Israel-based biological crop protection company Stockton Group (STK) has signed a commercialization and distribution agreement with Syngenta Australia, giving it exclusive rights to distribute the Timorex Gold biofungicide on edible crops.

The deal will apply to Australia as well as New Zealand, allowing more growers access to the product which has been effective in bolstering productivity and reducing chemical residues in crops ranging from bananas to field vegetables to strawberries.

Timorex Gold is certified by leading organic associations worldwide, including BioGro in New Zealand. It does not damage beneficial insects, and is a fully secure product for aerial spray applications and other conventional methods.

"Timorex Gold® will give growers across Australia and New Zealand a new and effective disease management tool which will improve the sustainability of food production," Syngenta Territory Head – Australasia, Paul Luxton, said in a release. 

"It complements our leading viticulture portfolio, including Switch®, Thiovit® and Topas®, providing a comprehensive, integrated resistance management offering."

STK CEO Guy Elitzur said the company was pleased its collaboration with Syngenta had extended to new territories.

"This agreement further strengthens our business relationship and serves as an additional validation of future partnerships between the two companies," he said. 

Tauranga-based Grosafe Chemicals Limited, which has managed the Timorex trial program and commercial development in New Zealand over the past three years, will continue to support Stockton in product development, efficacy trials and technical matters and will hold the registration for Timorex Gold in New Zealand. 

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