"Scope for chemical crop protection becoming ever narrower"

Koppert has experienced rapid growth over the years. The company now employs more than 1,200 employees and has an office in 26 countries. Given the increasing global demand for sustainably cultivated products, Koppert still has wind behind its sails. The prospects of biological crop protection and sustainable cultivation have never been so healthy.

This is the view of Kris De Smet, the former director of Koppert's Spanish office (Koppert Espana), who was recently given a new, broader task within the organization as Business Unit Manager for Europe. As such, he is responsible for managing all of Koppert's European offices and ensuring that strategy and operations are on the right track. This poses a considerable challenge, as biological crop protection and enhancing the sustainability of cultivation are currently in the limelight both in Europe and other corners of the globe.

Chemicals under increasing pressure
'There are currently a number of clear trends in plant production,' says Kris. 'First of all, the pressure in terms of residue has rapidly increased. National governments want to move away from it. Supermarket chains share this desire, but often go a step further than what national regulations prescribe. On balance, the scope for chemical crop protection products is becoming ever narrower. Countries in Western and Northern Europe, including Switzerland and Austria, are the most rigorous in this regard; but this trend can also be seen in other European countries.'

An additional factor is the level of infestation, coupled with a number of pest that are becoming more aggressive. For instance, farmers are experiencing increasing levels of tobacco whitefly (Bemisia tabaci) and a more noticeable presence of mites in numerous crops, including large crops such as peppers and cucumbers. 'Growers of these and other crops know that chemical products are no longer the answer. This is creating additional scope for biological crop protection.'

More ecological cultivation
Another development is the growing demand for ecologically cultivated products, which involves growing products without the use of chemicals or artificial fertilizer. While this cultivation method is expanding in Western Europe, the strongest growth can be found in Southern Europe, especially in Italy and Spain. Kris explains that this cultivation method is not only being applied to large fruiting vegetable crops, but also to grapes, olives, and citrus fruits. 'Ecological cultivation is also resulting in additional demand for our products and know-how.'

In addition, consumers are showing a growing preference for local produce. This has been noticeable for some time in the UK, France, and Germany, with Russia being a recent addition to the club. 'However, this is also a political choice. Russia wants to be more self-sufficient, so it is greatly expanding its greenhouse capacity. The country is also prioritizing more sustainable cultivation.'

Finally, the market for soft fruit has witnessed rapid growth. Growers in this sector notice and acknowledge the potential of pollinators and beneficials in terms of ensuring quality, yields, and food security in their crops.

Growth
Each of these developments represent new and large opportunities for Koppert, says Kris. He highlights that the company has experienced rapid growth in its sales of beneficials and pollinators. 'Many growers believe that the days of chemical crop protection products are numbered. They are switching to biological crop protection products and are using more beneficials. This is an understandable move, as biological methods are often the only way that they can effectively protect their crop. It offers them the security that chemicals cannot provide.'

Growth in microbial products
Microbial products are also on the up. Compared with just a handful of products fifteen years ago, Koppert now offers a number of products and has many innovations in the pipeline. 'These products have potential in virtually every country. For instance, we have noted that arable farmers in a number of countries, including Bulgaria, Germany, and Spain, have started using Panoramix. Given that we are registering products such as Panoramix and those from the NatuGro line in many countries, we are confident that this segment will also grow.'

Shorter time to market
Koppert is eager to manage its continued growth effectively. And Kris De Smet is entirely confident that the company can do this. He highlights the new working method with Crop Teams, which will considerably reduce the time to market and enable Koppert to respond even more effectively to customer requirements around the globe. 'That said, we have more assets,' he explains. 'For instance, we have outstanding R&D and are focused on the quality of our products and the delivery security of beneficials and bumblebees. These are very important criteria for our customers in Europe and elsewhere, who all rate our performance very highly.'

Knowledge and support
Knowledge, information, advice, and support may well be the most significant factors of success. 'These factors allow individual growers to get the best out of our products. They are perhaps our most significant competitive factors. It's all well and good providing high-quality products, reliability, and service, but users need to learn how to work with our products and therefore with nature. We do everything we can to ensure this. We focus on our customers and listen to them every day. This strategy has so far proved to be a success.'

For more information:
Koppert Biological Systems
Email: info@koppert.com
www.koppert.com