First Biobest participation at IFTF, the Netherlands
The expo was fully booked and the organizers even had to make a waiting list just before the fair started. During three days, more than 24,000 flower growers from more than 117 countries visited the fair. A large number of visitors were from countries in East-Africa and South-America, two areas which occupy a prominent position in flower production for the global market. Areas also which are of particular interest to Biobest – as the company aims to expand its activities in those markets.
“IFTF dedicates a lot of attention to cut flower production in greenhouses’, says Fonny Theunis, area manager at Biobest Netherlands. “Integrated pest management (IPM) and in particular biocontrol based on beneficials in these markets is still in its infancy but the market is rapidly growing”.
Fonny Theunis :”We decided to really focus our stand on NutrimiteTM. This is a unique food supplement based on specially selected pollen to boost biocontrol with predatory mites. In ornamentals, the threshold for pest damage is really low, therefore it is important to make sure that the beneficials army is at fighting strength even before the pest arrives. This is what we achieve with NutrimiteTM. Our slogan is: Breed them where you need them”.
For many flower growers, this was the first time they ever heard about NutrimiteTM. But the reactions here at the show were very enthusiastic. The importance of bringing populations of predatory mites (e.g. A. swirskii or E. gallicus) to fighting strength even before the pests arrive, is easy to understand. It is an uphill battle to try and get the population level of beneficial mites at the right level by constantly releasing mites when there is no food for them in the crop. NutrimiteTM allows to boost the predatory mite populations in the absence of pest. With NutrimiteTM flower growers can now breed their own predatory mites in the crop, when they want it and where they want it.’
Do you want to receive the brochure prepared by Biobest for IFTF with several testimonials about the use of NutrimiteTM in ornamentals, just ask for your copy by contacting [email protected].