Andrej Sarnatsky, BASF: “It usually takes more than 10 years from the idea to the introduction of a new product to the market”

What distinguishes the Polish agricultural market from Western markets? Do you think we are in the same place?

Andrei Sarnatsky: The Polish agricultural market is not that different from Western markets. Of course, there are different aspects. Poland, unlike other countries, is characterized by a very large diversity of crops. In Polish fields, we can find not only cereals, rapeseed and corn, but also sugar beets, potatoes and many different types of vegetables. Fruit crops are very specific to Poland, especially soft fruits such as raspberries, strawberries or blueberries. It should also be remembered that Poland is the largest producer of apples in Europe.

The second area that distinguishes Polish agriculture is the great diversity of farm structures. On the one hand, this is a great challenge, but on the other – it constitutes wealth and biodiversity. Poland is not a country of one or a few leading crops, we are dealing here with great diversity in this respect.

What other differences come to mind?

Another thing that distinguishes Poland from most European countries is the relatively poor quality of the soil and very difficult weather conditions. Low rainfall, frequent droughts and frosts are additional factors that make farming a big challenge.

I believe that Poland has been able to adapt to these conditions. It has been possible to transform difficulties into success. The vegetables produced, for example, are popular not only in Poland, but also outside of it. Apples and blueberries reach very distant countries and are appreciated there. Even on the grain market, Poland has become an exporter.

It is worth noting that the Polish agricultural market is facing the challenge of modernization and use of new technologies, which is already happening in Western countries. The introduction of modern production methods, automation and innovative solutions can contribute to increasing the efficiency, quality of products and the competitiveness of Polish agriculture.

What challenges and responsibilities does the European Green Deal pose to domestic agriculture?

Agriculture faces many challenges related to efficient agricultural production, such as dwindling natural resources of the Earth, climate change and the need to ensure food security. The “European Green Deal” introduces new requirements and challenges that must be met in a situation of limited access to raw materials, fertile soil and water. In order to achieve a reduction of the environmental and climate footprint and strengthen the resilience of the EU food system, it is necessary to take action towards sustainable agriculture and production.

The following are intended for this purpose:

• “Farm to Fork Strategy”

• “Biodiversity Strategy”

• “Strategy for organic farming”

• sustainable use of plant protection products.

The year 2023 was marked by the draft regulation SUR (Regulation on the Sustainable Use of Plant Protection Products) on the sustainable use of plant protection products, which in its original version required farmers to reduce the use of plant protection products and fertilizers. In November last year, the EP rejected the EC proposal, but this does not mean that new proposals will not appear during the next term of the EP.

In January 2024, Ursula Von der Leyen launched a strategic dialogue on the future of agriculture.

It is true, it even established a special forum for this purpose. The discussions are to concern ensuring an adequate standard of living for farmers and rural communities, supporting their activities, using the potential of innovation and new technologies, promoting a successful future for the EU food system in a competitive world. The conclusions and results of the discussions are to be presented to the EU Parliament and Council.

The first half of this year is the stage of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Belgian Presidency continues the discussion on the draft Regulation on new genomic techniques (NGT), which was prepared by the European Commission and published on 5 July 2023. Agriculture is facing a number of challenges, especially in the context of changing climatic conditions, limited availability of plant protection products, fertilizers and water resources, the need to cope with competition and at the same time ensure sustainable development, in accordance with the EU Strategy “From Farm to Fork” and the European Green Deal. New genomic techniques (NGT) are indicated as a potential tool that can significantly help to meet these challenges in a relatively short time.

What is important in the process of creating legislative solutions to avoid overregulation for industry and farmers?

Active dialogue with the administration and the industry is crucial, enabling the exchange of knowledge, experiences and discussion of existing and future technological solutions. With this in mind, in February this year we organised a debate during which we discussed in depth the requirements set for us by the European Green Deal with representatives of our national associations.

We agreed that these assumptions are essentially correct, but they require revision in terms of the socio-economic situation in which we currently find ourselves, as well as adapting these provisions to the capabilities of the member states. The scope of application of plant protection products differs in individual EU countries, depending on the size of the country, the scope of agricultural production and many other factors that affect it.

One of the topics of discussion was innovation, which is necessary for agriculture to become sustainable, to achieve reduction goals. We must remember that these are long-term processes that require appropriate support, but allow for maintaining effective agricultural production that ensures food security, while protecting the environment.

