Haifa Group joined forces with industry partners for a strategic conference in Bucharest, Romania, tackling the pressing issues facing agriculture today. The event brought together experts to delve into global challenges and brainstorm solutions for a more sustainable future.
Haifa Group's CEO, Mr. Motti Levin, outlined the pioneering Nutri Haitech and the 360º Plant Nutrition approach, emphasizing efficient fertilization methods and cutting-edge software tools. Exciting investments in sustainable infrastructure, including a unique blue ammonia plant, highlight Haifa Group's commitment to clean production and a circular economy.
The conference's collaborative spirit and call to action underscore a shared vision for a more resilient and innovative agricultural future.
On April 16-17, Haifa Group convened with industry partners for a dynamic conference held in Bucharest, Romania. Themed "ROMANIA – A Central European Country with a remarkable geopolitical thesis and the cooperation with Haifa Group for a common amazing future", the event created a platform for in-depth analysis and strategic discussions on the future of agriculture amidst global challenges.
The conference opened with Haifa Group’s CEO Mr. Motti Levin's insightful keynote, "The future of Haifa Group - Pioneering Horizon", framing the discussion within the backdrop of global challenges such as overpopulation, food security, and environmental sustainability. Levin emphasized the urgency for innovative solutions to address these complex issues, highlighting Haifa Group's commitment to driving change in the agricultural landscape.
360o Holistic Plant Nutrition Approach
In his talk, Motti Levin described Haifa's Nutri Haitech and 360º Plant Nutrition approach, a holistic method aimed to meet all crop’s growing needs. He emphasized the utilization of various fertilizers and application methods, including the Multi-K™ GG, Poly-Feed™ line, Multicote™ CRF products, Haifa Foliar, and the HaifaStim™ line of biostimulants. Additionally, Levin highlighted the importance of expert software tools such as Nutrinret™, MyMultifeed™, MultiMatch™, FoliMatch™, and Croptune™ in completing the plant nutrition puzzle. Levin stated that modern farmers are equipped with the knowledge and tools to provide crops with efficient fertilization, and the introduction of Haifa’s Nutri Haitech support enables the next leap in crop production.
Investment in Sustainable Infrastructure
Motti Levin also shared exciting news about Haifa Group's ongoing investment program, totaling US$700 million, in Haifa’s production facility in Israel. This investment includes the expansion of production capacity and upstream investment in a blue ammonia plant. He explained that ammonia is a crucial raw material in the production of nitrogen fertilizers, and securing the supply of this ingredient is essential. Once completed, the US$200 million-plus plant will be the only one of its kind in the country, with production capacity of around 100,000 metric tons of blue ammonia per year. A significant portion of the produced ammonia will cover Haifa Group's own production needs, and the remainder will be sold to other consumers in Israel for various applications such as fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, paint, refrigerants, and synthetic fibers. Moreover, Haifa Group's sustainability principles extend beyond production, with plans to cover over 40 hectares of land next to the plant with photovoltaic panels to generate solar energy to produce blue ammonia. Additionally, a CO2 plant is being constructed to store the carbon captured from the ammonia production process, which will be utilized in industries such as food and beverage and agriculture. These initiatives underscore Haifa Group's commitment to sustainability and the circular economy.
Strategic Partnerships and Collaboration
Throughout the conference, speakers highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships and collaboration in driving industry progress. Mr. Maarten Roelofs, VP European Sales, delved into "The strong and successful link between Haifa Europe and Haifa Headquarters," emphasizing the synergy between regional operations and global strategy. This collaborative approach, echoed by other speakers, is instrumental in overcoming regional barriers and advancing shared goals.
Regional Dynamics and Market Insights
Regional perspectives provided attendees with a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities within specific markets. Presentations such as "Frameworks in reference to Management and Logistics administrations in Southeast Europe" by Mr. Thanasis Rosoglou, CEO of Haifa South East Europe, offered valuable insights for strategic decision-making and market penetration strategies.
Innovation and Sustainable Solutions
A major focus of the conference was on innovation and sustainable agricultural practices. This was addressed by several presentations of Haifa Group’s experts:
- Haifa’s Commercial Strategy & Policy in South East Europe by Commercial Manager of Haifa South East Europe, Mr. Dimitrios Kantzaras.
- Biostimulants - HaifaStim™ range of products by Market Developer Europe BSTM and BSM, Mr. Dario Bittoni.
- Evaluation of Haifa Micro™ products”, by Mr. Charis Peros, Sales Agronomist BS + ME of Haifa Southeast Europe.
- Marketing Establishing the Pathway for a Unique Global Brand Name by Mrs. Katerina Partheniou, Marketing & Product Manager, Haifa South East Europe
The discussions emphasized the importance of precision agriculture in maximizing resource efficiency to developing cutting-edge solutions that optimize yield and mitigating environmental risks.
Outlook and Call to Action
As the conference was concluded, participants were left with a clear call to action. Motti Levin emphasized the imperative for governments and industry stakeholders to prioritize innovation and collaboration in addressing global agricultural challenges. The insights shared throughout the conference laid the groundwork for future collaborations and initiatives aimed at driving positive change in the agricultural sector.