Montreal, Quebec, Canada
May 19, 2020
- Benefits of ADVASEAL® over current grower standard continue to be seen in first harvest
- Time to ripen, tomato count, size, grade and yield all superior using Imaflex's enhanced agricultural film
- Complete trial results available when independent report released after the growing season
Imaflex Inc. ("Imaflex" or the "Corporation") (TSXV: IFX), announces positive independent trial results from the first harvest comparing tomato production with ADVASEAL® to the current grower standard for fresh tomato production in Florida with fumigants.
"The first of three expected harvests by the independent grower is confirming the benefits ADVASEAL® can offer farmers worldwide," highlighted Mr. Joe Abbandonato, President and Chief Executive Officer of Imaflex. "Not only are we seeing fewer days to maturity with ADVASEAL®, but more and larger tomatoes of prime quality, compared to the grower reference." Collectively, this translates into earlier, higher marketable yields and in turn better profits for growers. Typically, supply and demand determine the general price level for tomatoes. Consequently, those growers first to market usually get the highest prices, while larger tomatoes also normally bring a premium.
Lower weed counts also confirmed ADVASEAL's® efficacy in controlling noxious, invasive weeds like nutsedge, often called the "world's worst" weed as it can drastically reduce yields in vegetable plants and many other crops. Only a few scattered nutsedge plants were counted on all ADVASEAL® treatments, versus frequent patchy nutsedge breakthroughs on the grower reference. "ADVASEAL's® use could be justified alone by the tangible financial and environmental advantages it offers growers," said Mr. Abbandonato. This includes more than a 95% decrease in fumigant usage, a significant reduction in the associated application time, no volatile pesticide drift and consequently likely no buffer zone restrictions compared to the current grower standard. "The advantages it appears to be bringing in heightened marketable yields is an additional notable benefit."
As a reminder, the tomato was chosen as a model crop for the trial, because it is one of the most widely grown vegetables in the world. Furthermore, if ADVASEAL® delivers high yields in tomato production, it can likely be used to produce high yields for many other fruits and vegetables that require pre-plant fumigation for soil disinfestation. Complete trial results, for the ADVASEAL® treatment and grower reference will be released once the independent report is available after the growing season is complete.
About ADVASEAL®
Today, agricultural films are used in the growing of fresh fruits and vegetables worldwide to cover soil treated with fumigants – volatile and toxic pesticides essential for reducing pests, weeds and fungi in the soil, thus supporting good growth of new crop seedlings.
The original EPA approved ADVASEAL® (ADVASEAL® HSM), contained only a herbicide for weed control. The new enhanced ADVASEAL® under development also includes fungicides and a nematicide to control soil borne pathogens, thus becoming a complete non-fumigant alternative for soil disinfestation. With ADVASEAL®, modern non-volatile crop protection products can be applied more effectively and safely than with fumigants. The crop protection products are incorporated into a coating, which is then applied to a mulch film. Once the coated film is applied to the ground the active ingredients are released into the soil under controlled conditions, preventing the over/under-dosing found with current soil disinfestation practices. This new technology dramatically reduces the amount of crop protection products required. The catalyst to trigger the release of the active ingredients is soil moisture. When the film is applied to the soil, they are efficiently and safely discharged into the ground, resulting in heightened productivity, lower costs and notable environmental benefits.
About Imaflex Inc.
Founded in 1994, Imaflex is focused on the development and manufacturing of innovative solutions for the flexible packaging space. Concurrently, the Corporation develops and manufactures films for the agriculture industry. The Corporation's products consist primarily of polyethylene (plastic) film and bags, including metalized plastic film, for the industrial, agricultural and consumer markets. Headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, Imaflex has manufacturing facilities in Canada and the United States. The Corporation's common stock is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the ticker symbol IFX. Additional information is available at www.imaflex.com.
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