Another Success for NZ Farming

Another Success for NZ Farming

CarboPhos® patent granted in Australia and New Zealand
Nelson,December 1, 2014:
CarboPhos®, a phosphate based fertiliser developed after conducting pot, plot and field trials and construction of a pilot plant in Nelson NZ, has been granted a patent in both New Zealand and Australia.Independently monitored trials have shown it can be applied at half the rate of the NZ mainstream phosphate product, saving time and costs for farmers. Sales continue to grow in New Zealand as farmers begin to understand the need for slower release, soil and biology friendly nutrients, compared with the mainstream fertiliser.

Chris Copplestone, Managing Director of The Growing Group commented “We are extremely proud of being able to offer a solution to farmers who understand the need for traditional nutrients, delivered in a granular form free of the traditional sulphuric acid base”.

Copplestone admitted that sales and promotion of CarboPhos®which starting in NZ 3 few years ago have beenslower than he hoped. “With the two fertiliser cooperatives having in excess of 90% of the fertiliser business in NZ and declining to work with us, it is hard to even get other organisations or scientists to work on trials, let alone companies supporting sales. However we have been quietly chipping away and there appears to be a growing pool of farmers who are questioning why their traditional fertiliser is not working as well as it used to. As we explain the difference between water soluble traditional fertiliser and ours, and the role biology plays in soils, supported by our trials, the conversations get much easier. But there is no doubt that being heard is very difficult in the NZ market”.

Apart from its nutrient efficiency CarboPhos® will be of particular interest to the Australian market with their aim of having phosphate fertilisers less than 25% water soluble particularly around coastlines bordering reefs. Currently most mainstream phosphate products are about 85-90% water soluble which means they can be prone to leaching, damaging waterways, reefs and contributing to algae blooms. In CarboPhos® the phosphate is less than 10% water soluble, hence less prone to leaching

Matt Copplestone, who heads up the Australian branch commented “We have certainly found Australia quite receptive. We landed our first product in Australia only in June this year and have been very encouraged to find the vineyards were again quick to understand the product and immediately bought outthe first stock, which is the same pattern when we started sales in New Zealand; vineyards preceded pasture sales which preceded cropping. We are now looking at extending the product into other areas and are already working with one multinational that has shown interest in using CarboPhos® to produce biologically grown, branded produce providing them a premium product for market”

Background:
Chris Copplestone has more than 30 years working in the fertiliser industry, mainly overseas, supplying raw materials and finished products to and from Australasia, Asia, Africa, Russia and former Eastern Block. Chris owned a sheep & beef farm in NZ for more than 10 years which generated his interest in developing an alternative to traditional superphosphate

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