Agtech company inks distribution agreement with Ceradis for organic biofungicide effective on crops such as apples, pears, stonefruit and citrus
AgroFresh Solutions and Ceradis Crop Protection have announced they have entered into an exclusive license and distribution agreement to bring CeraFruta, a new organic bio-solution that fights fungal decay, to the post-harvest space.
The agreement between the two companies will launch in the US, leveraging AgroFresh’s experience working with customers on solutions that reduce food loss and promote sustainable agriculture.
“AgroFresh is committed to bringing to market a full range of novel, natural and biologic solutions that maximise produce freshness and help reduce food loss and waste,” said Clint Lewis, chief executive officer for AgroFresh.
“We’re excited to collaborate with the team at Ceradis on this innovative new organic solution, helping our customers continue to find the most sustainable ways to deliver fresh produce to global consumers.”
With Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) listed status for organic use in the US, CeraFruta works on a broad spectrum control of post-harvest fruit decays including blue mould, gray mould, green mould, brown rot and anthracnose, the groups outlined.
CeraFruta also controls mucor and sour rots, post-harvest diseases that currently cannot be adequately controlled by industry-standard synthetic fungicides.
“We are thrilled to be working with AgroFresh and the trust they’ve built among US channel partners and growers in bringing to market innovative products that are efficient and sustainable,” said Jan Stechmann, Ceradis vice-president, marketing and sales.
“As an organic best-in-class solution for post-harvest decay, CeraFruta fulfils an important role in the food chain,” he added. ”Our strategic relationship with AgroFresh will immediately expand the product’s US footprint while also helping growers meet the increasing consumer demand for fresh produce.”
The active ingredient in CeraFruta is natamycin, a naturally occurring molecule derived from soil bacteria which protects crops from decay by binding and inhibiting the function of fungi-specific cell membranes.
This unique mode of action shows a high efficacy level against key post-harvest diseases on a range of crops, including topfruit, stonefruit and citrus.
Under the new agreement, AgroFresh will be the exclusive market channel for CeraFruta in the post-harvest market in the US.
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