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Nomlungu, I would ask.
1/ Does the price change reflect the price action? Answer is no. Only 0.165% of shares have been traded today.
2/ Does the price change represent a change in the companies fortunes or progress? Again the answer is no. The company continues to grow towards profitability.
So my reaction as an investor is:-
Go back to sleep, or buy some more. The current dip is just regular volatility reflecting to smallish free float.
Comment from Antonio Filho shared by PHC Sergio Luiz de Almeida on his linkedin. Jeff Tweedy made a separate comment about green policies surrounding bio-ethinol production in Brazil.
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"I traveled from Vilnius (Lithuania) to Minsk (Belarus) in a Tesla. But pay attention to this: the same efficiency you have in a 500 kilo Tesla battery, you have in 27 kilos of ethanol. What's more, in the case of Brazil, the ethanol infrastructure is ready. And the environment?
Tesla is proud to have neutralized 3.7 million tons of carbon in the 11 years it has been operational. But just one Brazilian company, Raízen, neutralized 5.2 million tons by producing ethanol in 2020 alone – that is, 50% more than Tesla did in its entire life.
This is Brazil!"
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Note:
1/ Sugarcane is the feedstock for bio-ethonol in Brazil.
2/ PHC has good traction in the sugarcane market with Harpin AB sales showing 37% growth in H1. There is a huge market to grow into aided by growers seeking to maintain (and increase) crop yield in the face of drier growing conditions, fertilizer scarcity and new sustainability policies.
Edison note discussing how to feed the world from April (I've not seen before). Nice to see PHC getting a mention.
https://www.edisongroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/RBioSciences-final-010422.pdf
EPA Renews Biotechnology Innovation Efforts under New Executive Order
Friday, September 16, 2022
On September 12, 2022, President Biden issued an Executive Order (EO) calling on his Administration to renew efforts to improve the clarity and efficiency of regulatory processes for biotechnology products. Launching a new “National Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Initiative,” the EO is intended to advance policies that promote innovative biotechnology and biomanufacturing solutions in “health, climate change, energy, food security, agriculture, supply chain resilience, and national and economic security.”
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In addition, the EO requires USDA to assess how to use biotechnology and biomanufacturing for food and agriculture innovation. Issues USDA will evaluate include improving sustainability and land conservation, increasing food quality and nutrition, increasing and protecting agricultural yields, protecting against plant and animal pests and diseases, and cultivating alternative food sources.
[for full article see link]
https://www.natlawreview.com/article/epa-renews-biotechnology-innovation-efforts-under-new-executive-order
Plant Health Care Brasil presents seed treatment results during the Brazilian Cotton Congress
08/17/2022 | Augusto Silvestre
During the 13th Brazilian Cotton Congress, the main event in the cotton production chain in Brazil promoted by the Brazilian Association of Cotton Producers (Abrapa) in Salvador, Plant Health Care, an American company dedicated to the development and commercialization of organic technologies that enable plants to express their full productive potential, presents a great novelty. It brings, first-hand, unprecedented results from the use of PRE tec technology in seed treatment, for the control of ramularia and target spot on cotton.
The studies, presented by Juliagro B, G & P, a research company in crop protection and improvement, show that seed treatment with the PRE tec SC formulation promoted elicitor activity in the cotton crop and lower severity of ramularia and target spot, when compared to the foliar fungicide program applied alone, positively influencing productivity, with gains between 121.3 and 132.3 arrobas per hectare compared to the control.
Launched in soybeans in the 2021/22 crop by Plant Health Care Brasil, SAORI (trademark for PRE tec technology in soybean cultivation), registered in Brazil as a biochemical fungicide for seed treatment, stimulates the plant's defense system and comes contributing to the management of foliar diseases. Validated by the most renowned researchers of soybean diseases in the country, it won over the producers of the crop who gained a profitable and sustainable alternative to deal with the management of foliar diseases.
