Harpin agreement with Plant F

RNS Number : 4289K

Plant Health Care PLC

20 April 2010

 



20 April, 2010

Plant Health Care plc

("Plant Health Care" or "the Company")

Plant Health Care enters Harpin fertiliser agreement with Plant Foods Inc.

Plant Health Care Inc, a wholly owned subsidiary of Plant Health Care plc (AIM: PHC), and Plant Foods, Inc. ("Plant Foods"), a large regional manufacturer of water soluble fertilizers, of Vero Beach Florida, have entered into an agreement whereby Plant Foods will be the exclusive manufacturer and marketer of Harp-N-Tek^® foliar fertiliser products into the fruit and vegetable markets in the southeastern United States. 

Under the agreement, Plant Health Care granted Plant Foods the exclusive marketing rights to the Harp-N-Tek brand fertiliser in the following states:  Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Harp-N-Tek fertiliser contains Plant Health Care's proprietary Harpin protein technology, which, is a specific type of protein that activates a plant's intrinsic ability to protect itself while simultaneously enhancing plant growth and yield. 

Financial terms were not disclosed, however, Plant Health Care does not expect the agreement to make a material contribution to the Company's revenue and profits until the 2011 planting seasons.

M. J. Connelly, President of Plant Foods said: "Plant Foods has operated an EPA-registered manufacturing facility for Harp-N-Tek for many years, and has almost 50 years experience manufacturing and selling high quality custom blended water-soluble fertilisers. We are very pleased to be adding Harp-N-Tek fertilisers to the Plant Foods sales portfolio.  With years of manufacturing experience and first-hand observations of the plant health benefits realised in fruits and vegetables treated with Harpin products, we have become strong advocates for the technology."

John Brady, CEO of Plant Health Care said: "This agreement represents another important step in Plant Health Care's continued commercialisation of Harpin technology through strategic partnerships. Plant Foods has a long association with our Harpin product line and will provide immediate access to the foliar fertiliser market in this important vegetable and fruit region of the US.  We are excited about the exposure and opportunity that a quality company like Plant Foods will provide our product line." 

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For further information, please contact:

Plant Health Care plc	Plant Foods, Inc.
John Brady, Chief Executive Officer	M. J. Connelly, Chief Executive Officer
Tel: [phone]	Tel: [phone]
[e-mail]	[e-mail]

Evolution Securities	Tavistock Communications
Tim Worlledge / Tim Redfern	Jeremy Carey/Matt Ridsdale
Tel: [phone]	Tel: [phone]
[e-mail] [e-mail]	[e-mail] [e-mail]

Notes to editors:

About Plant Health Care plc: Plant Health Care plc ("PHC") is a leading provider of naturally derived products for plants and soil. Established in 1995 in Pittsburgh (Pennsylvania) in the United States, PHC currently has approximately 90 employees and has operations in the United States, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Spain, and the Netherlands. The Company listed on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange in July 2004. Ticker symbol is PHC.

PHC's products are aimed at the agriculture and landscape industries and are environmentally beneficial. Through the commercialisation of these products, PHC is capitalising on current long-term trends toward natural systems and biological products for plant care and soil and water management. Further information is available at: www.planthealthcare.com.

About Plant Foods, Inc.:  Plant Foods, Inc., located in Vero Beach, Florida, provides high quality custom blended water-soluble fertilizers to growers and distributors across the country.

Founded by chemist and entomologist Dr. Robert James Geary more than sixty years ago, PFI has always been privately owned by the founder's family.  PFI focuses on maintaining strict quality control standards for all products, and in so doing has gained a world-wide reputation of quality.  Dr. Geary is recognized as the developer of the original fertilizer mixture known around the world as "Miracle Gro^®."  PFI was the exclusive manufacturer of Miracle Gro-brand fertilisers for over forty years.

Further information is available at www.plantfoodsinc.com 

 

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