Aekyung Chemical develops first fertilizer coating resin with vegetable oil

Aekyung Chemical on Friday said it has developed South Korea's first eco-friendly fertilizer coating resin using vegetable oil.

Aekyung Chemical, a subsidiary of South Korean cosmetics-to-healthcare conglomerate Aekyung Group, plans to apply this fertilizer coating resin to the production of controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) with the domestic fertilizer manufacturer Chobi Co.

A controlled-release fertilizer is a granulated version that releases nutrients gradually into the soil as its outer surface is coated with a special material to slow the melting speed. 

Moisture permeability, stability, and environmental affinity of the coating agent act as important factors.

It can supply nutrients only as much as necessary depending on the growth period of the crop.

Aekyung and Chobi plan to obtain USDA Biopreferred certification from the US Department of Agriculture for the coating resin in the future.

"The cooperation between the two companies was a practical move to share eco-friendly technologies that can be applied to the value chain from raw materials to final products and create synergies. We will expand our sustainable business and product portfolio by strengthening research and development in eco-friendly materials and technology," said an Aekyung Chemical official.

Write to Seo-woo Jang at suwu@hankyung.com