Valagro re-aligns the global R&D to focus more on use of Biostimulants to address abiotic stress of plants

The meeting will be an opportunity to take stock of R & D developments in 2014 and strengthen the network of international collaborations with the contribution of Sabancı University

Valagro has chosen Istanbul, Turkey, where about a year ago it opened a sales office, as the venue for the annual meeting of Global R&D division, which will be held this year from November 21 to 26.
The meeting is in the context of a major realignment within the R&D and Marketing structures where it has placed significant emphasis on new product discovery and development; this meeting marks the realigning of laboratory and field scientist team in order to assess the R&D needs in relation to the current global development needs, in order to share internally the latest developments in science by the company, discuss industry megatrends, analyze opportunities and development prospects for its “crop solutions" for agriculture, especially in the areas of abiotic stress tolerance, nutrient utilization and biofortified food.
Valagro annually invests more than 4% of its turnover in R&D and uses a wide network of international collaborations with leading scientific institutions and universities. The meeting will be an opportunity to further strengthen this network of relationships, such as the collaboration already under way with dr. Ismail Cakmak, Professor at the Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Programme Manager of Life Sciences and Bioengineering at the University of Istanbul. The author of numerous scientific publications, Prof. Cakmak is internationally recognised as an expert in the field of genetic and agronomic biofortification of cereals with zinc, iron and iodine.
Valagro, therefore, continues to put research and development at the centre of its growth strategy, in order to develop innovative and effective solutions for sustainable agriculture, with complete respect for human health and the environment. This allows the Group not only to maintain its leadership position, but above all, to contribute to progress and innovation in agriculture and use of natural products in agricultural production, industrial uses and human nutrition.