Silvia Cifre: “Innovation remains the basis of the portfolio of BASF, after 150 years of history”

If BASF has come this far, after 150 years of history, it is because innovation from the side of chemistry has supported its development. The current head of Division Crop Protection BASF, Silvia Cifre has exclusive how innovation is expressed in its product portfolio that adapts to the evolution of the market and growing environmental demands, in addition to its commitment to intensive and extensive cultivation in Spain. Cifre also believes that a way to streamline processes for evaluating new technologies would establish a single entity structure.

e-Comercio Agrario: On the occasion of this jubilee, what you progress the company would outline for the agricultural sector?

Silvia Cifre: Thanks to investments in R & D, many of the products that we will launch soon take new active ingredients, the result of research in recent years. These continuous advances allow us to have an innovative portfolio, attentive to changing market needs, and increasingly respectful of the environment and beneficial organisms.

ECA: BASF solutions for farmers, apart from innovative, sustainable. What strategy will continue as a supplier of inputs in both field crops and intensive?

SC: In Spain, intensive farming has been our goal for many years. It is in a vineyard, in horticultural and fruit where we have more travel and therefore where we are experts. However, in recent years we have begun to launch and expand our portfolio with products for field crops such as cereals, which have recently launched two new herbicides, PicoMax® and Biathlon® 4D. We intend to continue being present significantly in both intensive and extensive.

ECA: Responsible consumption is one of the subjects of society. How BASF works to reduce food waste, through solutions that extend the life of fruit and vegetables on the shelves?

SC: The product portfolio of BASF under the AgCelence brand are characterized by guaranteeing the fruits greater and more regular size and better color and turgidity, in addition to prolonging sensitively what is called “shelf life” or life on the line, both fruit and vegetables, keeping them in peak condition for longer. This reduces food waste along the entire food chain, since a better appearance of the fruit has also prevents much discard by supermarkets when buying.

ECA: Private quality standards of fruit and vegetables by distribution chains, especially regarding MRLs, bring head to farmers to market their products. How BASF helps them to fulfill?

SC: The Spanish farmer should really know how to adapt to a very demanding market, supermarkets, and BASF as a manufacturer looks like this very present to continue to provide value to our customers. So, for example, in several crops elaborate programs applications of our products to guarantee the farmer a residue level that comply with current regulations, while ensuring the best efficacy against crop diseases.

ECA: The agricultural sector also faces another challenge climate change. What role companies like BASF input suppliers as allies of farmers?

SC: In BASF we attach great importance to the technical recommendations that promote the optimal use of our products, ensuring their application in the right doses and in respect of the protocols. Through these indications it is possible to minimize the amount of product used while maintaining all its effectiveness. Also in other cases, such as through the service we offer to rice farmers, rice Experience BASF, encourage sustainability through a clear strategy of prevention and resistance management of weeds that affect the crop.
Another example of how sustainability is key for us are the programs calibration of the machinery with which farmers apply our products in the field: they are allowed to spend only about the amount of product is really needed, saving resources.

ECA: We began the interview talking about innovation and we close with it. How they would need to be more agile processes for evaluating new technologies to be transferred to the field and bear fruit?

SC: The agriculture is a sector that demands a lot of innovation. Given the effort and time it takes to develop a new plant protection product evaluation processes solutions must be flexible and use adequate resources to make readily available to farmers new technologies under the umbrella of the sustainability, enable them to adapt to markets.

From my point of view a way of expediting the process of evaluating new technologies would establish a single entity structure. I must say that each country has its own conditions and work your way.
For example, my experience in Austria, has been extremely positive. There are a single agency which increases much more proactivity, processes are faster and increase the technical level. Spain is not the only country that is considering a change in this sense, this is also reflected in important countries like Germany which also has a very complex situation right now. It is a sensitive and important issue for us.

Silvia Cifre, director of the Division of BASF Crop Protection in Spain