Mr. Cristiano Veloso reports

PUBLIC FUNDING RECEIVED TO EXPAND THERMOPOTASH DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

Brazil's national council for scientific and technological development (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico or CNPq) has awarded Dr. Gaspar Korndorfer, professor at the Federal University of Uberlandia, a research grant of 513,693.90 reais (approximately $236,000) to finance a research program to further demonstrate the full range of agronomic applications of ThermoPotash (TK).

TK is a highly efficient source of potash that has numerous agronomic applications, such as:

1. Increasing plant resistance against diseases, insects and drought;
2. Correcting soil acidity without releasing carbon dioxide;
3. Increasing soil availability of phosphate;
4. Improving food quality and taste.

TK has a multitude of benefits yet to be explored and quantified. This research will be an important contribution toward fully understanding the whole array of advantages offered by this innovative fertilizer ideally conceived for tropical agriculture.

The proposal from UFU to further develop TK was one of the chosen applications of a CNPq research finance program (MCTI/CT-Agronegocio/CNPq No. 38/2013) that supports research projects, development and/or technological innovation focused on agricultural inputs.

The CNPq-financed TK research program at UFU will have two phases. The first phase will consist of lab work, to be held at the Institute of Agricultural Science at UFU, involving the in-house cultivation of millet. The second phase will involve fieldwork with sugar cane culture aged one year old and 1.5 years old, to be planted in fields close to the university. Both phases will involve chemical, incubation and leaching processes. In total over 50 tonnes of TK will be applied.

President and chief executive officer, Cristiano Veloso, commented: "I would like to congratulate Dr. Gaspar Korndorfer for overseeing this groundbreaking research. As one of Brazil's leading agronomists of soil fertility and one of the world's foremost experts in sugar cane plantation, Dr. Korndorfer is aptly placed to conduct this TK research program. It is encouraging to see the Brazilian federal government investing over half a million Brazilian reais in the development of TK."

Work on using the company's potassium silicate rock to produce TK began in the early 1980s by Brazilian academics. Verde Potash PLC built on that work with its own research and development, having started its own agronomic trials in 2009, and has continued through to the present. The results of these tests have demonstrated the product's efficacy as a source of potassium, silicon and calcium, as well as its ability to address the acidity of Brazilian soils. As a result, the Brazilian ministry of agriculture approved TK for use as a potash fertilizer on June 24, 2013, making the product eligible for sale in Brazil. The additional work Dr. Korndorfer will be conducting is expected to continue adding value to the product, confirming its advantages in improving agronomic efficiency, increasing the knowledge of consumers and universities, and thus providing an excellent marketing tool for the product.

About Dr. Korndorfer

Dr. Korndorfer is currently a professor of agriculture at the graduate institute of agronomy of agricultural sciences at the Federal University of Uberlandia. He has a postdoctorate from the University of Florida and earned his doctorate in soil science and plant nutrition from ESALQ of the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. His past research includes groundbreaking work on the use of biologically available silica in the plantation of sugar cane, demonstrating silica's role in protecting crops from pests and enhancing crop resistance to drought. During his career, Dr. Korndorfer has published one book, 13 book chapters, over 120 articles in national and international journals, and 219 papers in conferences. He has produced 21 technical innovations for production. He has participated in more than 30 scientific events abroad, many as a guest speaker. From 2007 to 2011, Dr. Korndorfer served as a member of the chamber of agriculture of the foundation for research support of the state of Minas Gerais. Dr. Korndorfer specializes in soil fertility and plant nutrition, management and fertilization of sugar cane production, and fertilizer technology.

About the Federal University of Uberlandia

The Federal University of Uberlandia, located in Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, is a renowned educational institution and is among the best universities in Brazil. The UFU supports the formation of groups of institutional research to stimulate scientific production and technological innovation. It is an institution that values critical dialogue with the community so as to ensure access to all economic, scientific, technological and artistic cultural heritages.

About CNPq

CNPq, a research-financing branch of the federal government, fosters scientific and technological research, encourages the formation of Brazilian researchers, and contributes to the national development and recognition of research and Brazilian researchers from various institutions of the international scientific community. CNPq invests over $400-million (U.S.) annually in science, technology and innovation projects.

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