Plastic-free fertilizers from Swedish startup could boost sustainable sunflower production

The European sunflower market is facing disruptions and seeking new solutions. Cropcision, a Swedish AgTech startup, has the potential to contribute to this evolving landscape. Their plastic-free precision fertilizers will be tested in a sunflower trial, supported by EIT Food, in Spain in 2025.

Sunflowers hold significant economic and ecological value, with sunflower oil used in cooking, cosmetics, paint, biodiesel, and other products like birdseed and pet feed. With considerable production challenges over the last two years – including heatwaves, drought, and the war in Ukraine (the world's leading producer) – the European sunflower market is working to realign itself to guarantee a stable supply.

Fertilizer use is critical in large-scale seed and oil production. Cropcision's next-generation precision fertilizers aim to enhance efficiency and sustainability, aligning with the EU's Farm-to-Fork goal to reduce fertilizer use by 20 percent by 2030, while also adhering to the 2028 EU ban on the use of non-biodegradable polymers in fertilizers.

Improving financial and environmental performance
The 2025 trials in Spain will demonstrate a more sustainable model for sunflower production, potentially opening doors for a new generation of agricultural practices.

"As a start-up in a space dominated by big players, we aim to demonstrate a sound business case to potential partners by improving financial and environmental performance for farms, greenhouses, and forests,” says Jonathan Love, CEO and founder of Cropcision.

The project is supported by EIT Food (European Institute of Innovation and Technology), an EU-supported pan-European organisation. Cropcision aims to show how precision placement of fertilizer in the seeding furrow can allow farmers to make a step change in application rates while maintaining yield.

Target nutrition to the crop
"Cropcision’s cost-effective, plastic-free control release system allows nutrition to be released in a delayed and multi-phased manner that matches plant needs. Critically, it does not arrest or delay seed germination when applied in direct contact with the seed at sowing, which is a real game changer because it allows the farmer to target nutrition to the crop and not weeds", explains Jonathan Love.

Cropcision’s vision is to make a positive environmental impact while keeping costs affordable for farmers.

"Good ideas will not scale if they don’t make financial sense to the farmer. For this reason, we also want to show how more efficient fertilizer use can insulate farm businesses from volatile fertilizer prices".

New product for forestry
While working with the big commodity crops like sunflower and corn is important in the long-term, in the near-term, Cropcision is addressing opportunities in niche specialty fertilizer markets including organic greenhouse production and forest regeneration.

”We have launched Silvivo, a product fit for applying directly to the roots of forest tree seedlings at planting. About 430 million trees are planted each year in Sweden, which is needed to meet increasing demands on biomass as we move towards a bio-based economy. By supporting early growth and vigour of tree seedlings, we help forest owners successfully reach sustainability and productivity targets", concludes Jonathan Love.

For more info, please contact:
Jonathan Love, CEO of Cropcision
Email: jonathan.love@cropcision.com
Tel: +46-(0)70-529 63 38

About Cropcision
Cropcision is a Swedish Ag-Tech startup, innovator, and producer of the next-generation precision fertilizer that improves the financial and environmental performance of farms, forests, and greenhouses.
In 2028, the EU ban on the use of non-biodegradable polymers in fertilizers and other agricultural inputs will come into force. Working in collaboration with Umeå University, Cropcision has developed a plastic-free, control-release system fit for precision applications that, unlike conventional fertilizers, can be applied directly in the seeding furrow.
Cropcision aim to demonstrate that the EU Farm-to-Fork agenda can be achieved without threatening farm productivity or profitability.
Cropcision receives business support from Umeå Biotech Incubator.