May 9 (SeeNews) - Romanian organic agricultural products maker Norofert [BSE:NRF] said on Thursday that it has completed a fertiliser production line focused on soil health and foliar nutrition in the United States following a 250,000 euro ($268,775) investment.
Located in Watertown, South Dakota, the factory has a daily production capacity of 8,000 litres, Norofert said in a report filed with the Bucharest Stock Exchange.
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The facility is fully automated, allowing Norofert to have a reduced number of employees in the first year of operation.
“We have taken an essential step in our business growth strategy, with our products meeting the technological standard demanded by the American market. The fertilisers and soil health products are based on microorganisms developed in the laboratory in Romania,” Vlad Popescu, president of Norofert’s board of directors, said.
The investment was carried out through Norofert AG, a US-based subsidiary established in March, in which Norofert holds a majority stake of 51% and Midwest agribusiness entrepreneur Gary Lamb holds the remaining 49%.
Norofert’s project to enter the American market began in 2020, with the company subsequently creating a portfolio of products with growth potential in the market, conducting certified field testing, participating in agricultural fairs, and signing the distribution contract covering the South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota regions, Popescu added.
Established in 2000, Norofert is Romania's main producer of organic fertilisers. It has three business lines: research and production of inputs for organic and conventional agriculture, organic farming and grain trading.
Norofert shares traded 1.98% higher at 4.13 lei ($0.89/0.83 euro) as at 1103 CET on Thursday on the Bucharest Stock Exchange.
($=0.9301 euro)