Verdera Oy and Danisco Animal Nutrition, have signed a global licensing and distribution agreement, which grants Verdera worldwide exclusive rights to sell and market betaine applications for plant production, which are sold under the trade mark Greenstim. Greenstim is a well-known growth stimulant that is mainly used in cultivation of tomato, sweet pepper and watermelon crops. Great potential is also expected in cultivation of olive trees as well as turf and golf courses.
Greenstim complements Verdera’s product portfolio of horticulture and amenity products extremely well. Betaine is a compound, which is naturally occurring in many plant and animal species and is extracted from sugar beet by Danisco using proprietary chromatographic separation technology. The foliar application of betaine improves the yield of crops in environmental stress situations such as drought, excessive high or low temperatures and soil salinity.
Verdera’s main product is Rotstop, which provides long-term protection against annosus rot in coniferous forests. Mycostop and Prestop, which are used in greenhouse cultivation, are used to protect ornamentals, vegetables and herbs from damping-off, wilts and root diseases. GlioMix is used in vegetable, herb and ornamental seedling production.
Verdera’s goal is to become a leading biocontrol company and a preferred partner who in cooperation with customers develops effective and sustainable solutions for forestry, horticulture and amenity. Verdera’s biological pesticides and growth promoters are free of gene manipulated organisms. The company aims to actively participate in the ongoing international consolidation of the biological plant protection markets. The concluded Greenstim agreement complements the company strategy by, for example, facilitating active worldwide co-operation with new partners.
The importance of sustainable development and ethical values will increase even more in the future and this is likely to strengthen the position of biological pesticides. Microbes enable the resolution of problems to which there is no other effective pesticide solution. In the future some approved chemical pesticides will be withdrawn from the market due to stricter product and environmental requirements, decreasing the number of alternatives available to farmers. Biological pesticides and growth promoters are particularly important in complementing chemical plant protection programs for forestry and horticulture. In addition, it is predicted that the use of bio-products in other areas, golf courses for example, will increase.
Verdera is owned by Kemira GrowHow Oy, the capital venture company Bio Fund Management Oy and the company personnel. Verdera specialises in developing, manufacturing and marketing biological plant protection products for forestry, horticulture and amenity. Verdera’s turnover is approximately 2 million euros. Verdera is the biggest biocontrol company in the Nordic countries exporting to 15 countries.
Danisco Animal Nutrition is the feed ingredients business unit of Danisco A/S,, one of the world's leading suppliers of food ingredients. Danisco’s animal nutrition division was first established in the early 1980s and pioneered the development and use of enzymes and betaine in animal nutrition. Today, the division supplies enzymes, betaine and flavours to improve the nutrition of poultry, pig and some aqua species. The division’s mission is to provide sustainable animal nutrition solutions that meet the consumer’s demand for safe, high quality food at an affordable price, with care and attention to the environment. Additional information is available at Danisco Animal Nutrition’s website: www.danisco.com/animalnutrition.
Contact information:
Verdera Oy
Managing Director Arja Kuittinen
tel. +358 (0)10 217 3715, mobile +358 (0)50 300 0351
Danisco Animal Nutrition
Director of Operations Juhani O Kuusisto
tel. +358 (0)9 134 411, mobile +358 (0)400 213 868