Targeting New Trends in Agriculture, Rotam Crop Sciences Plans Ahead with Smart Agriculture, Biopesticides, and Molecular Breeding

Rotam CropSciences is a world-leading manufacturer of post-patent crop protection products and plant nutrients, with operation and sales offices in over 60 countries. Export to Europe and the Americas have grown steadily in recent years and business growth is expected this year as well with the stabilization of international market demand and the acquisition of new drug permits in low toxicity and environmentally friendly crop protection products.

Mark Lu, Chairman of Rotam, says that Rotam's compound formulation products have a competitive advantage in the market since a single product can possess multiple synergies and a single application can protect the crop from harm over its lifetime. The compound products are versatile, highly effective, safe, and does not require multiple applications to help crops grow normally. Therefore, it significantly reduces the amount used and the agricultural production cost. With the application of crop genetics information and field experiment data in recent years, Rotam has been able to control the half-life of its products, lower the risk of residual toxicity, and improve the biochemical metabolic rate and systemic acquired resistance of the crop. 

Active Planning in the Three Pillars to Develop New Opportunities
Smart Agriculture - Rotam and GEOSAT Aerospace & Technology's joint venture targets the agriculture drone market to provide drones and chemicals. If fully developed, the project can deliver more than just a precise application of chemicals, it would allow big data analysis of agriculture data, helping farmers improve efficiency and monitor farmland, and solving the issue of labor shortage in the rural areas.

Biopesticide - In the collaboration with Advanced Green Biotechnology, Rotam is responsible for selecting a sales location in the target market for biopesticides. As Taiwan has enjoyed fruitful results in the research of microbial pesticides and fertilizers, an expansion in R&D and collaborations in Taiwan is in the plans.

Molecular breeding - A joint investment with Cibus Global in non-genetically modified (non-GM) crops with a research focus on herbicide-resistance of rape and rice, its seeds, and the use of related herbicides. Since non-GM crops and GM crops have a significant price difference, Rotam has begun the marketing of the first package of non-GM rape and its dedicated corp protection product in North America. With a forecast of 500,000 to 800,000 USD in sales this year, the potential value of the market will reach 37 million USD in 2025. The next plan in the works is the global sale of a package of non-GM rice and its crop protection product. With a herbicide-resistant rice and highly efficient weed control, this is an investment with the highest growth potential for Rotam in the next 10 years.

The European and North American Markets have seen a growth of over 10% in the past two years. In response to the political situation and currency risk in Brazil, a high gross strategy has been applied to the Latin America Market to restabilize profits. New products slated to hit the market this year include compound agents, northern hemisphere herbicides, and selective herbicides. Sales revenue of herbicides is boosted by the fact that Europe does not grow GM crops. Other products such as new compound agents will be distributed in the first half of this year. It will help improve overall sales number and is expected to contribute 20~30% of the business growth this year.

(Editing by Jim Shih, Research Center for Biotechnology and Medicine Policy)

 Source: Company, Research Center for Biotechnology and Medicine Policy.