Seipasa: Developing natural solutions is its DNA

 

As CEO of Seipasa, how much do you think bio solutions will change agriculture as we know it today? How will it look five to 10 years from now?
 

Chemical products dominate 95% of the global market dedicated to crop protection, while companies that have opted for bio solutions as biopesticides represent just 5% of the market. Although the difference between these two scenarios is still huge, there are signs of significant changes that are already transforming the market structure. 
 

In the short and medium term, this 5% of bio control companies are expected to continue to grow and gain in strength in this market where chemical products currently prevail. There are some very obvious reasons for anticipating this change. Increasingly, consumers are looking towards natural alternatives that look after their health, help preserve our planet and care for our future generations. There is a strong global trend towards organic alternatives and everything to do with “eco”, “bio” or “green” concepts.

Our society is clearly committed to a healthy, residue-free diet. Consumers have transmitted this message to the market and now it’s up to us as companies to meet this demand. 

 

 

What about Seipasa specifically – what can we expect from you guys in the next 5 years?
 

Seipasa’s goal is to lead this growing 5% of the market where companies committed to the use of biopesticides for crop protection are competing.  For this purpose, last year we put in place a strategic development and investment plan that is going to give us the capacity we need to pursue this commitment to natural technology.  Work on enlarging our production facilities is almost finished and it will give us an extra 3,000 square meters. This, along with the reorganization of our solids lines and the new biopesticide formulation plant, means that our production capacity can now adapt to the needs of the international markets where we already operate and the new markets that we are beginning to work with.  Our short-term plans also include stepping up our international presence in new markets.
 

In qualitative terms, Seipasa has taken a great leap forward by winning the Best Formulation Innovation award at the Agrow Awards 2017. This is really important as an acknowledgement of all the R+D work that goes into our products and, more specifically, all the work that has gone into developing Fungisei, our biological fungicide already registered in the US, Peru and Morocco. Very soon, Fungisei will obtain the phytosanitary certificate for the Mexican market, but also for some of the most important markets in Europe. 

 

Can you talk about some of the biggest challenges for the biopesticide or biostimulant industry right now and how you are addressing them?
 

Agriculture is undergoing constant transformations. Climate change is a global challenge. With it new pests emerge along with new resistances, and it is essential to carry out research into new formulas and to come up with new strategies to combat them effectively. It is of fundamental importance to provide solutions that adapt to the specific needs of each country and market.
 

Seipasa has worked non-stop to obtain products with plant protection registrations. We have 15 years of experience of regulatory requirements and this has helped us to obtain phytosanitary certificates in more than 10 countries, amongst which are the United States, Mexico, Peru, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal.... Very soon, when our applications for registration are approved in countries such as Turkey, Israel, Chile or Ecuador, our international presence will be even bigger. 
 

The specific knowledge and definition of the components of microbiology and botanical extracts allowed us to register plant protection products in each territory. In the US we have done it under the EPA standards, and in Europe we have worked within the framework of the regulation 11/07 but always very close to latest specific guidelines the European Authorities are developing for the new type of products the new agriculture is demanding (low risk, microbial, botanical extracts...).

 

In this context, we consider the harmonization of international regulatory requirements with regard to the process of plant protection product registration to be of utmost importance. Companies like ours, that place great importance on this channel, have to deal with numerous difficulties and processes that are entirely different from one country to another. In the end, it is the market that loses out because the whole process of developing and providing new solutions for farmers is slowed down. In this respect, Seipasa took part in the annual BPIA (Biological Products Industry Alliance) assembly in March and led a paper on the subject, in defense of the importance of international harmonization. 

 

Developing bio solutions that can work more efficiently in conjunction with the use of synthetic products is very hot. Does Seipasa have the same solutions combining a Biopesticide with a Chemical pesticide? What do you think of this phenomenon?
 

Seipasa is a company committed to natural solutions. This concept has been in our DNA since we set up in business 20 years ago. We research, formulate and produce biopesticides, biostimulants and fertilizers. We develop natural treatments for residue-free agriculture. Integrated pest management strategies are an alternative that farms are increasingly choosing. Using biopesticides in IPM enables the application of chemical plant protection treatments to be reduced. In the case of Pirecris, the biopesticide that Seipasa launched onto the Spanish market last October to control aphids, whitefly or thrips, along with other species of insects, it allows a reduction in the use of conventional plant protection treatments of 20 to 50%.  We are talking about key strategies to obtain zero-residue harvests and to provide our society with healthier foods.

 

Any words that you want to say or share with biopesticide and biostimulant industry colleagues?
 

We have mentioned the changes taking place in the biopesticide industry where it is gaining greater weight in the market compared to chemical product solutions, but this is also a breakthrough moment for biostimulants. The new European legislation on fertilizers will define this type of product for the first time and will clearly set out the limits for plant protection products. As a member of the EBIC (European Biostimulant Industry Council), Seipasa actively works to support the authorities of the Member States, in this case Spain, and to help in this trialogue. I guess you could say that we are at a crucial moment for the agricultural industry.  It’s certainly thrilling to be part of it and to participate actively in this change.