technology Silicon Products Fertigation of Sugarcane Iron Agronomics
L e a d e r s’ P r o f i l e s • Futureco (Spain) • Agri-Inject (USA)
Welcome to ABIM Biocontrol Conference in Basel
Itapolina advert.qxp_Layout 1 04/09/2018 23:10 Page 1
E VE RY DAY, H E LLO NATU R E ! At the dawn of every day Italpollina is at the farmers’ side. Our hands in the ground, our heart in the fruits, our head in science. Every day for y years, Italpollina has searched for innovative solutions to grow a sustainable future with respect for both Nature and human health alike. Our passion is expressed through the production of fertilizers and biostimulants which are certi ed all over the world. It is the dawn of a new day for Italpollina, a day even closer to Nature. Every day, Hello Nature.
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www.italpollina.com
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Partners with Nature Koppert Biological Systems contributes to better health of people and the planet. In partnership with nature, we make agriculture healthier, safer and more productive. We provide an integrated system of specialist knowledge and natural, safe solutions that improves crop health, resilience and production.
Tel. +31 (0)10 514 04 44 info@koppert.com
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MESSAGE FROM EDITOR.qxp_MESSAGE FROM EDITOR (june) 04/09/2018 22:32 Page 1
A MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR NEW AG INTERNATIONAL
A BUNCH OF EXCITING EVENTS COMING UP NEXT YEAR Agriculture is the least digitised major industry in the world. This statement might seem surprising considering all the buzz around big data in agriculture over the past couple of years. What have been some of the barriers to a shift to digital agriculture? One suggested reason is that focus has been more on the technology itself rather than the value to the user. Growers need to be delivered insights, not just data. Farming will become increasingly data-based and these data will only have value if combined and aggregated in useful ways. In this issue our article on the Variable Rate Technology applied to fertilizer placement and to irrigation is a good illustration of the potential of digitisation in Agriculture. In the forthcoming issue, we will tentatively answer the question whether Precision Ag can be profitable!
Our 2nd Biocontrol LATAM Conference & Exhibition organised in conjunction with IBMA, will take place in Medellin, Colombia, during 14-16 November, 2018. Visit us at www.newaginternational.com to register and join the hundreds of people who believe that the future of Biocontrol in Latin America is tremendous.
I am also pleased to confirm that we are going a step further in our involvement in Precision Ag with the launch of an annual International Conference on Precision Agriculture in cooperation with IPNI (International Plant Nutrition Institute), which will be branded InfoAg International. The first edition will take place in Dublin (Ireland) in March 2019, back-to-back with the 17th Annual New Ag International Conference & Exhibition and also with our fully established triennial joint IFA-New Ag Conference on Slow- and Controlled- Release and Stabilized Fertilizers (SCRSFs): All conferences and hundreds of delegates in one venue the same week, with subjects of high interest in the three events for a number of our readers and attendees to our events for many years. More details will follow very soon! Our 4th World Congress on the use of Biostimulants in Agriculture will be held in Barcelona during November 2019. We have again lined up a tremendously high-quality scientific committee from Europe, North America and China. The call for papers will open this fall. Check for updates at the dedicated website! In the meantime, join us in Medellin, Colombia, this November, for our 2nd Biocontrol LATAM Conference & Exhibition and of course we will also happily see you at the ABIM Conference & Exhibition in Basel Oct 22-24. Some products have dual effects: plant protection and biostimulation: this is of course the case for some seaweed extracts but the most obvious example is that of Silicon Products. We regularly look at the evolution of this market that still is surprisingly not growing as quickly as it could. Read all ins and outs in this issue, as well as our articles on fertigation of sugarcane and micronutrient iron. Last but not least, for the first time since this magazine exists, we are having a close look at trends in High-Tech Ag in Canada, seizing the opportunity of Janet Kanters, a very well-known Canadian Agricultural journalist, having joined our team of contributing editors earlier in July. We wish you a good read.
