Innovation Drives the Future: Citymax Group Builds a Global Market Blueprint for Biostimulants

Citymax Group (″Citymax″ in short), headquartered in the ancient city of Xi'an, is a global supplier of biostimulants and provider of quality agricultural services. The company has established subsidiaries including Xi'an Citymax Agrochemical Co., Ltd, Shaanxi Citymax Agrotech Co., Ltd, Citymax Crop Science (HK) Co., Limited, and Croptech (Turkey) Ltd. 

Adhering to a rigorous quality management system, Citymax got its entire product range certified organic by the Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) under the U.S. National Organic Program (NOP). Additionally, the company also obtained EU REACH certification and ECOCERT organic certification for the products. 

Citymax emphasizes research, development and application of biostimulant products. More importantly, it possesses proprietary MRT molecular recombination technology in the field. Meanwhile, Citymax has established close collaborative relationships with domestic agricultural research institutions and relevant organizations, forming the MAXBIO^® Joint R&D Center, which conducts in-depth research on the following aspects: synergistic effects of biostimulants, biostimulants and inorganic nutrients, and biostimulants in soil and in plant physiological and biochemical processes.

With all of the factors above, Citymax is able to produce a variety of customized, solution-oriented formulations tailored to meet diverse customer needs.

In an exclusive interview with AgroPages, Zhang Bin, the Chairman of Citymax Group, delves into how the company stands out in a fiercely competitive market through technological innovation and globalization strategies.

Can you assess Citymax Group's current competitive position in the global biostimulant market? What strategic measures has the company taken to consolidate and enhance its position in the face of intense market competition?

Since its establishment in 2012, Citymax Group has been dedicated to serving global customers. Our product line encompasses a wide range of biostimulants, including mineral humic acids, seaweed extracts, peptides, plant extracts, and microbial products, capable of meeting the planting needs of different regions and crops. 

Citymax holds a significant market share and prominent brand influence in multiple global markets, particularly in North America, South America, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region. The company has maintained a leading position in the industry through continuous technological research and product innovation. 

Facing the increasingly fierce market competition, the company has gained a firm foothold in the rapidly evolving biostimulant market through various efforts: 

1. Citymax continues to increase investment in R&D, constantly introducing biostimulant products with technological innovation and functional targeting. These products are highly sought after due to their unique absorption efficiency and differentiated functionality. Meanwhile, active collaboration with leading global agricultural research institutions and universities ensures technological cutting-edge advantages, endowing Citymax's products with unique market competitiveness. 

   
   

2. Citymax strengthens marketing and customer education. The awareness and usage of biostimulants among growers and agricultural enterprises have been increased through farmer training sessions, field demonstrations, and a combination of online and offline promotional activities held by the company. 

   
   

3. Comprehensively upgrading the concept of professional service, Citymax is committed to providing all-round solutions for agricultural cultivation, including services such as crop management consulting and soil health assessment, and helping customers achieve optimization throughout the entire process from planting to harvest. 

   
   

4. To respond to rapidly changing market demands and cost pressures, Citymax optimizes global supply chain management, improving production and logistics efficiency. Simultaneously, by implementing lean production and intelligent manufacturing, we reduce production costs, and enhance product quality and production efficiency, ensuring products meet the highest quality standards.

   
   

5. Citymax places high importance on environmental protection and green health, strictly adhering to environmental standards in product development and production processes, aiming to reduce the environmental impact. By promoting sustainable agricultural strategies, Citymax has enhanced its brand image and won more environmentally conscious customers.

What was the original intention behind Citymax establishing the MAXBIO^® Joint R&D Center? What are the research directions of this platform?

The MAXBIO^® Joint R&D Center was established to address the increasingly complex cultivation problems that traditional fertilizers struggle to solve. This platform is primarily based on the theoretical foundation of synergistic effects between biostimulants, microbial agents, metabolites, and inorganic salts, as well as the interactions between various substances and soil and plants.

We focus on addressing cultivation challenges through two research directions: multi-target extensive functionalization and single-target intensive functionalization, developing products more suitable for current cultivation environment needs.

In terms of the leading research directions of the MAXBIO^® Joint R&D Center, what are some recent research achievements? What values can they bring to growers, respectively?

In the direction of multi-target extensive functionalization, Citymax is dedicated to developing biostimulant products with multiple functions to address the various challenges in crop growth. Our "Multi-source organic + inorganic" compound products combine high-quality raw materials such as mineral humic acid, seaweed extracts, peptides, microbial formulations, and mineral nutritional elements. Combining Citymax's unique MAXBIO^® Joint R&D Center and MRT molecular recombination technology, these products can significantly improve crops' tolerance to abiotic stresses such as low temperature, high temperature, drought, salinity, waterlogging, and sparse light.

Domestic and international customers have unanimously praised products such as Organmix, Ultralgae, and Amino Acid+TE for their effectiveness in enhancing overall crop nutrition, increasing yield, and improving quality during their promotion and application.

Analysis and comparison of leaf area when using Organmix (Dilute 1000 times)

Increase in leaf area and chlorophyll when using Organmix (Dilute 1000 times) by root application

The effect of Organmix against high temperature

In single-target intensive functionalization, we focus on solving specific problems in crop production, providing highly specialized products. For example, products such as SeaMax are specially developed to address root system development issues. By precisely releasing highly effective active ingredients, these products significantly promote crop root growth and nutrient absorption. In field trials, this product increases crop root mass by over 25%, significantly enhancing crop health and disease resistance.

