Peter Klein, founder of Biota Nutri started his career as a grower of roses, tulips, cut flowers and bell peppers. Then, he worked for 7 years at a fertilizer trading company. There he realized there was another way to grow crops. About 7 years ago he founded Biota Nutri with the goal of helping growers and farmers with products that are sustainable, organic, and future-proof. Peter believes that we can better make the industry circular.
The idea began around 2007/2008 when the prices of mineral fertilizers skyrocketed. This had a big impact on growers and at the time it took a lot to regain their trust. Additionally, the pressure on phosphate created many uncertainties. Peter: "I learned that phosphate, a mineral, doesn't disappear; it just comes back in a different form. So, let's recover it. The same applies to potassium and nitrogen. Making nitrates requires a lot of energy, even if the source is sustainable, like hydrogen. But we also have nitrogen pollution, especially in the Netherlands, which can be used to feed plants. The only reason against this seems to be the cost. So, we let ammonia into the air and then extract it elsewhere with a lot of energy—is that okay?"
Organic versus mineral fertilizers
He thinks we can do better. This is why he founded Biota, to help the sector become more sustainable and organic. He has been working with organic fertilizers for 16 years and often hear that organic can't feed the world because the yield is lower. But if you provide plants with the same elements as with mineral fertilizers, the yield can be the same. We see this daily now. Peter: "I even think we can achieve higher yields with organic fertilizers because the uptake is better than with chemical fertilizers."
The goal of Biota is to make the world a bit better, and with the right partners, a lot better.
Towards sustainability
The world is changing, and many factors make the situation unpredictable. However, we see a gradual movement towards low carbon, organic, sustainable, and vegan practices. How fast this happens depends on regulations, demands, countries, companies, and markets. Overall, I see a shift towards using fewer chemicals and reducing groundwater pollution.
The biggest challenge is the different organic regulations worldwide, making it impossible to follow one path. Peter:"I hope each continent will adopt one set of rules, making organic regulations fair and uniform. It would also help if there were a label for sustainable growing, like an Eco-label, next to the organic label."
Biota Nutri
Biota Nutri focuses on organic and sustainable markets. In the sustainable market, Biota Nutri aims to lower carbon emissions and increase organic matter in plants, ultimately controlling costs for farmers and growers. For organic farmers and growers, they are working on the next phase to control costs and achieve higher yields.
Biota is in the scale-up phase, with three fertilizer lines that they are now bringing to the market. With these lines, they can create any nutrient recipe, and they can also be used as an add-on to mineral fertilizers to gain the benefits of organics.
For more information: 
Biota Nutri
Peter Klein
[email protected]
+31-65413-1472
www.biota.nu