Expands Rock Phosphate Marketing Network in Canada
Perth, Dec 16, 2014 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Phosphate developer Fertoz Limited ("Fertoz" or the "Company") (
ASX:FTZ) is pleased to announce it has signed a Marketing and Distribution Agreement with EnviroPerfect Solutions to sell rock phosphate from the Company's Wapiti and Fernie projects in British Columbia, Canada.
EnviroPerfect Solutions is a premier soils health company whose key focus is sustainable soil health management and is based near Edmonton, Alberta. Chief Executive Susan Penstone said: "We help conventional and organic agricultural producers shift away from practices focused solely on inputs and advance to practices that look after the health of the soil in a way which is both profitable and sustainable.
"We are pleased to assist Fertoz to market a locally produced Canadian phosphate rock and offer its use to our customers as part of a sustainable soil management program."
EnviroPerfect Solutions is the third agent Fertoz appointed to sell its rock phosphate after Sunalta Fertilizer Ltd and Natures Way Farm Ltd signed agreements in November and October respectively.
EnviroPerfect Solutions will also investigate mixing Fertoz rock phosphate with other products that provide additional soil nutritional balance.
Fertoz Managing Director Les Szonyi said, "Over the past six months, it has become clear that the market opportunity in Canada and the US is larger than expected, as both conventional and organic farmers look at ways to re-mineralise their soils, rather than just add nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (N-P-K).
"We are delighted to execute a third marketing and distribution agreement. We have assembled a diverse team of marketing agents who will work closely together to develop and promote our rock phosphate product in western Canada."
Alberta has 1 million acres of farming land with strongly acidic soils and 4.5 million acres of farming land with moderately acid soils (Ref: Liming Acid Soils, Alberta Govt Department of Agriculture and Rural Development). Processed phosphate fertilizers are ineffective when used on these soils as acidic soils inhibit the uptake of phosphorus by plants. One third of all farming land around Grande Prairie (near Wapiti) has acidic soils. Continual farming has also depleted trace minerals in soils that are required to sustain plant health and improve yields. As such, both organic and conventional farmers are starting to look for ways to reduce acidity in soils and replenish vital trace minerals.
Calcium carbonate, which is also present in Wapiti rock phosphate, effectively limes the soil, increasing the availability of phosphorus for plants. Reduced crusting of the soil along with improved crop yields and reduced power requirements for tillage are additional benefits of calcium carbonate applications on grey and dark grey wooded soils in the Peace River region near Wapiti and Grand Prairie. In addition, the Company's rock phosphate from the Wapiti project has numerous trace minerals that promote plant health and growth. The Company's Fernie project has similar characteristics, and is also located proximate to farming regions that benefit from its trace minerals.
Fertoz is aiming to have Wapiti and Fernie rock phosphate as a feedstock for third-party fertiliser distributors to be sold directly to local farmers or mixed with other fertilisers by the agents and distributors.
About Fertoz Ltd
Fertoz (ASX:FTZ) is an Australian-based phosphate exploration and development company with a range of projects in British Columbia, Canada as well as Queensland and the Northern Territory. The Company is focused on becoming a fertiliser producer as quickly as possible, initially focusing on the Canadian/USA markets.
Fertoz plans to develop its exploration assets in Canada in order to identify any potential Direct Shipping Ore (DSO) projects. It intends to seek joint venture partners to assist in funding the exploration projects in Australia.
Phosphate is a commodity necessary for feeding the world, and Fertoz is ready to capitalise on this growing demand.
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