SeaMax (Dilute 2000 times) promotes plant roots and growth

SeaMax (Dilute 3000 times) promotes roots and growth of peppers

What urgent crop problems is Citymax focusing on? What kind of inspiration does it bring to the development of new products? 

We are focusing on three main areas: 

1. Enhancing crop stress tolerance to help growers cope with extreme weather events. 

   
   

2. Improving crop disease resistance to reduce pesticide use and improve crop health and yield. 

   
   

3. Addressing soil degradation and fertility decline by developing biostimulant products that can improve soil structure and microbial ecology. 

To address these issues, we collaborate with renowned global agricultural research institutions and universities, increase investment in R&D, and establish bio-testing bases globally to validate the advantages of different formulations and solutions.

Citymax has been deeply engaged in markets like the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, and Australia. Please select one or two representative regions and share your market expansion strategies.

Chile is a globally important producer of fruits and wine, with agricultural exports playing a significant role in its economy. We have established partnerships with local agricultural enterprises in Chile and conducted multiple product adaptability tests for Chile's main crops, such as cherries, grapes, avocados, and citrus fruits, to ensure our biostimulants can effectively enhance the yield and quality of these crops.

The Chilean market accepts high-quality products. Growers emphasize on practicality and actual results, with a strong demand for improving crop quality and yield. They are particularly interested in products that enhance fruit appearance, taste, and shelf life. We quickly gain their trust and recognition through demonstrations and trials.

In Chile, our biostimulant products have been successfully applied to various fruits, achieving significant results. Through close collaboration with local partners, our sales in Chilean market have steadily increased, and our brand impact has gradually expanded. 

Furthermore, the Chilean government has supportive policies for agricultural innovation and high-efficiency products with relatively flexible market access. We actively cooperate with local governments and agricultural organizations to facilitate rapid market entry for our products. 

Major strategies in our market expansion include actively participating in various agricultural exhibitions in Chile to showcase our products and technologies, engaging in direct communication with growers and agricultural enterprises, and enhancing brand awareness and market influence. 

Mexico is another critical market we have developed. The agricultural market in Mexico has enormous potential, especially in vegetable and fruit cultivation. We establish regional R&D testing centers with local distributors to conduct localized product development and testing, ensuring our biostimulant products adapt to Mexico's climate and soil conditions. 

Additionally, we collaborate with large farms and agricultural cooperatives in Mexico to conduct large scale field trials and demonstration activities. Citymax has expanded its market footprint and accumulated valuable experience and knowledge through exploration and practice in these markets. The successful expansion in these markets will provide an essential reference and support for our global promotion of biostimulant products.

Many once-leading companies have been incorporated under agricultural multinationals in the global biostimulant market, becoming part of their overall crop solution. In light of this, has the business development path of the biostimulant company become "fixed"? What are your comments on this?

There are several driving factors behind this phenomenon. Firstly, agricultural multinationals possess robust market networks and resources. By acquiring biostimulant companies, they can quickly obtain advanced technologies and products, integrating them into their existing product lines. This integration helps enhance their market competitiveness and enables them to provide more comprehensive crop management solutions to growers.

Secondly, these acquisitions and integrations allow biostimulant companies to rapidly expand their market coverage. Large companies can promote biostimulant products to more countries and regions through their global sales networks, thus achieving economies of scale. 

Lastly, financial and resource support from multinational corporations can facilitate further research, development, and innovation in biostimulant technology, driving technological advancement and market growth. 

However, I don't believe the business development path for biostimulants has become completely "fixed". Although acquisitions are important, the market still holds diversity and possibilities. Citymax's development strategy will be based on our core strengths and market opportunities, combined with the current state of industry development, to formulate a flexible and forward-looking strategic plan. 

We conduct product R&D and market promotion locally based on the agricultural characteristics and market demands of different regions to meet the diverse needs of global farmers. Furthermore, we actively participate in various industry summits, join industry organizations such as the European Biostimulants Industry Council (EBIC), and emphasize strategic cooperation. 

While maintaining our independence, we establish strategic partnerships with large agricultural companies to share resources to achieve mutual benefits, bring cutting-edge technologies and products to the market more quickly, and gaining valuable market feedback and technical support from our partners.

Looking ahead, what are the directions for Citymax's technological innovation? How will these technological innovations help the industry address increasingly complex cultivation challenges?

Citymax will focus on technological research and development, continuously innovating around the synergistic effects between materials such as microorganisms, amino acids, seaweed extracts, humic acids, and mineral nutrients, driving constant product iteration and upgrades. While delving deep into biostimulants, Citymax also actively collaborates with leading global agricultural research institutions and universities to ensure cutting-edge technological advantages, giving Citymax's products unique market competitiveness. 

Under the situation of global climate change and complex cultivation environments, we study and explore the nutritional needs throughout the entire growth cycle of various economic crops in different environments and regions, targeting different situations in global markets. This allows us to provide tailored, comprehensive solutions from planting to harvesting for growers in different regions worldwide. 

Simultaneously, we are building a global platform for exchanging crop cultivation technologies, expanding channels for international trade, discussing key technologies and products for green pest control, promoting healthy crop cultivation techniques, and serving modern agricultural production worldwide.

Please contact Christina Xie at christina@agropages.com if you would like to share your company story or advertising with AgroPages.