Project Aims to Prevent Fertilizer Adulteration
and Secure Supply Chains to Global Farming Industry; Company
Anticipates Initial Shipments to Begin in Early 2018
Applied DNA Sciences, Inc. (“Applied DNA”, “the Company”,
NASDAQ:APDN) announced the introduction of its molecular tag to the
fertilizer industry in co-operation with Rosier S.A., a mineral
fertilizer manufacturer based in Moustier, Belgium. Rosier sells
high quality mineral fertilizers globally, and in Europe, through
its exclusive distributor, Borealis LAT.
In September 2016, Applied DNA and Rosier launched a pilot to
DNA-tag fertilizer pellets in order to detect the dilution of
genuine fertilizer with sub-standard material within a given batch,
and to be able to trace the batch to its original manufacturing
location. Since the initiation of this study, the Company, in
partnership with Rosier, has effectively marked fertilizer pellets
and has successfully authenticated and detected the dilution of
fertilizer with unmarked material in a variety of laboratory and
in-field tests over a nine-month period.
A marked shipment of fertilizer has travelled through the supply
chain in West Africa and pellets have been analyzed in the field
utilizing Applied DNA’s in-field DNA detection technology (SigNify®
IF) to provide definitive real-time authentication of the
SigNature® DNA marks, ensuring that the fertilizer had not been
adulterated with unmarked material. The pellets tested were proven
to be genuine and demonstration of the technology gained further
support for the use of molecular taggants to combat counterfeiting
and to aid the many countries that are affected by adulterated
fertilizer.
Adulterated fertilizer is recognized as a global problem. The
Vietnam Fertilizer Association estimates that substandard
fertilizer costs the country’s economy $2 billion dollars a year.
In addition, 1,000 metric tons are seized annually for quality
violations (1). In Uganda, a blind test revealed that urea on sale
to farmers contained 33 percent less nitrogen than advertised (2)
and in Tanzania, an estimated 40 percent of fertilizers are
believed to be fakes (3).
Tony Benson, managing director of Applied DNA Europe, stated:
“Adulterated fertilizers have become a global supply chain problem
of such impact, that bankers will no longer finance fertilizer
purchases for some farmers. Without these necessary funds, farmers
cannot purchase fertilizer, leading to poor or failing crop yields,
and financial disaster for the farmer. Regional banks expressed a
willingness to finance DNA-tagged fertilizers in the future, and
praised our in-country demonstrations of the power of molecular
tags to protect fertilizer supply chains against dilution.”
Without appropriate restoration of the organic and mineral
content of depleted soils, farmers often clear new land,
contributing to the global deforestation problem. By improving the
quality of arable land, farmers can turn less to deforestation,
which represents as much as 30% of global greenhouse emissions.
Africa, with a huge agricultural potential, uses less than 15 kgs
of fertilizer per hectare, only a tenth of the global average. As a
result, 75 percent of African soils are degraded, costing the
continent $4 billion per year (4). FAO (Food and Agricultural
Organization of the United Nations) forecasts the global fertilizer
demand to be 199 million metric tons in 2019 (5).
Dr. James Hayward, president and CEO of Applied DNA, stated:
“The total addressable market for our platform in fertilizer is
substantial, but well within our scalable capacity for global
commercial ecosystems. Our manufacturing partner, Rosier, is well
established, committed and familiar with the markets that will
first pull our platform through fertilizer supply chains. We expect
to identify initial customers and begin shipments of fertilizer
with molecular tags in early 2018. We believe this is one of the
most significant steps the global economy can take toward
sustainable agronomy. Farming land where nutrient supplementation
is in equilibrium with depletion by farming, will help to prevent
deforestation.”
Willy Raymaekers, President and CEO of Rosier, stated: “We are
very satisfied with the initial results of our co-operation with
Applied DNA and are currently defining the next steps for further
broadening the implementation of this innovative concept.”
About Applied DNA Sciences
Applied DNA is a provider of molecular technologies that enable
supply chain security, anti-counterfeiting and anti-theft
technology, product genotyping and DNA mass production for
diagnostics and therapeutics.
