crop.zone is a leading company in the field of Electric Crop Management. They are a medium-sized technology company from Germany that has specialized in the development and provision of electrical solutions for crop management since its foundation in 2019. The company offers innovative, large-scale, residue-free crop treatment methods that help farmers maximize their yields without relying on chemical herbicides. With a clear focus on sustainability and efficiency, crop.zone is setting the standard in modern agriculture by using electrical rather than chemical or mechanical solutions to kill crops and control weeds.
A brief description of the company and its activities:
crop.zone is one of Europe’s leading providers of large-scale electric crop management. Its complete solutions currently include herbicide-free siccation, catch crop treatment and weed control for professional growers. The innovative solutions are based on interdisciplinary knowledge in chemistry, biology, physics, ecology and agronomy. The professional technology of the “Made in Germany” systems enables safe, effective and cost-efficient use by professional farmers and contractors. The series-produced, technologically outstanding crop.zone system achieves high-quality results while protecting the soil. In this way, crop.zone offers a solution for ecological and sustainable agriculture and contributes to the future of our planet.
What are the main areas of activity of the company?
The main activities of crop.zone include the development and distribution of electric crop management systems that can be used in both conventional and organic farming.
Specific applications include:
- Siccation of crops: In particular, the control of potato ripening, where the company uses a high-voltage electrical process to kill plant material effectively and without chemical residues. However, crop,zone also offers very effective and efficient electric siccation in the cereals sector, e.g. for oats.
- Weed control: Electric systems for pre-emergence weed control, providing an environmentally friendly alternative to chemical herbicides.
- Technology development: Ongoing optimization of technologies used, including adaptation and improvement of applicators and integration of new physical and biological knowledge.
What’s the news about new products/services?
crop.zone is continuously expanding its product range and plans to launch systems with a working width of 27 meters by 2025. This expansion will further increase the efficiency and application flexibility of the technology. crop.zone’s 24-meter systems have already won several national and international awards, most recently at Agritechnica 2023, together with John Deere. The awards underline crop.zone’s technological leadership in the field of electric crop management and the continuous innovation that the company brings to agriculture.
What are the ranges of products/services?
crop.zone offers a range of products and services tailored to the needs of modern agriculture:
- Electrical desiccation systems: These systems are designed to safely and effectively kill crops such as potatoes using high voltage without the use of chemical herbicides.
- Volt.Fuel: An innovative spraying solution that greatly reduces the electrical contact resistance of the plant surface, improving the efficiency of electrical treatment.
- Flexible applications: In addition to desiccation, crop.zone systems can be used for pre-emergence weed control and catch crop treatment.
What is the state of the market where you are currently active?
The market in which crop.zone operates is undergoing a significant shift towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. In Europe, where crop.zone plays a leading role, there is a growing demand for alternatives to chemical herbicides, driven by stricter regulations and the rise of herbicide resistance. The trend is clearly moving towards technologies that both protect the environment and increase efficiency, and crop.zone is well positioned to benefit from this change.
What can you tell us about market trends?
A key trend in the market is the increased focus on sustainability in agriculture. Farmers are under increasing pressure to minimize their environmental impact, particularly by reducing the use of chemicals such as herbicides. At the same time, there is a growing challenge to find weather-independent and reliable methods for crop management. Technologies that offer flexibility and help avoid resistance to traditional herbicides are becoming increasingly important. crop.zone electric systems offer these benefits by providing a predictable, weather-independent and sustainable alternative.
What are the most innovative products/services marketed?
crop.zone’s most innovative product to date is the volt.fuel system, which reduces the electrical resistance of the plant surface by a factor of 10-15, significantly reducing the energy required to treat the crop. This system, combined with crop.zone’s advanced high voltage technology, enables efficient and cost-effective treatment of large agricultural areas. In addition, the entire system is modular and flexible, allowing it to be used for a variety of agricultural applications.
What estimations do you have for 2024?
For 2024, crop.zone plans to further expand its market leadership in Europe and to further establish its technologies in the market. Demand for electric and chemical-free solutions in agriculture is expected to continue to grow, especially in light of global efforts to reduce environmental impact and promote sustainable practices. Farmers are also concerned about increasing weather extremes and the associated planning uncertainty. crop.zone is a weather-independent solution that allows farmers to plan their harvests again or makes it possible in the first place. crop.zone will therefore continue to invest in research and development to further improve its technologies and open up new applications. The goal is to provide both conventional and organic farmers with a robust, flexible and environmentally friendly alternative that meets the needs of modern agriculture.