Unilab unit ventures into crops

MANILA, Philippines – Univet Nutrition and Animal Healthcare Co. (Unahco) has unveiled a new line of organic-based liquid fertilizers in Cagayan Valley and Nueva Ecija, marking its entry into the very competitive crops sector.

A subsidiary of pharmaceutical leader Unilab, Unahco has formed Unahco Agronomy or Unagro to handle its agricultural product lines, according to company president president and COO Ricardo C. Alba.

“Unagro shall be our vehicle not only to distribute and market our new organic-based fertilizer products but to also promote organic farming as part of our commitment to sustainable food production and overall food security for the country,” Alba said.

Overseeing the new business unit cluster is Rebecco “Jun” Remorque, a senior manager of the Business Development Group.

Remorque said Unagro is now looking to expand to the rest of Luzon after its successful foray in Cagayan Valley and Nueva Ecija, both major rice and corn producing areas, where many farmers have switched to the company’s organic-based liquid fertilizers.

“We have successfully demonstrated initially in Cagayan Valley and Nueva Ecija that, with the use of our fertilizers, farm yields have significantly increased while reducing the use of inorganic farm inputs that are detrimental to the environment,” Remorque said.

Unagro’s organic-based liquid fertilizers are under the brand names Soil Set, Agro Mos, Grain Set and Crop Set that are listed in the OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) of the United States for use in organic crop production.

 Together, they address all crop needs from soil preparation to crop protection and growth enhancement up to the time of harvest.

The products are all developed by Kentucky-based Alltech Crop Science, a leading agronomic solutions provider whose state-of-the-art production facilities are supported by an ultra-modern fermentation system, a research farm, a world-renowned development laboratory and the world’s largest yeast fermentation facility in Brazil.

Soil Set is used during soil preparation before planting or after harvest to revitalize the soil by activating the soil micoflora.

It improves mineral availability for plant nutrition and contains specific bacterial metabolites like natural enzymes that aid in plant development and improved growth by promoting healthier root systems.

Agro Mos, on the other hand, provides essential nutrients to fight environmental stresses affecting crops.

It optimizes crop quality and improves yields by providing nutrients utilized in plant metabolic processes and reduces disease susceptibility through proper nutrition, and can even be used to revive plants that have been stricken by diseases.

Crop Set, for its part, is ideal for fruits and vegetables. It is a micronutrient fertilizer that supplies sulfur, copper, iron and manganese to the growing crop with a special formulation of high performance nutrients and fermentation technology that enhances the plant’s ability to utilize nutrients to optimize yields and improve crop color, quality and uniform.