Koruma Klor Alkali Starts Producing Two Agricultural Active Ingredients in Turkey for the First Time

Koruma, a 100 percent domestically-owned chemical industry company, has achieved domestic production of two active ingredients used in the agricultural sector. Koruma's strong technical team successfully developed Benfluralin and Copper oxychloride active ingredients domestically, both previously imported entirely. As one of Turkey's leading companies in crop protection production and a pioneer in numerous firsts within this field, Koruma has completed investments in facilities for producing these active ingredients and strengthened its position in the global technical raw materials market. Benfluralin, belonging to the herbicide group, is an active ingredient used in crop protection production for combating weeds. Very few companies worldwide can produce this active ingredient, which is used in sunflower and cotton cultivation—sectors of strategic importance to Turkey. In 2018, Koruma, together with project partner Central Research Institute for Plant Protection, submitted an R&D project application to the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM) to produce Benfluralin active ingredient in Turkey. Following three years of intensive work by Koruma's experienced R&D team, the project reached a successful conclusion and Benfluralin active ingredient was developed domestically for the first time as planned. Copper oxychloride, belonging to the fungicide group, is an active ingredient used to prevent fungal and bacterial diseases in vegetable and fruit cultivation. However, all copper oxychloride used as a crop protection active ingredient in Turkey is imported.  

To be produced 100 percent domestically for the first time in Turkey

The chemicals used in copper oxychloride production are manufactured at Koruma's own production facilities. Copper oxychloride, with technology and know-how fully owned by Koruma, will be produced 100 percent domestically as a crop protection active ingredient for the first time in Turkey. This production will reduce import dependence. Noting that they have implemented two important projects for Turkish agriculture, Koruma Klor Alkali San. ve Tic. A.Ş. Vice Chairman of the Board Şükrü Kemal Aracı stated, "As a company serving the crop protection sector for many years, we have brought numerous innovations to our country. Despite Turkey being an agricultural nation, the low number of active ingredients produced domestically is a significant problem. As Koruma, we set out with the goal of producing certain strategic active ingredients in our country. We have the capacity to do this through both our technology and know-how as well as our qualified workforce. Through our R&D efforts, we have succeeded in producing two important active ingredients domestically that our farmers require. Following the ban on Trifluralin active ingredient in our country after the EU, our farmers producing cotton and sunflowers were experiencing major problems. We are proud to have successfully concluded our R&D project aimed at finding a solution to this problem, developing and producing Benfluralin active ingredient domestically, and alongside this, our work to domestically produce Copper oxychloride active ingredient, which is entirely imported and has significant applications in our country. Now Koruma will also have its place on the global stage in technical raw materials production," he said. Noting that they have created new employment with the facilities they established in their Kocaeli factories for the production of Benfluralin and Copper oxychloride active ingredients, Şükrü Kemal Aracı added, "As in all areas, being self-sufficient and engaging in domestic production in agriculture has strategic importance. The 100 percent domestically-produced active ingredients we are providing to Turkish agriculture will end dependence on imported products while enabling our farmers to meet their needs at lower cost and in a faster and easier manner. Our aim is to further increase our contribution to the country's economy by also capitalizing on the export potential," he said.   Source