"We've also had very positive feedback on the EcoPack container, which is the result of a huge global investment in packaging technology by BASF," says New Zealand marketing manager - crop protection Fenton Hazelwood.
The dual action fungicide for control of late blight was given a quiet launch in the NZ market this time last year, offering growers
a new opportunity to modernize their spray programmes.
Combining the tried and proven active ingredient dimethomorph with BASF’s own new active, Initium, Zampro delivers an impressive level of disease protection without a heavy load of chemical to go with.
Just as importantly, it provides a non-macozeb fungicide option at a time overseas markets are tightening up on permitted fungicide programmes.
Hazelwood says the solid tech package and lower active ingredient loading per ha have definitely found favour with growers.
Equally, however, they are welcoming the improved handling and efficiency associated with BASF's new EcoPack design, which has been developed in conjunction with end users.
"The five litre pack has a central opening, so it's convenient, it's easy to measure and pour, and it's very easy to triple rinse."
A global advance by BASF's R&D team, the EcoPack uses at least 25 per cent less plastic compared with standard containers.
It's lightweight, easy to handle with a central opening at the top, a new screw cap without a foil seal and a central opening that reduces glugging, spillage and allows easier rinsing.
All components of the EcoPack are made from plastic (polyethylene) which simplifies recycling.
Responses from farmers and merchants who have trialled the new packaging include comments such as “the packs are excellent; a big improvement on others in the market and the centred opening makes them really easy to handle and much faster to wash out” and “having no foil seal is just wonderful; it speeds up sprayer filling no end”.
Hazelwood says tests have shown that farmers can save up to 25 per cent of the time they would normally spend on sprayer
operations, because opening, emptying and rinsing the containers are so much easier.
BASF NZ has now rolled the EcoPack out across 10 brands in the local market as part of world-wide shift that will see the new
packaging apply to all products.
And that will add up to a big environmental gain.
"Once the EcoPack has been fully implemented across our portfolio, it's predicted greenhouse gases emitted during production
each year will drop by approximately 2000 metric tonnes.
"That's equivalent to saving the amount of CO2 that 80,000 trees can convert into oxygen at the same time. It's a fantastic initiative, and a major advance in agrichemical packaging technology on a global scale. Effectively we’re setting a benchmark that we hope will be followed by the industry as a whole.”
For more detail phone BASF 0800 932 273