Organic certification in Italy and Spain

08 April 2020

Eden is pleased to announce that our foliar biofungicide product Mevalone™, branded "3LOGY®" in Italy and "Araw®" in Spain, has received certification for use in organic farming. The certification, received by Eden's partner Sipcam Oxon S.p.A ("Sipcam"), follows the initial approval of Eden's three EU-registered active ingredients for use in organic farming earlier this year.

Eden's partner Sipcam has been selling 3LOGY and Araw for the primary use of treating and preventing botrytis. Botrytis is a widespread fungal disease that causes grey mould on many fruits and vegetables leading to the rapid loss of commercially valuable crops. Following certification, the product can now also be used in organic vineyards, creating a significant opportunity for Eden to enter a new market. Spain and Italy are in the top three EU countries with the largest organic farming areas; Spain has the overall largest area of permanent crops (e.g. grapes, olives, nuts). More specifically, Spain and Italy each have more than 100,000 hectares of organic grapes harvested across the country, followed by France with over 78,000 hectares. It is anticipated that an equivalent inclusion will soon be received by Eden's partner Sumi Agro in France. 

As consumer sentiment for sustainable and organic products has grown in recent years, the European viniculture industry has increased its attention and commitment to sustainability and protecting the environment. Europe will account for 78% of the global organic wine market by 2022, and globally the market is projected to grow at 9.2% CAGR from 2017-22. In the UK, consumers are willing to pay 38% more for organic wine and there is a broad audience of environmentally conscious consumers who now opt for a grape with a greener footprint.

Sean Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Eden, said: "We are pleased to begin selling our products to organic growers in Italy and Spain, a commercial development that will contribute to the enlargement of our addressable market in Europe and to the ongoing growth of sales in these important countries. Sustainable farming practices are clearly a priority for wine producers globally as the organic wine market has increased rapidly over recent years. Italy and Spainare at the centre of the movement, with organic wine production forecast to increase by 70% in Spain between 2018-2023 and Italy's organic vineyards amount for 15.5% of its total vineyards, the highest amount in the world. Our products give organic growers an effective and sustainable solution comparable to conventional chemistry but in a way that is aligned with the fundamental elements of organic production."

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