We make life real and safe by providing innovative,
molecular-based technology solutions and services that can help
protect products, brands, entire supply chains, and intellectual
property of companies, governments and consumers from theft,
counterfeiting, fraud and diversion. The proprietary DNA-based
“CertainT™” platform can be used to identify, tag, test, and track
products, to help assure authenticity, origin, traceability,
sustainability and quality of products.
SigNature® DNA describes the core technology ingredient that is
at the heart of a family of uncopyable, security and authentication
solutions such as SigNature® T and fiberTyping®, targeted toward
textiles and apparel, BackTrac™ and DNAnet®, for anti-theft and
loss prevention, and digitalDNA®, providing powerful
track-and-trace. All provide a forensic chain of evidence, and can
be used to prosecute perpetrators. Applied DNA Sciences is also
engaged in the large-scale production of specific DNA sequences
using the polymerase chain reaction.
Visit adnas.com for more information. Follow us on Twitter and
LinkedIn. Join our mailing list.
The Company’s common stock is listed on NASDAQ under the symbol
APDN, and its warrants are listed under the symbol APDNW.
About Rosier SA
Rosier produces and sells high quality mineral fertilizers in
Europe, through its exclusive distributor Borealis LAT , and
outside Europe to serve its customers in the most reliable way. We
provide farmers with suitable fertilizers considering individual
crop and soil conditions. Embedded in the Base Chemicals business
of Borealis, our aim is to strengthen our position in selected
markets worldwide. With a highly motivated and professional team,
we are close to our customers in agriculture. Our backward and
forward integration result in supply security as well as high
product and service standards.
Thanks to perfectly adapted and state-of-the-art industrial
facilities, Rosier is able to offer environmentally friendly
products that provide users with the best economical yield they can
get. The ROSAFERT® range primarily comprises simple and compound PK
and NPK granulated fertilizers; Specialty fertilisers from the
ROSALIQ® and ROSASOL® ranges are essentially designed for the
greenhouse, foliar complementary nutrition or fertirrigation
markets.
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https://www.vietmaz.com/2016/06/fake-substandard-fertilizers-on-the-rise-in-vietnam/
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https://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2015/aug/05/dodgy-fertiliser-is-keeping-uganda-hungry
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http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/magazine/businessweek/40pc-of-fertilisers-fake--study/-/1843772/3120846/-/61ibdez/-/index.html
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http://community.businessfightspoverty.org/profiles/blogs/kapil-mehan-breakthroughs-in-fertilizer-can-unlock-the-riches-in-
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http://www.fertilizer.org/imis20/images/Library_Downloads/2016%20Global%20nitrogen%20fertiliser%20demand%20and%20supply.pdf?WebsiteKey=411e9724-4bda-422f-abfc-8152ed74f306&=404%3bhttp%3a%2f%2fwww.fertilizer.org%3a80%2fen%2fimages%2fLibrary_Downloads%2f2016+Global+nitrogen+fertiliser+demand+and+supply.pdf
Forward-Looking Statements
The statements made by Applied DNA in this press release may be
“forward-looking” in nature within the meaning of the Private
Securities Litigation Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements
describe Applied DNA’s future plans, projections, strategies and
expectations, and are based on assumptions and involve a number of
risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of
APDN. Actual results could differ materially from those projected
due to our short operating history, limited financial resources,
limited market acceptance, market competition and various other
factors detailed from time to time in Applied DNA’s SEC reports and
filings, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K filed on December
6, 2016, and our subsequent quarterly reports on Form 10-Q filed on
February 9, 2017, and May 11, 2017 which are available at
www.sec.gov. Applied DNA undertakes no obligation to update
publicly any forward-looking statements to reflect new information,
events or circumstances after the date hereof to reflect the
occurrence of unanticipated events, unless otherwise required by
law.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170807005736/en/
Investor contact:LHA Investor RelationsSanjay M. Hurry,
212-838-3777shurry@lhai.comorMedia contact:Dian Griesel
Int’lCheryl Schneider,
212-825-3210cschneider@dgicomm.comorProgram contact:Applied
DNA EuropeTony Benson, +44 (0) 7552 429341Managing
Directortony.benson@adnas.comorweb: www.adnas.comwww.borealisgroup.comwww.rosier.eutwitter:
@APDN
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