What are the latest BASF innovations in crop protection that have made a difference in the way farming is done in Poland? What products is BASF most proud of and can we expect more new solutions for farmers in the near future?

BASF Agro develops each product it offers to its customers with special care. For many years, we have been providing agricultural producers with reliable and effective solutions. Our portfolio is currently based on a wide range of fungicides for the protection of cereals in the premium protection system as well as the economic one. We offer technology for rapeseed producers, starting from InVigor brand seeds through autumn herbicides and well-known to farmers fungicides with a growth regulator function. We cannot forget about the wide portfolio for the protection of special crops, i.e. orchards and vegetables.

However, in the last spring season we successfully introduced four new products that we are particularly proud of. These are two fungicides for cereal protection: Revyflex^® Plus and Daxur^®and two for rapeseed protection: Architect^® and Pictor^® Revy. It is worth adding that we are also developing a portfolio of biological products. This year Serifel^® obtained registration in many new species of vegetable crops.

We will continue our research and development, aiming to introduce more new solutions that will help farmers achieve better results and protect the environment. In the near future, we intend to introduce new active substances for weed control in cereals (including resistant biotypes) and rapeseed. We are also working on introducing an insecticide based on an active substance from a completely new chemical group.

What is sustainable agriculture today?

Sustainable agriculture is an approach to food production and natural resource management that aims to meet current social, economic and environmental needs while protecting and preserving the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Nowadays, sustainable agriculture is especially important due to numerous challenges such as climate change, environmental degradation, reduction of biodiversity and increasing demand for food. In recent years, sustainable agriculture has become increasingly popular and important all over the world. Many initiatives and programs have been introduced to promote and support sustainable agriculture practices. Technological advancement has played a huge role in the development of sustainable agriculture.

In recent years, new technologies have been introduced, such as smart irrigation systems, precision farming, automation and the development of agrotechnology applications. These innovations enable more efficient use of resources, minimize negative impacts on the environment and increase production efficiency. Increasing public awareness of sustainable agriculture is also extremely important. Consumers are increasingly interested in the origin of food, production methods and the impact of agriculture on the environment. This, in turn, forces producers and farmers to adapt to these expectations and use sustainable practices.

Does BASF offer solutions to support sustainable agriculture?

In order to support farmers in achieving balance, we focus on the continuous development of our technologies. An example is the introduction to the Polish market of products based on a modern active substance called Revysol®, which allow for obtaining higher and healthier yields regardless of weather conditions. Another example of our activities is the offer of rapeseed seeds, which are more resistant to stress and fungal diseases, and at the same time are characterized by very high yields.

For several years, our portfolio has included InVigor® rapeseed varieties, and from this season we offer another variety, InVigor® 2050, which in the 2022-2023 registration experiments achieved yields higher by 10-13% compared to the standard. In addition, it is characterized by high and stable seed and fat yields, a strong “health package”, increased resistance to pod cracking and seed shedding, and above-average winter hardiness. All these features make it easier to run farms in a sustainable agriculture model.

In one of your interviews you said that at BASF “chemistry is created for a sustainable future”. What do you mean by that?

Creating chemistry for a sustainable future means striving to develop and apply chemical solutions that minimize negative impacts on the environment and deliver social benefits. It is an approach that takes into account ecological, social and economic aspects with the goal of sustainable development and protection of the environment. BASF is actively working towards creating chemistry for a sustainable future.

Working with farmers and food producers, BASF AGRO focuses on developing innovative solutions that minimize environmental impact, increase the effectiveness of applied technologies, improve the efficiency of agricultural production and ensure food safety and quality. In our Competence Centers located throughout Poland, we test various combinations in order to offer farmers the best possible solutions. The effect of many years of work of the research and development department are completely new active substances.

This includes, for example, the previously mentioned substance called Revysol®, which allows for effective antifungal treatments at various stages of pathogen development, which ensures a broad spectrum of action and effectiveness in combating fungal diseases. It is worth noting that introducing a new active substance is extremely complicated and time-consuming, and its course is determined by various factors. It usually takes more than 10 years from the idea to the introduction of a new product to the market. Therefore, we must remember that the product we develop today should meet current and future evaluation criteria as well as the expectations of agricultural producers. This is what we focus on when creating chemistry for a sustainable future.