Jean-Pierre Leymonie Editor
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CONTENT Sept 2018.qxp_CONTENTS SEPT 04 06/09/2018 18:00 Page 1
C O N T E N T S
September/October 2018
NEW AG INTERNATIONAL is a publication of New Ag International SARL, an Informa PLC company Registered office : 2 rue de Lisbonne 75008 Paris, France newag@newaginternational.com www.newaginternational.com Managing Director François Levesque newag@newaginternational.com Editor JP Leymonie editorial@newaginternational.com Editor & Latin America Correspondent Patricio Trebilcock Patricio.Trebilcock@newaginternational.com Contributing Editors: Oded Achilea newag@newaginternational.com Janet Kanters janet.kanters@newaginternational.com M. Loison (Plant Protection) newag@newaginternational.com Advertising Enquiries: advertising@newaginternational.com Marketing and Sales Manager: Jacqui French advertising@newaginternational.com Operations Manager: Diane Jones newag@newaginternational.com Issued four times per year Reprints of articles obtainable on application to the Editor. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic,mechanical, photocopying,recording or otherwise – without the prior written permission of the Copyright Owner. © 2018 New Ag International SARL Subscription enquiries to: Email: newag@newaginternational.com Annual subscription: Euros 175 (4 issues per year - hard copies, online version and access to past issues) Designed in the UK Email: tony@alphaset.co.uk Printed in the UK by The Magazine Printing Company www.magprint.co.uk New Ag International accepts no responsibility or liability for the validity or information supplied by contributors, vendors, advertisers or advertising agencies.
NEWS REVIEW
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Welcome to ABIM for the world gathering of the Biocontrol industry. An exclusive interview with the President of the Colombia Biocontrol Association.
PLANT PROTECTION CORNER
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Beneficial nematodes in Biocontrol: a niche market by Dr Mark Trimmer, 2BMonthly Editor. Heard and Seen at Crops & Chemicals in Raleigh by Sanjiv Rana.
THE PRECISION AG CORNER
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Variable Rate Technologies in PA by Prof Alex Escola & Team, University of Lleida, Spain
LEADER’S PROFILE
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Futureco BioScience: The Spanish company celebrates its 25th anniversary. An exclusive interview with Rafael Juncosa, CEO of FUTURECO.
PRODUCTS & TRENDS
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Silicon Products: An update on science and market trends. By Dr O. Achilea, contributing editor.
IRRIGATION AND TECHNOLOGY LEADERS
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Agri inject from fertigation system to chemigation. A dynamic path for the US Company, by P. Trebilcock, Editor.
IRRIGATION AND FERTIGATION TECHNOLOGY
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Fertigation of sugarcane gaining popularity by P. Trebilcock, Editor.
REGIONAL REPORT
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Agriculture in Canada: Facts & Figures by Janet Kanters, Contributing Editor
AGRONOMICS & ECONOMICS
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Iron Agronomics: A report from the ISINIP conference in Taiwan, by Prof Lucena, University Autonomous of Madrid.
PEOPLE & EVENTS
76
View this issue online at: www.newaginternational.com Front cover picture: Agriculture in Canada, courtesy of Janet Kanters. Editorial and photo acknowledgements: Special thanks to N. Cock Duque and to J. Kanters.
