Why are we involved in Pesticides/Functional feed business?
Idemitsu Group’s Initiatives for “Food”
Guided by the key concepts of food safety and consumer confidence and responding to growing food demand, we conduct the research and development, manufacture, and sale of chemical pesticides, biological pesticides, functional feed, and other products.
Why does the Idemitsu Group engage in the crop protection and functional feed business?
“Food” is one of the key industries that supports people’s daily lives and provides the energy essential to economic activity.
As Idemitsu Kosan engages in the petroleum industry—an energy industry that underpins the global economy—we believe that supporting “food” is likewise a business that sustains people’s lives. This is why we are committed to the crop protection and functional feed business.
Based on this philosophy, since the 1970s Idemitsu has continued to build expertise in microbial technologies with the aim of creating pesticides and feed additives, and has pursued manufacturing approaches that leverage microorganisms.
In addition to developing products to increase food production, we also aim to contribute to a circular society by creating environmentally friendly livestock inputs and biopesticides that utilize technologies accumulated through our crop protection and functional feed business. As a company committed to supporting everyday life, Idemitsu will continue its research and development of pesticides and feed additives that contribute to food production.
Our R&D activities for this business are centered on the Tokorozawa Research Department (Tokorozawa Laboratory) and the Yuki Research Department (Yuki Laboratory) of AGRO KANESHO CO., LTD., as well as the Tsukuba Research Institute of SDS Biotech K.K. Each facility is staffed by researchers with diverse technical backgrounds, including organic chemistry, biology, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, and physical chemistry. Through active communication among researchers, new ideas are generated and R&D activities are conducted efficiently.
At AGRO KANESHO, new compounds synthesized at the Tokorozawa Laboratory are evaluated at the Yuki Laboratory, leading to the identification of candidates suitable for advancement into the pesticide registration process.
The company has particular strengths in developing insecticides/acaricides and nematicides for controlling pests such as mites and nematodes.
At the Tsukuba Research Institute of SDS Biotech, a wide range of R&D—primarily on fungicides and herbicides for rice—is conducted in collaboration with the company’s Minori Agricultural Experimental Station.