Turkish organic fertiliser specialist Icon Group is set to supply the Ivory Coast with their patented biofertiliser, Calsiplus. Icon Group has worked over 20 years in the agricultural sector making biofertilisers, mainly for export.
Icon Group signed an agreement with Ivory Coast Agriculture and Rural Development minister Kobenan Kouassi Adjoumani that will allow the company to provide farmers with their biofertiliser product, Calsiplus. The agreement will also allow the company to construct a packing plant in the country.
With an economy that is highly dependent on agriculture, the Ivory Coast government is keen to increase production. The deal with Icon Group is mainly geared towards supporting cocoa farmers although other sectors are also likely to benefit. Erdal Alkis, the CEO of Icon Group, said that his products will ‘not only revitalise the land but also improve soil quality, biodiversity, air quality, and water quality. We will also improve production for local populations’. Delivery of the biofertiliser will begin immediately and Alkis says that he hopes for a turnover of €20 million for 2022.
Previously, Icon Group had aimed to establish in Senegal. However, during the third Turkey-Africa summit in Istanbul last December, the Ivory Coast requested that the company prioritise their country as a distribution centre for their products.
Calsiplus provides plants with calcium, silicium, magnesium, and essential microelements. It comes in the form of a foliar spray that is absorbed through plant leaf stomata, enabling rapid nutrient uptake. The company’s website labels it 100 percent chemical-free and non-carcinogenic. It is marketed for use on any kind of vegetable. Erdal Alkis said that “The minerals which make up the product, Calsiplus, is a 100 percent organic fertiliser found only in Istanbul”.
Icon Group was established in 2001 in Istanbul. Apart from agriculture, the international company also works in consulting, IT, health, agriculture, and aviation. The company is currently in discussions with other governments around the world, with Guinea showing particular interest in securing a similar partnership.
