Somerset West, South Africa
December 15, 2014
Small-scale farming is a major part of the African agricultural market and it is imperative that crop protection products are easily accessible to these growers. Small-scale or subsistence growers often do not have the financial resources, transport facilities or even proper storage facilities to buy large quantities of pesticides at once. To address these issues, Cape Town based Oro Agri SA (Pty) Ltd, has recently launched a new 200 ml pack for its environmentally friendly products. This pack has been developed to allow small-scale growers to mix four to five backpacks from one bottle (depending on the backpack size).
“We have launched this new pack size to provide a product that is affordable, user-friendly, robust and able to withstand being transported in a basket on the back of a bicycle without breaking,” explains Johan Coetzee, General Manager, Sub-Sahara Africa. “While every effort was made to find a suitable bottle in South Africa, we were eventually able to utilize the global footprint of ORO AGRI to source a bottle meeting our exact requirements. As well as the bottle itself we have also introduced a special booklet label system which allows the user to read the directions for use without having to remove the label from the container. This is a feature which we regard as very important to prevent contamination and other risks associated with the incorrect use of pesticides.”
“Our range of products can be used on a wide range of crops leaving no chemical residues and therefore they have no pre-harvest interval which is ideal for small scale growers,” says Johan. “In tomatoes for example, where the crop is harvested over a long period, the products can still be used in-between harvesting to prevent crop loss or plant damage due to insect pests, where the use of traditional pesticides would be limited. Small-scale growers – just like many commercial growers around the world – will find that these products have the potential to significantly reduce the grower’s dependence on traditional chemicals. They can now effectively control various insect or mite pests and certain diseases right up to harvest, while at the same time providing crops that are safe for consumption.”
The company is currently expanding its business into Sub-Saharan Africa and is already selling a range of environmentally friendly crop protection products in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Ethiopia. Registrations have also been submitted for some West African countries, as well as Mozambique, Zambia and Kenya.
About Oro Agri (SA) Pty Ltd
Oro Agri SA (Pty) Ltd., is a manufacturer of novel agricultural adjuvants, pesticides and soil conditioners based on cold pressed orange oil. Through this exceptional product offering the company aspires to be an indispensible partner to clients, providing them with unique, technology-based solutions for sustainable crop protection and improvement. The company is located in Somerset West near Cape Town, SA.
About ORO AGRI
Oro Agri International Limited develops and manufactures innovative biorational products using OROWET® technology for agricultural, turf and ornamental, and industrial applications worldwide. Established in 2001, the Oro Agri Group started with a single product and has expanded its product range as well as its global presence. Today, the company serves customers in over 80 countries. The vision of the company is to grow shareholder value through continual innovation, development and commercialization of a broad range of highly effective, low environmental impact, biorational products providing competitive solutions to serve growers’ increasing needs to enhance yields and sustain crop health.
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