The area of application of pesticides of the company "August" in terms of a single treatment has become a record. It amounted to about 48 million hectares. While at the end of the 2019 season, it reached 44 million hectares. This is the highest indicator on the domestic market for plant protection chemicals (CPPP). This appears to be about a fifth of all treatments. Consumption growth was recorded for all groups of the company's drugs. The most significant, by 26%, increased the area of application of means for combating plant diseases. Fungicides, 10% - herbicides, as well as seed disinfectants. Thus, the aggregate sales volume of "August" in 2020 in all regions of presence in monetary terms exceeded 31 billion rubles. (for comparison, the result of 2019 is 27 billion rubles).
Use of plant protection products in the country
“According to our expectations, the use of plant protection products in the country will continue to increase. Even without a significant increase in acreage, - says Mikhail Danilov, Marketing and Sales Director of the "August" company. - Because the intensification and technologically sound application of CPPP pays off not only at premium prices for crop production in the 2020/2021 season. And also with significantly more modest price indicators. The Russian pesticide market will grow. Therefore, in the medium term, we should come to the fifth place in the world in terms of its volume - after Brazil, the USA, China and India. The mood among the farmers - our partners and customers (even after the introduction of restrictive measures on the export of agricultural products) remains rather optimistic. Although with an emphasis on "for now": after all, a certain confusion from the decisions made is felt. "
The expert adds that an alternative to quotas and the introduction of duties on grain exports could be effective work with the intervention fund, as stated by the Russian Grain Union and other industry experts.
“The construction of 100 new elevators, where 10-20 million tons of grain could be stored, is an excellent infrastructure project, especially since there are sorely lack of modern elevator complexes with acceptable acceptance and dispatch capacities in many regions,” says Mikhail Danilov. “This would give the state the opportunity to support agricultural producers at low market prices by purchasing grain for the fund, or to limit their appetites by selling it from the fund in the event of a sharp rise in prices on the domestic market.”
Production of plant protection products
"August" in 2020, it became the first Russian manufacturer to launch its own synthesis of active ingredients for the manufacture of CCPP. Now a plant for their production is being built in stages in the Hubei province of China. Last year, it produced the first batches of two active ingredients for fungicidal preparations. The drugs have already arrived at the company's enterprises in Russia and the Republic of Belarus. The list of active ingredients produced in 2021 will expand significantly (after the plant reaches its design capacity, 36 items will be produced here, excluding intermediate products). Thus, "August" will be able to optimize the procurement of raw materials, minimize the risks of supply disruption. In addition, to ensure the constant high quality of active ingredients through our own control at the initial stage.
Labeling of plant protection products
Also, since the beginning of 2020, all products of the company "August" is marked. Marking is made in accordance with the system of international standards GS1. This serial marking system enables product tracking from shipment to application. Accordingly, it automates logistics operations in warehouses and prevents theft, as well as complicates the counterfeiting of pesticides. An application for smartphones has been created that allows you to check the authenticity of each package - "August Checker". It is assumed that during the agricultural season of 2021, the remnants of August products produced before the introduction of serial marking will be almost completely used up and the system will work in full force.
The August company develops and registers new plant protection products. Consequently, every year it expands its range and pays increased attention to the safety of manufactured drugs. Our own research center, which is planned to be built in the Moscow region, should take product development to a new level. Although in the foreseeable future it is not expected that CPPD will be massively replaced by biopesticides, the company intends to create its own line of biological products. The first of the drugs - a means to protect against pests of soybeans, some vegetables and fruit crops - has already received state registration.