Research and Marketing

Primaflor, a fruit and vegetable company dedicated to the production and distribution of fresh, salads and healthy convenience foods, has signed an agreement with the company Kimitec, a Spanish biotechnology multinational dedicated to the research and commercialization of biopesticides, biostimulants, prebiotics and probiotics for agriculture , with the aim of improving the quality of the crops and the agricultural productivity of the Pulpí company.

All this from a perspective of respect for nature and people's health. This agreement, a pioneer in European agriculture, will allow Primaflor to advance in its goal towards zero waste, taking a further step in its commitment to sustainability, caring for nature and people.

The MAAViLab Primaflor & Kimitec is a strategic research and development agreement whereby Kimitec offers Primaflor the largest research center dedicated to natural agriculture in Europe, MAAVi Innovation Center, for the use and development of natural solutions aimed at achieving waste scratch on outdoor leafy crops.

Advance in development

This agreement will allow Primaflor to advance in the development and use of specific bio-inputs aimed at outdoor crops, thus meeting the requirements to reduce the use of chemical materials and nitrogen fertilizers in agricultural productions. In this way, Primaflor will become the first company in the sector to launch a range of leaf products with zero residue, thanks to a sustainable management of natural resources.

“At Primaflor we are very proud of the agreement reached with Kimitec, a leading company in innovation worldwide. We liked his research methodology and especially his ability to understand our needs ”, comments Cecilio Peregrín, Primaflor's Corporate Director. "Together we will work for efficient, sustainable agriculture that is much more respectful of the environment."

Farm to Fork Strategy

From now until 2030, in Europe chemical active ingredients will be progressively banned in agriculture due to the implementation of the strategy, “Farm to Fork”, which proposes a 50% reduction in the use of chemical pesticides and 20% of nitrogen fertilizers.

The implementation of these measures will leave many sectors of agriculture without tools to maintain their productivity. Through this collaboration with Kimitec, Primaflor anticipates this paradigm shift, maintaining its productivity in a natural way, while meeting the environmental, economic and social sustainability objectives imposed by the EU.

Farmer productivity

Félix García CEO of Kimitec: "The collaboration achieved is the answer to our concern for the productivity of the farmer, sustainability and the protection of nature, values ​​that we share with Primaflor". "By applying our innovative and sustainable solutions, we will achieve an important milestone in the agri-food sector, responding to the demands of consumers who demand healthier products, increasing crop productivity and preserving the environment."

The project is a pioneering milestone in the sector, as it is a strategic collaboration agreement between a research center and a large producer that seeks to anticipate a change in the production model.

For Primaflor this collaboration represents a further step in its commitment to sustainability, the fight against climate change and the protection of biodiversity.

Three lines of action

• Joint research and development of natural bio-inputs, especially aimed at each of the specific outdoor products grown by Primaflor, which, thanks to the use of prebiotics and probiotics, contribute to improving the organoleptic qualities of the product (taste, firmness, smell) and its functional qualities (such as chemopreventive) but, also, to the efficient management of water and nutrients, so necessary to face such important challenges as climate change and desertification, also responsible for lengthening the post-harvest life of crops.

It is important to note that in the development of Primaflor bio-inputs, by-products from Primaflor's own production line will be revalued, using them in the development of specific bio-inputs that will be developed for the green leafy crops of the house, thereby It will boost the green economy and circular economy of the company.

Cultivation protocols

Subsequently, the progressive incorporation of Kimitec's natural products into Primaflor's cultivation protocols will be carried out with the aim of continuing to advance in obtaining natural, healthy products with zero residue.

• Research and development in the area of ​​organic phytosanitary products that allow Primaflor to be pioneers in the achievement of the objectives set in the common agricultural policy and in the "Green Deal" with its Farm to Fork strategy facing the prohibition of active ingredients and the appearance of emerging pests as a consequence of climate change. All this aimed at achieving zero waste using biopesticides.

• Incorporation of a significant percentage of the human capital of both companies to jointly research organic and ethical solutions that allow Primaflor to grow in a sustainable way, while fulfilling commitments with clients and social agents.

Natural bio-inputs

The natural bio-inputs developed by Kimitec have an impact on the current food production system, demonstrating that it is possible to maintain farmer productivity while preserving the environment and people's health. They improve the efficiency of nutrition and plant health of crops, increasing their yield in a sustainable way.

They do not leave residues in the environment or in food and contribute to increasing the quality of soils, giving them life back through beneficial microorganisms, making them work for the crop, stopping erosion and desertification, improving the assimilation of plant nutrients, achieving efficient use of inputs.

The co-products of the agro industry

In addition, thanks to the revaluation of co-products of the agri-food industry, they are economically profitable and allow greater and better productions to be obtained at a lower cost. They are, in short, the ideal solution for an increasingly responsible type of consumer, who demands safe and quality food, produced in a sustainable way.