In 1908, the hydropower of the Alz, which springs from the Chiemsee, was the primary reason for choosing the location of the energy dependent calcium carbide and calcium cyanamide plant in Trostberg (Bavaria). "This year we are celebrating our 111th anniversary," says Uwe Timm, Marketing Manager of AlzChem Trostberg GmbH. "Our calcium cyanamide (trade name Perlka®) is now sold in more than 40 countries worldwide, mainly for vegetable growing, but for agriculture and for growing fruit it is also very much appreciated by farmers, as a valuable resource."
The properties of the multi-action fertilizer Perlka® are intended to provide consumers with high-quality fruits and vegetables. Timm also talks about two other popular products from the company: "Dormex® is a growth regulator that, when used on vine and fruit trees, breaks down the hibernation or dormancy of plants and induces earlier and more uniform bud budding." Treatment with Dormex® is required in climatic regions where mild winter conditions prevail, lacking enough cold hours to control re-emergence. "Using Dormex® promotes normal budding and increases the proportion of buds opening up, resulting in significantly higher crop yields." In professional fruit growing, treating with Dormex® can synchronize the flowering time of pollinator and contributes to a better fertilization." Furthermore, both the flowering and the subsequent harvest will happen earlier, says Timm.
"This product is particularly well received in southern countries such as South America, South Africa and also in the US. It is a standard product there, because in these countries there are often not enough cold hours for the fruits to mature optimally." This has many advantages for cultivation: "Without such products it would be much more difficult to place fruits such as kiwis and grapes so evenly throughout the year in European trade." He goes on to say: "We want our solutions to help growers grow their crops successfully and then have good market opportunities."
Another product from AlzChem is Sitofex®: "Sitofex® is a growth regulator used in a wide range of fruit types, to improve fruit size and fruit quality. It is similar to the naturally occurring cytokinin found in plants, but is much more effective", Timm explains. The original fruit shape, the taste and the shelf life of the fruit is also preserved, an important aspect for the market, as the expert knows.
"Taking kiwifruit as an example: The use of Sitofex® tends to increase the kiwi fruit size in all size categories while maintaining their high quality, which makes it even easier to satisfy the various consumer behaviors of different markets. This means that using our Sitofex helps to better balance the needs of consumers and producers.
"We want to support producers and marketers in order to be able to market fruits and vegetables of the desired quality anywhere in the world."
For more information:
Dr. Uwe Timm
AlzChem Trostberg GmbH
Dr.-Albert-Frank-Str. 32
83308 Trostberg
Deutschland
T +49 8621 86-0
info@alzchem.com