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An interview with
Nicolás Cock Duque, President of ASOBIOCOL
Nicolás Cock Duque
On the occasion of the 2nd Biocontrol LATAM to be held mid-November in Medellin, Colombia, and organized by New Ag International and 2BMonthly in conjunction with IBMA, New Ag International went to talk with Nicolas Cock Duque, President of the Colombian company EcoFlora Agro and President of the recently established Colombian Association of Biocontrol Companies (ASOBIOCOL). Before we talk about ASOBIOCOL and the market for biopesticides in Colombia and Latin America, can you enlighten us a bit about EcoFlora Agro? Ecoflora Agro is a green chemistry, purpose driven, discovery company and development platform of plant extract based biosolutions for safe food production and sustainable crop protection. The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) referred to Ecoflora Agro as ‘The Secret Garden of Innovation and Development’ in a case study published a couple of years ago. We are one of the very few companies in the world 100% devoted to innovate and develop
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IPM solutions based upon plant extracts, un-tapping the power of botanical biodiversity. Our purpose is ‘Crop and Life Protection’, we currently have 6 products in the market (2 insecticides/repellents, 1 biofungicide, 1 bionematicide, 1 biomolluscicide, and 1 biomiticide), we have 28 international registrations, sales in the main agricultural markets of the Americas (including the USA, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile, and Central America), and a unique and differentiated portfolio of products with novel active ingredients, disruptive formulations, modes of action, and plant extract combinations. When was ASOBIOCOL created and what was the main driver to the establishment of the Association? Regulatory for biologicals in Colombia? ASOBIOCOL has been conceived and incubated during the course of the past five years, nonetheless it was formally created during Q4, 2016 with the purpose of enhancing and accelerating the development of the bioprotection / biocontrol industry in Colombia and promoting adequate and proportionate regulations. As we speak, how many companies are members of the Association and what is their profile: Colombian companies, subsidiaries of non Colombian companies and if so, how many originate from Central & Latin America? We currently have twelve members with a balanced combination of technology based Colombian companies (60%) and subsidiaries of non Colombian companies (40%). Ten out of our twelve members are originary from Latin America. When the Biocontrol LATAM conference will be taking
place, the Association will be two years old. What have been the achievements so far? Our three main achievements have been to become the visible biocontrol industry association in the agricultural sector, to actively participate in the conception and drafting a public policy document which will become mandatory for the next years to come (i.e. documento CONPES de Bioinsumos Agrícolas), and having been able to persuade the organizers to bring Biocontrol LATAM to Medellin, Colombia and serve as national partner / co-organizer. Asobiocol has now become a full member of BioProtection Global, the world gathering of the main Biocontrol Associations. You are today the VP of BioProtection Global. What do you expect that this membership will bring to the Colombian Association? Yes, I had the honor of being appointed as the VP of BioProtection Global one year ago. This membership will enable Asobiocol to gain even more visibility and credibility to become the industry’s voice to promote harmonized and proportionate regulations, not only in Colombia but perhaps in a more regional level, hopefully encouraging other national associations in LATAM to join BPG. How would you describe the Colombian market for Biopesticides? Is it similar in shape and structure as other important markets around the world, Brazil in particular? What is the share of the various types of Biopesticides, including macroorganisms? The Colombian market is a very interesting lab market for biopesticides taking into account its favorable (i.e. clear and specific)
regulations and the variety of climates and crops ranging from tropical fruits, ornamentals, banana, coffee, african palm, rice, corn, sugar cane, etc. Although market information is scarce, we estimate that microbials represent 50%, plant extracts 30%, and macrobials 20% amongst the various types of biopesticides sold in Colombia. Is the Colombian Government supporting your efforts to implement more biological plant protection in the country, with e.g. incentives to companies or growers or injection of more funds into public research on the topic? The Colombian Government is progressively understanding the relevance of Bioprotection and has been quite proactive on developing public policy and on updating and establishing proportionate and specific regulations for biopesticide products. Public funding through entities like Colciencias and iNNpulsa has been an important contribution to bring innovations and new products to the market. You have a more global vision on biocontrol than just a deep knowledge about Colombia. In Latin America, apart from Brazil, where do you see the biggest growth potential for the market? Countries with relevant agroexport activity such as Mexico, Chile, Peru, and Costa Rica represent important growth potential for biopesticides driven mostly by MRLs and organic certifications required by their customers in different destinations. You have been saying since many years that LATAM will provide the rest of the world with the majority of the botanical extracts that will be
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used as raw materials for novel Biopesticides. Is this happening? Colombia and LATAM have been blessed with their rich biological diversity. In the specific case of Ecoflora Agro we are getting ready to introduce to the international markets three new biopesticides with novel ingredients coming from native plant species, going through different stages of technical development and international registration. We firmly believe this aspiration is realistic and with our track record of launching one new botanical biopesticide every three years we are contributing to make possible this aspiration. A number of your members are involved in the business of Biostimulants. Biostimulants are the other member of the biologicals family. Is Asobiocol evaluating the possibility of including biostimulants within the portfolio of products that you would like to represent? Are you promoting a clear specific legislation on biostimulants in Colombia? Several of our members are involved in the business of biostimulants, nonetheless Colombia does not have specific regulations for this type of products. In Asobiocol we are currently evaluating the possibility of including biostimuants within the type of products that our association could represent. What do you expect from the fact that Colombia, and your city of Medellin, have been chosen as venue for the Biocontrol LATAM conference this year? This is definitely a great opportunity to show to the world the many good things that are taking place in our country and city in terms of innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainability, and agribusiness.
