Interview Series 1: Nufarm offers excellent copper-based fungicide solutions

Date:07-13-2018

Editor's Note: Copper-based fungicides play a decisive role in controlling bacterial diseases, whether evaluated in efficacy or market shares. At the same time, copper-based fungicides show high efficacy against some fungal diseases such as downy mildew, alternaria leaf spot and brown blotches in fruits and vegetables crops. Due to the advantages of eco-friendship, relative safety, rare resistance and usage in organic agriculture, copper-based fungicides have steadily retained the sixth position among all fungicides.

Accordingly, AgroPages recently came up with a special topic surrounding copper-based fungicides/bactericide products and invited some key players in this field to share their views over the global market landscape, product series, core strengths, application situation, as well as future development prospects. The first interviewee is Brian Rund, Customer and Brand Marketing Manager for Nufarm.


Q1: Can you describe your company’s product line of copper-based fungicides, major market and application situation?

We have been a major player in the copper segment globally for nearly 20 years. Our wide range of copper products includes both copper hydroxide and tri-basic copper-based products, formulated to meet varying needs around the world. Our offer includes high-metallic load WG; dust-free, easy flowing Dry Prill; convenient flowable offers, and our flagship brands, Cuproxat® and ChampION++™.

Major markets include grapes, citrus and tree fruit crops, nuts, sugar beets, potatoes and many others. We are the leading copper supplier to Europe, where wine grapes form the major sector; in North America, where citrus and walnuts are key markets, we also maintain a very strong position.

Q2: How do you differentiate your copper-based fungicides? What about plans to introduce new products?

Our extensive formulation chemistry capabilities have allowed us to introduce novel formulations that improve coverage and residual activity to allow our customers to get better results, often while using less overall metallic copper.

Our Cuproxat® brand is a good example – its unique combination of copper salts and extremely small particle size, along with the unique needle shape, create a more effective barrier against disease than any other copper. All coppers work via direct contact with the disease organism; so improved coverage leads to improved control. As an added bonus, Cuproxat qualifies for listing as an organic pesticide in some countries.

In dry formulations, our ChampION++™ also excels in providing better coverage, with copper ions that provide some three times the coverage of similar competitive offers.

Nufarm development work on copper is focused on catalysts – compounds that in some way make copper more active and effective. We have a number of exciting products in development and look forward to maintaining copper’s vital place in crop protection for many years to come.

Q3: What obstacles has your company experienced while trying to bring copper-based fungicides to a new market? How did you tackle them?

Perhaps the major obstacle we faced is the sheer size and diversity of the copper market. It’s a product that is used on hundreds of crops and sites, virtually everywhere crops are grown; so matching our products to the specific needs of a fresh-market grapefruit producer in Brazil or the Unites States versus a wine grape grower in France has required us to be agile in our formulation development. Our goal is to offer the best copper solution, regardless of site or use patterns, and our extensive range allows us to do exactly that.

If you are also the player in the field of copper-based fungicides/bactericide products and would like to join the above topic discussion/promote your products, pls contact us via: grace@agropages.com