PHC Brasil is also bringing new PRE tec peptide platforms for the Brazilian farmer to deal with the management of other foliar diseases, including in other crops. With this, PHC Brasil has been building a portfolio of biologically natural solutions at the service of active, healthy and sustainable agriculture. This is how PHC Brasil's technologies anticipate the future to offer today the answers that farmers need to work with freedom, tranquility and profitability.
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Some good photos from the trial here
https://revistacultivar-com-br.translate.goog/noticias/plant-health-care-brasil-apresenta-resultados-de-tratamento-de-sementes-durante-o-congresso-brasileiro-do-algodao?_x_tr_sl=pt&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc
I wonder about the date of the following EPA document.
Draft Guidance for Plant Regulator Products and Claims, Including Plant Biostimulants.
The document suggests which Biostimulants require regulation and which do not. I haven't been able to go though in detail yet, but exemptions are listed in Appendix A, and I wonder if the unique action of PHC products make it exempt.
Need to have another read, and like I say... It's a draft and I don't know the date.
https://www.epa.gov/sites/default/files/2020-11/documents/pbs-guidance-updated-draft-guidance-document-2020-11-13_0.pdf
I was looking for a mention of 'biofuels' in PHC announcements. I couldn't remember seeing anything.
I found this:
RNS Number : 3730W
Plant Health Care PLC
23 April 2021
"In agriculture, long dominated by harsh chemical fertilisers and pesticides, our patented PREtec is a disruptive technology. It acts, not directly on pests, diseases or soils, but on the plants themselves, to boost their defences and improve yield, vigour and harvest quality. …. PREtec rapidly biodegrades, but its beneficial effects persist. The resulting deeper roots sequester more carbon to the soil, the higher yields require no additional fertiliser, and in sugar cane the surge converts to over 20% more biofuel produced per hectare."
ABG: How is agtech being used in African countries?
SP: There are some great examples of tech and agtech deployment in Africa in terms of people bringing products into the African continent that that are on or ahead of the curve. However, and all too often, these technologies are not integrated into aggregated program platforms.
Whilst a crowded area, we see the digital space as being a fundamental enabler in making technology aggregation work in value chain and importantly in the field or greenhouse.
ABG: What about many African countries’ reputations for government corruption and civil wars?
SP: Africa often gets a very bad rap because of past failures. This reputation often makes people cautious, which is understandable, however companies wanting to enter the African market, particularly with new technologies and innovative formulations, it is important to be aligned with those who have experience of the where, the how, and with whom. Whilst there is no place for corruption anywhere, we’d all be naive in the extreme if we didn’t think it exists in Africa just like anywhere else in its various guises.
Regarding instability where conflict is or has been involved in 2022, 11 of 15 of the world’s most fragile and unstable countries are in sub-Saharan Africa. The additional challenge of the Russia-Ukraine war as well as current economic and inflationary pressures, all these issues bring additional pressures on some of the poorest countries in the world with respect to food insecurity. COVID-19 created food insecurity issues for around 133 million globally. It is estimated that as both a direct and indirect result of the conflict in Ukraine, this number will rise to 388 million globally. Several African nations will sadly be affected to some degree.
Overall, the opportunities in Africa remain huge. It’s a big and tremendously diverse continent. Aligning yourself with the right people and structuring market entry in a targeted, aggregated, and sustained way, companies will be able to execute on a strategy that will offer more significant long-term and meaningful contributions to African growers and in turn their own business plans.
https://www.agribusinessglobal.com/markets/africa-middle-east/doing-business-in-africa-with-stephen-pearce/
Bancella distribute agricultural products (including ProAct) in Africa along with DuxAgri, who they own. Co-Owner Stephen Pearce rejects the claim that Africa is behind with BioTech and sees significant potential for sales on the continent.
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Doing Business in Africa with Stephen Pearce
13 June 2022
AgriBusiness Global sat down with Stephen Pearce, who is recognized across multiple industries as an expert practitioner in strategic sourcing, procurement, business development, M&A integration, and alliance development.
Pearce is the co-owner and managing partner of Chemovateq Swiss AG, which owns Bancella Limited serving the agricultural industry across Africa and the Middle East. He shares his experiences, tips, and perspectives of business in Africa.