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Nanotechnology for Plant Nutrition AN INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY developed at the Technion in Israel could lead to significant increases in agricultural yields. Using a nanometric transport platform on plants that was previously utilized for targeted drug delivery, researchers increased the penetration rate of nutrients into the plants, from 1 percent to approximately 33 percent. The findings were recently published in Scientific Reports and are scheduled to be presented in Nature Press. The researchers loaded the nutrients into liposomes – small spheres generated in the laboratory, comprised of a fatty outer layer enveloping the required nutrients. The liposomes are stable in the plant’s aqueous environment and can penetrate into the cells. In addition, the Technion researchers can ‘programme’ the liposomes to disintegrate and release the load at precisely the location and time of interest, namely, in the roots and leaves. Disintegration occurs in acidic environments or in response to an external signal, such as light waves or heat. Of note, the molecules comprising the particles are derived from soy plants and are therefore approved and safe for consumption by both humans and animals. In the present experiment, the researchers used 100-nanometer liposomes to deliver nutrients – iron and magnesium – into both young and adult tomato crops. They demonstrated that the liposomes, which were sprayed in the form of a solution onto the
leaves, penetrated the leaves and reached other leaves and roots. Only when reaching the root cells did they disintegrate and release the nutrients. In addition to demonstrating the high effectiveness of this approach, as compared to the standard spray method, the researchers also assessed the regulatory limitations associated with the spread of volatile parti-
cles. “Our engineered liposomes are only stable within a short spraying range, up to two meters,” explains Dr Avi Schroeder, Assistant Professor of Chemical Technology, Technion. “If they travel in the air beyond that distance, they break down into safe materials (phospholipids). We believe that the success of this study will expand the research and development of similar agricultural products.
Lindsay Corporation and Farmers Edge Announce Global Partnership to Accelerate Digital Transformation on the Farm LINDSAY CORPORATION a leading global manufacturer/ distributor of irrigation and infrastructure equipment and technology, and Farmers Edge, a global leader in decision agriculture, recently announced a new strategic partnership that will deliver an unmatched suite of ag tech and digital agronomy solutions for their customers. This unique collaboration between Lindsay Corporation and Farmers Edge provides farmers with a simple solution to easily access field-centric data and deep
insights they need to make informed decisions. Growers who utilize both FieldNET®, a fully integrated wireless management tool from Lindsay, and the Farmers Edge digital platform will have the ability to seamlessly share key data back and forth between the two platforms – which will help optimize water application and other inputs. As part of the agreement, the Farmers Edge suite of digital agronomic tools will be offered via Lindsay Corporation's vast global network of over 350 Zimmatic® dealers.
