Spain
November 4, 2016
Farmers´ profitability is mainly determined by the yield per hectare (productivity). Increasing agricultural productivity was largely facilitated by agrochemicals use. Agrochemicals, defined as the chemicals used in agriculture like pesticides, fertilizers and other chemicals, play an important role in intensive agriculture, offering a relatively low-cost method for increasing output per hectare of land. Unfortunately, most of the agrochemicals are synthetic chemical substances and their intensive use entails detrimental effects in the soil, environment and even human health. For this reason, in many countries the use of agrochemicals is being increasingly regulated and restricted (e.g. in Europe the use of agrochemicals is regulated by the Fertilisers Regulation (EC) No. 2003/2003 and the Plant Protection Products Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2009). The obligation of compliance with all the related regulations challenges the production capability and affects the farmers´ profitability. In this scenario, the agriculture sector is increasingly demanding alternative products that help increasing crop productivity while reducing the need for an intensive use of agrochemicals.
With a growing global demand for agricultural products due to increasing population, agrochemicals market grows steadily (CAGR of 5.4% in 2012-2017). On the other hand, the objective for current use of agrochemicals reduction leads to a growing demand for new products to replace traditional chemicals. New solutions able to increase productivity and resistance to biotic and abiotic stress, ensuring sustainability through less environmental impact, obtained from natural sources, with low application rates and without adverse health effects, are needed. This type of products, namely biologicals, include biostimulant and biopesticide products, whose market is growing at annual rates of 10% and 16% respectively.
Until recently Iden Biotechnology had mainly focused on the development of innovative biostimulant products from different microbial sources, aiming to boost crop productivity and quality as well as tolerance to abiotic stresses. In continuation to our commitment with the development of biological products for agriculture, we have recently launched a new Biopesticide Products Development Program that will complement our product pipeline providing solutions also for pest control.
Following the biostimulant products approach, the new biopesticide solutions will be based on the identification of interesting microbial sources for the research and development of insecticide, nematicide, fungicide and herbicide products obtained from biotechnological processes and backed by sound scientific basis. From a market point of view the biopesticide products under development will target specific crop/pest problems to provide market solutions for row and vegetable crops. Iden Biotechnology will invest an important part of its resources for this new program and expects to provide the market with new biopesticide solutions in the next years contributing also to a more sustainable farming.
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