ABG: What are some important points agrochemical industry players are missing doing business in Africa?
SP: I think a lot of people fail to recognize the diversity of the African continent, and indeed the Middle East. There are 54 sovereign states in Africa (and 18 in the Middle East) with numerous cultural, governmental, regulatory, and agronomic differences. It is not a one solution fits all by any means.
If you want to do successful business in Africa, you need to align yourself with people who know Africa. If you don’t have or know the right people on the ground, you can fail quickly and many do. But if you make those connections, Africa remains a huge opportunity.
All too often Africa, for many companies, is considered too complex and remains a lower order of priority and doesn’t receive the attention it deserves based on the growth potential but value the chain.
ABG: What do you think Africa’s role will be in future food production?
SP: From a global food production perspective, when you look at the urbanization of Africa, the population growth, the number of people under the age of 25, and the amount of land that can be cultivated and put into full productivity — it makes Africa essential in supporting the need for increased food output. For the food development required by 2050 to support a predicted population of 9.8 billion people, Africa is both a huge and essential opportunity.
Moreover, and not to belabor the point, you’re only going to get that right and succeed if you’re choosing the right partners and making sure you align with the right in country value chains and provide those value chains with new and innovative crop solutions and technologies.
Nomlungu
I agree that traditionally farmers adopt new products slowly, but fertiliser prices will inevitable hasten the search for alternatives. Second, products like ProAct have a visible impact, something that PHC promote with photos and lots of interviews with growers. In fact I really like the way they promote their products. Finally, PHC is becoming a recognised and trusted brand. Years of positive results from ProAct are proving their worth with PreTec now gaining traction. The world has changed.
My main concern right now is the US license, and potential delays.
PHC products, like ProAct need to be identified as part of the production methodology (I.e. to increase feedstock bulk). They need to engage with bio-energy researchers, get PHC products named in research publications. They have enough on their plate right now though.
xviolet
“There must be a reason why they went short” (-if they did - which I doubt)
There is also a reason why many more people have gone long. Since I’m long I can speak to that.
The reason is:
PHC have an evidence-based solution for a food crisis of biblical proportions which is only just beginning. The products are quite frankly brilliant, having visible, almost magical effects on crop health and yields. The company have a good and growing customer-base and have only recently moved to a full-on marketing and sales posture with profitability predicted next year and no more capital raises. Working with some of the biggest distributors in the world they have exclusive access the millions of hectares of crops globally (ie they have a moat). Furthermore the biotech sector is scattered and there is considerable potential for M&A activity with PHC being an attractive target. Meanwhile (for technos) the ‘quarterly’ period chart is showing the biggest pennant I’ve ever seen (5 years) and it closes before the end of the year. Technos say the bigger the triangle the bigger the breakout.
If ANYONE wants to short longterm into that lot with potential blue-sky losses they need their head seeing to. But the world is full of gamblers and stock prices can be irrational, especially in illiquid stocks.
If investors have a longterm horizon they should do very well with a sub 15p entry point.
Yes there are risks. Russia could invade Europe. There could be a nuclear war. If that’s the case I’m toast anyway.
If it’s a sell, it’ll add some needed liquidity to the free float, a good thing in my book. RNS tomorrow?
As for the investor radar, I’d say we’re getting more interest. Suspect there’ll be a few waiting for the US PreTec license.
New video from 22nd Aug
Saori, which is already licensed for Asian Rust in Soy, has been given a license extension for Cercospora leaf spot in Brazil. This is based on unexpected evidence from last years crop. Sarori also protects against two other diseases, white mould and Target Spot (translation a bit dodgy here). PHC are now looking to see if Saori controls target spot in cotton which rotates with soy in parts of Brazil. Initial findings are positive. Overall, Saori significantly boosted soybean production last year.
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By the way, the auto-translate translates Saori as "good of earth" or "URI".
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7grg8ynL24
Regarding 140k hectare target, I heard somewhere that Agrii also cover Poland who grow 10x the number of spuds that we do. So perhaps up to 1.4m hectares? Not exactly small potatoes.
Sorry I don’t have the source.