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Valagro announces the construction of its plant in the USA VALAGRO, a leading company in the production and marketing of biostimulants and specialty nutrients, recently announced the construction of a new plant located in the USA. In fact, the construction of the new production facility follows the opening of another strategic production site inaugurated in April 2017 in Sao Paolo, Brazil. The American plant will be built in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, as stated in the official note published by the S.C. Department of Commerce, and will be created with an investment of about 14
Haifa northern plant in Israel definitely closed
million US$. Furthermore, the plant's opening will bring almost 50 new jobs for a highly specialized local labour force. Thanks to the Orangeburg production plant, Valagro will be able to respond even more effectively to the needs of the American market; it is already covered by Valagro Group thanks to its subsidiary Valagro USA, which has been operating since 2000. The construction of the USA production plant largely supports the company’s efforts to better serve some of the most important strategic markets such as USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Russian greenhouse acreage exceeds 3,000ha THE OVERALL ACREAGE OF greenhouses in 2017 exceeded 3,000 ha, reported the press service of the Russian Department of Plant-Growing, Chemicals and Plant Protection. “In 2017 the greenhouse acreage comprised 3.28 thousand ha. With that, the winter greenhouses acreage increased to 2.27 thousand ha. The spring greenhouses acreage comprised 0.95 thousand ha, which is 5% over the level of 2016”, reads the report. The press service notes that greenhouses of the fifth generation are being launched. In accorGreenhouse acreage (ha) Winter greenhouses Spring greenhouses Vegetable crop yield (kg/m2)) In winter greenhouses In spring greenhouses
dance with the management of the agri-production complex of the Russian Federation, more than 1,110 ha of winter greenhouses are planned to be put in operation. The highest crop yield in winter greenhouses is maintained at the level of 60 kg/m². In general crop yield across the country in 2017 amounted to 36.9 kg/m². In respect to the governmental support, the representatives of the department have specified that over the period of 20152017, 56 investment projects were selected, with the overall acreage of 433.7 ha.
2013 3062 1887 645
2014 3396 2012 919
2015 3089 2018 862
2016 3152 2142 913
2017 3288 2270 959
28 7.2
29.6 7.4
31.8 7
34.4 8.4
36.9 8.6
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HAIFA CHEMICALS, recently announced, that it decided not to resume its fertilizers production activity in its northern (Haifa) fertilizer plant, and to examine alternatives to its operation in a different format. The company's northern fertilizer plant, which employed 250 workers, was closed for a year, due to the closure of the ammonia tank in Haifa – the main raw material used to produce its fertilizers. Haifa Chemicals accused the Municipal-
ity of Haifa of this final closure, related to its withdrawal of its business license. Haifa Chemicals' workers union said in response to the Company's announcement, that "this is no less than a timed and cruel move. It should be noted that the southern fertilizer plant of Haifa Chemicals, near the Dead Sea, continues its activity, since the company imports its ammonia feedstock, in ISO-containers through the port of Ashdod.
SAPEC AGRO-TRADECORP BUY IDAI NATURE TRADECORP has recently strengthened its biological portfolio through the purchase of Idai Nature, a leading Spanish company in the ‘Zero Residues’ market. Tradecorp operates in the Specialised Nutrition sector and belongs to the Sapec Agro Business Group, which was acquired by Bridgepoint in January 2017. The acquired company, Idai Nature, is a Spanish biotech company created in 2009, specialising in the production of Biopesticides based on plant extracts. It is currently present in 35 countries and has posted annual growth of more than 30% in recent years. The company’s consolidated revenues amount to 16 million euros. In the new structure of the Group, Tradecorp will continue its development in the area of the plant specialized nutrition, being already a world reference of quality and professionalism in the sector of micronutrients, biostimulants and other specialized products for
the plant nutrition. Idai Nature, will maintain its management team, and will continue to develop the concept of ‘Zero Residue’ through biopesticides and another solutions that allow the farmers to treat plants with other plants. Eric van Innis, Global CEO of Agro Business, said: "We now have a shared goal: to make Idai Nature a world leader in ‘Zero Residues’. To achieve this, we will deploy all the Agro Business teams. Tradecorp is a prime example of how this can be done successfully. Its sales have increased by 60 times since our acquisition, and we have developed worldwide the concept of plant antistress; we also expect to see exponential growth at Idai Nature in the coming years." Carlos Ledó, the founder of Idai Nature, will remain at the company as CEO and Chairman of the Board.
