Custom Chemistry has managed to acquire 3% of the South African agricultural nitrogen fertiliser market in the past three years, says MD and chief scientist Gerhard Vermaak.

“Our early-life initiation tech (EL-I Tech) – only four years old – is already being distributed in nine countries, including Australia and New Zealand.

“We have also filed patents in 95 countries, and want to get to all the others this year.

“Over the next five years, our plan is to reach as many countries with EL-I Tech as possible,” says Vermaak.

Custom Chemistry last year also partnered with South African fertiliser company Greenspan to coat its monoammonium phosphate granules with EL‑I Tech.

“What makes this interesting, is that it gives us a footprint on the South African farms not yet familiar with our product,” says Vermaak.

“This collaboration, where a Greenspan product will be biochemically enhanced by EL-I Tech, signifies a massive shift in agriculture – with global potential,” adds Greenspan MD Chris Scheepers.

“We’re bringing together the best of chemical fertiliser history with the latest in biochemistry, delivering crop health, resilience and yield like never before.”

But what is EL-I Tech?

Vermaak explains.

“The product leverages a novel microbial symbiosis – perfected for the first time in seven decades – that fixes nitrogen naturally, while unlocking vital nutrients like potassium and phosphorus, with minimal reliance on traditional chemical inputs.

“This means that EL-I Tech helps crops feed themselves naturally, without drawing energy from the plant. This means healthier plants that keep growing strongly from early season to harvest.

“In short, it helps crops make better use of what’s already in the soil, while improving soil health and plant resilience.”

Nitrogen fixation is the process of converting nitrogen into biologically usable forms – primarily ammonia or ammonium.

The industrial process to do this – the Haber-Bosch process – synthesises ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen, for use in fertilisers and other chemicals.

Fritz Haber won the 1918 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for this breakthrough.

No-one has, however, to date, perfected a commercially viable method to do this through a biological process – until now, says Vermaak.

A biologist by training, Vermaak describes himself as a natural scientist.

“Custom Chemistry has managed to take biological nitrogen fixation to a level equal to that of industrial – chemical – nitrogen fixation.”

While this may not mean much to most people, Vermaak says the rands-and-cents difference to farmers is quite significant.

“Chemical nitrogen is one of the biggest agricultural costs on any farm, and we come in at less than 10% of that cost.

“Also, one bakkie-load of our product is equal to twenty interlink truckloads of chemical fertiliser. With us you need 100 g to achieve the same results as 250 kg of standard fertiliser.

“Because of this, our product is also very cost-effective when it comes to transport and shipping.”

Vermaak says EL-I Tech can be used as a standalone product, or it can be integrated into existing nitrogen systems, “supercharging them to be even better”. 

He adds that the product has been tested across thousands of hectares and various crops, in different climates and through multiple seasons.

He says real-world results include up to 75% higher profit in maize crops; up to 54% higher profit in sunflower crops; 35% higher yields on citrus farms; and 13% higher yields on potato fields.

“A 300-ha dryland wheat trial in Makwassie achieved 4.5 t/ha, compared with the local average of around 2 t/ha.

“You can imagine that something like this also holds significant value in terms of global food security.”

Vermaak says EL-I Tech has been fully approved by the relevant regulatory bodies, making it ready for commercial use as a biological fertiliser.

“It is 100% natural and biologically safe, with no risk to soil microbiology, crops, humans or animals.”

Custom Chemistry employs 38 people, with its production site as well as blending and packaging sites located in Gauteng.