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To treat micro deficiencies you need a champion
BREXIL is a line of products based on micronutrients complexed with LSA (Ammonium Lignin Sulphonate) in microgranular formulation, capable to prevent and cure micro deficiencies of different crops. Thanks to its high complexing capacity, the biological affinity with the vegetal tissues and the use of a specific carrier, Brexil guarantees a faster and safer absorption of micronutrients through the leaf surface, promoting translocation at the cellular level and maximizing nutrition efficiency.
www.valagro.com
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COMPO GmbH Goes Professional AFTER A 36 MONTH ABSENCE from the professional market, following the carve out and the sale of professional market division COMPO Expert GmbH in 2015, COMPO GmbH, a German company fully owned by Chinese Group Kingenta, is now coming back to the professional market through the planned acquisition and integration of DeltaChem, Ekompany, Synergie and Spanish Navarro, “Our clear objective is to become again a key player in the professional market for specialty fertilizers leveraging our expertise that we have built up since our start in 1956”, states COMPO CEO Stephan Engster, a key driver for future growth will be rapid expansion in the Asia pacific market.” Jidong Zhai, VP of Kingenta Group
sets clear targets with a planned turnover volume of €1 billion to be achieved within the next years. The newly set up professional structure is going to be advised by
the International Advisory Board and will also cooperate closely with Kingenta Group, a leader in the plant nutrition market with a global manufacturing and R&D
footprint, €3 billion in sales and over 12,000 employees in 2018. In addition to the planned acquisitions, COMPO GmbH announces major and continuous invest-
India’s Mahindra Launches Joint Venture with Israeli’s Top Greenhouses Ltd INDIAN MULTINATIONAL corporation Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., through its subsidiary EPC Industrié Ltd., has signed a deal with Israeli greenhouse technology company Top Greenhouses Ltd. to launch a joint agricultural venture in India. The companies did not disclose the financial terms of the deal, but a fil-
ing to the Bombay Stock Exchange stated that Mahindra will hold 60% of the new venture, while Top Greenhouses will control the remaining 40%. Mumbai-headquartered Mahindra is a multinational federation of companies which is valued at $19 billion, according to the company’s
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website. The Mahindra Group includes companies operating in the fields of agriculture, IT, auto, financial services, and hospitality, among other areas. Mahindra operates in over 100 countries, employing more than 200,000 people. Founded in 1998, Top Green–houses provides a range of smart and
environmentally-minded agricultural projects and solutions for growers and retailers, with a focus on greenhouse and protected agriculture solutions. A subsidiary of Elyahu Zalman and Sons Ltd. Group, Top Greenhouses is active in 100 countries worldwide.
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Tradecorp/Sapec Agro Business acquires French company SDP SAPEC AGRO BUSINESS announces the acquisition of French company SDP, through its subsidiary Tradecorp. The acquisition of SDP, which has been present in the French market since 1991 and has developed an international network, will allow Tradecorp, the Group’s specialty crop nutrition division, to consolidate its position in certain important markets. SDP’s adjuvants will enhance the Sapec Agro Business global portfolio. SDP also has a biostimulants line that will add to the Tradecorp portfolio. SDP’s factories, located in Laon and Pinon (France), will strengthen Sapec Agro Business’s production flexibility and capacity, while
its open field and greenhouse infrastructure for demo trials will be harnessed to serve the entire Group. Nicolas Lindemann, Executive Director of Tradecorp, said: “This acquisition brings new synergies and expertise to the group. SDP is an expert in product lines that will complement our own and enable growth. Clients from the entire Sapec Agro Business network will gain access to the company’s know-how and product ranges, thereby maximising their results in the field”. In the long run, the Group’s goal is to “develop new lines, twin packs and other ideas that will bring greater added value to the market”.
Biologicals take the lead over Agrochemicals for EU approval
FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME, Biopesticides, mainly based on microorganisms, are in larger numbers than chemical substances for approval by the EU. Currently 14 biopesticides are waiting for approval while only 13 chemicals are in the same pipeline.
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NASA soil data used for smart farming DATA FROM THE FIRST NASA satellite mission dedicated to measuring the water content of soils is now being used operationally by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to monitor global croplands and make commodity forecasts. The Soil Moisture Active Passive mission, or SMAP, launched in 2015, has helped map the amount of water in soils world-
wide. Now, with tools developed by a team at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, SMAP soil moisture data are being incorporated into the Crop Explorer website of the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service, which reports on regional droughts, floods and crop forecasts. Crop Explorer is a clearinghouse for global agricultural growing conditions, such as soil
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moisture, temperature, precipitation, vegetation health and more. The USDA has used computer models that incorporate precipitation and temperature observations to indirectly calculate soil moisture. This approach, however, is prone to error in areas lacking high-quality, ground-based instrumentation. Now, the agency is incorporating direct SMAP measurements of soil moisture into Crop Explorer. This allows the agriculture analysts to better predict where there could be too little, or too much, water in the soil to support crops. These soil moisture conditions, along with tools to analyze the data, are also available on the Google Earth Engine. There, researchers, nonprofit organizations, resource managers and others can access the latest data as well as archived information. With global coverage every three
days, SMAP can provide the Crop Explorer tool with timely updates of the soil moisture conditions that are essential for assessments and forecasts of global crop productivity. Soil moisture information from the European Space Agency's (ESA) Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity mission is also being incorporated into some of the USDA products.
Valagro acquires Grabi Chemical VALAGRO has completed the acquisition of Grabi Chemical through its Industrial Business Unit. Grabi Chemical is a leading Italian manufacturer of chelated microelements (EDDHA, EDDHSA, DTPA, EDTA, LS), complexes and other nutritional specialties including biostimulants, which operates exclusively in the business to business field; its range of nutritional solutions is aimed at companies and multinationals in the agricultural and agro-chemical international market, through its sales network in over 40 countries. As part of the acquisition to ensure a continuity of service, Grabi Chemical's management activities will remain independent, allowing the company to maintain its commercial relationships in the industrial sales field.
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Italpollina Opens Manufacturing Plant in the USA WITH THE COMMISSIONING of the new North American production facility, Italpollina has set a new milestone in implementing its international growth strategy. After about 18 months of construction, one of the world’s largest biostimulant production facilities for use in agriculture is now officially opened and on
its way to full production of the company’s hallmark 100% vegetal-based products. The new state-of-the-art plant, which also serves as the Italpollina’s North American headquarters, will triple the company’s ability to produce their biostimulants, illustrating the company’s commitment to meeting the demands of
the North American market. An official grand opening will be celebrated this fall. “We are systematically working to bring the plant to full production,” said Jon Leman, Vice President of Italpollina USA, Inc. “Currently in what we consider ‘phase 1,’ we are producing our core concentrate base
product and we are very pleased with how we are progressing and meeting demand. We will continue to phase 2 over the next few months as we begin our blending capabilities and therefore expand to a full line of blended products by the end of the year, in good time for the 2019 growing season.”
we have decrypted every gene. GSO. Genomically Stimulated Organism.
GENOMIC BIOSTIMULANT
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what makes Gen Up® work is the metabolite coming from the developed genomic researches. It activates secondary metabolic processes of the plant (more sugars and calcium) and it enhances the genetic potential of the treated crop giving uniformity to the growth.
grabichemical.com topbiostimulants.com
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SQM invests in a Joint Venture with Pavoni in Italy SQM RECENTLY EMBARKED on a joint venture with Pavoni, the market leader in Sicily and one of the largest specialty fertilizer players in Italy. “Our global expertise, and being the global market leader in the production and marketing of potassium nitrate with the small-
est carbon footprint in the industry combined with Pavoni’s local know-how focusing on plant nutrition programmes have come together to lead the precision farming fertilizer industry in Italy. Pavoni is a solid, reliable local player with a thorough understanding of the Italian market. I
am very excited about this JV, which provides us with tremendous opportunities. It should enable both companies to meet specific local needs and to address new challenges in the specialty plant nutrition market in Italy. Our substantial investment programme means that our pro-
duction capacity is constantly growing and we are prepared to meet increasing market demands in Italy and worldwide”, said Frank Biot, Vice President of Potassium and Nitrate Sales at SQM. “The key driver behind this partnership is the development of innovative products and practices for the national irrigation market”, said Cristoforo Pavoni, founder of Pavoni srl. “SQM is a global company and a leader in the production of potassium nitrate. We are very happy to work with them in this JV, which will allow us to grow and to become a pivotal player in improving Italian agricultural practices”. Full details of the JV were not released but it is understood that within the process of establishing the JV, SQM bought 50% of Pavoni srl shares.
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