Verde AgriTech Plc (TSX: “NPK”) (OTCQB: “AMHPF”)
("
Verde” or the “
Company”) is
pleased to announce its sales results for the fourth quarter
(“
Q4 2020”) and for the year ended December 31,
2020 (“
FY 2020”). Audited financial results for Q4
2020 and FY 2020 will be reported and filed on SEDAR on March 30,
2021.
In Q4 2020 the Company sold 56,585 tonnes of its
multinutrient potassium fertilizer, marketed and sold in Brazil
under the K Forte® brand and internationally as Super Greensand®
(the “Product”), an increase of 76% in comparison
to the 32,221 tonnes sold in the fourth quarter of 2019
(“Q4 2019”). For the full year 2020, the Company
sold 243,707 tonnes of the Product, an increase of 103% in
comparison to 119,809 tonnes for the year ended December 31, 20219
(“FY 2019”).
In November 2019, the Company had announced a
revenue target of R$32 million for 2020. On November 16, 2020,
Verde revised its target, raising it by 10%. The new target for the
2020 revenue was set at R$35.2 million. The Company is pleased to
announce that it achieved the updated target.
“We know that 2020 was a challenging year for
everyone because of Covid-19, especially in heavily affected
Brazil. It is therefore gratifying to see the continued growth of
Verde, thanks to our renewed and growing client base, as well as
our devoted staff who believe in our purpose,” commented Cristiano
Veloso, Verde's founder, President & CEO.
ALYSSON PAOLINELLI’S NOMINATION FOR THE 2021 NOBEL PEACE
PRIZE
Mr. Alysson Paolinelli, Verde's Board member
since 2014, was nominated for the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize. Over
14,000 people have signed an online petition and over one hundred
letters were sent from representatives of 28 countries, including
several universities and research institutes, in support of Mr.
Paolinelli's nomination.
Mr. Paolinelli had a vital role in
conceptualizing and implementing Tropical Agriculture in Brazil. In
the 1970s, some of the necessary actions to enable the use of land
previously considered unfit for agriculture, such as the Cerrado,
were: hiring more than 1,000 professionals in the first year of the
Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation
("Embrapa"); building partnerships with
universities and the private sector; sending researchers abroad to
acquire knowledge that could be applied to Brazilian biomes;
investing in science and innovations for agriculture; and expanding
farmers' access to credit.
The development of Tropical Agriculture helped
promote a revolution in terms of the use of natural resources in
Brazil. Through science, farmers could now make the most of the
country's productive capacity to guarantee food security in a
sustainable manner without degrading resources, while guaranteeing
the preservation of 20% of the region's native forest.
“Projections indicate that the world population
is expected to increase by 2.5 billion people by 2050, so the world
will need to produce 60% more to feed its population,” says Mr.
Paolinelli. According to him, “Brazil plays a fundamental role in
guaranteeing world food security.”
Mr. Paolinelli also highlights that, in addition
to quantity, Brazilian agribusiness needs to continue to invest in
the production of quality food, because “people’s increasing demand
for healthier and less dangerous food, without chemical compounds
that are used against diseases and pests or in fertilization, will
be even more pronounced after the Covid-19 pandemic crisis”.
Mr. Paolinelli believes that the nomination
itself is already a victory for Brazilian science. Regardless of
the result, he emphasizes the need to continue searching for more
sustainable and efficient agriculture that offers healthier
food.
Alysson Paolinelli, president of the Brazilian
Association of Corn Producers (“ABRAMILHO”),
former Minister of Agriculture and Secretary of Agriculture of
Minas Gerais, founded Embrapa and received the World Food Award in
2006 for his contribution to advancing human development in
improving the quality, quantity and availability of food in the
world.
VERDE PRAISED AS ONE OF THE BEST
COMPANIES TO WORK FOR IN BRAZIL
The Company has been certified as a Great Place
to Work® ("GPTW"). The GPTW acknowledgment is an
annual certification granted to companies that have most of its
employees with a positive perception of its work environment.
GPTW is a global consultancy that supports
organizations achieving better results through its culture, high
performance, trust and innovation. As part of the certification
process, Verde's employees participated in a survey that assessed
the quality of the work environment and the Company’s
organizational culture, as well as the perception of employees
about their leadership at Verde.
After evaluating employees' answers, GPTW
compiled the reported perceptions and transformed them into an
average number that indicates how many employees have a positive
perception of the Company.
The average obtained by Verde showed that the
vast majority of its employees share a positive perception, leading
the Company to receive the Great Place to Work® certification. This
achievement consolidates Verde as a sustainable and inspiring
employer and confirms that the Company has created a work
environment that encourages and enables the personal and
professional growth of its employees.
"We are always seeking innovations that empower
our employees while observing the current scenario. A good example
of that is the innovative concept of the "Anywhere Office", adopted
by the Company, which allows us to hire and work with the best
talents anywhere in Brazil," commented Mr. Veloso.
The Company currently counts with employees in 5
states and 35 cities across Brazil. As part of its constant growth
project, Verde continues to look for professionals with innovative
and creative minds, who seek to learn from each other and to grow
along with the Company.
PROJECT UPDATE¹
Mining Concession Application (“Requerimento de Lavra”)
for Mine Pit 2
On March 26, 2020, the National Mining Agency
(“ANM”) approved the Feasibility Study
(“Plano de Aproveitamento Econômico - PAE”) for
the extraction of 25,000,000 tonnes per year
(“tpy”) in Mine Pit 2, as part of the Mining
Concession Application process. On March 30, 2020 Verde applied for
a 2,500,000 tpy Environmental License for Mine Pit 2. The 2,500,000
tpy Environmental License was approved on December 23, 2020.
The next and final stage of the Mining
Concession Application was to present the approved Environmental
License Certificate to the ANM as Verde had already fulfilled all
the other requirements in the process.
The Company currently has full rights to mine
482,800 tpy (i.e. since it holds mining Concessions/Permits and
Environmental Licenses, Verde is authorized to produce the amount
mentioned).
BAKS®
On December 15, 2020, Verde introduced its
newest product, BAKS®, a combination of K Forte® (source of
potassium, silicon and magnesium) plus three other nutrients that
can be chosen by customers according to their crops’ needs.
Plant 1 is in operation with BAKS® production,
which already accounts for approximately 14% of Verde’s sales since
the product was launched and 14% of Verde’s total purchase orders
for 2021 to date.
Verde has developed two new technologies to
enable BAKS® production, also presented on December 15, 2020. Given
its innovative nature, the Company has filed for patent protection
covering these new technologies in addition to BAKS® itself.
3D ALLIANCE®
BAKS® relies on the 3D Alliance® technology,
which was developed to transform the three-dimensional structure of
the raw materials added to the fertilizer.
The materials are subjected to physical
transformations, increasing their specific surfaces and forming
microparticles that release nutrients progressively. The
fertilizers resulting from the mixture are homogeneous and are
distributed evenly in the soil, without segregation.
MICRO S TECHNOLOGY®
BAKS® has an exclusive elemental sulfur
(“S”) micronization technology: Micro S
Technology®.
A study carried out by researchers from the
State University of São Paulo with soybean crops revealed that the
granulometry of the sulfur source is a key factor in making sulfur
available to plants². Four sources of S were tested: pelleted
elemental sulfur, plaster, gypsum and powdered elemental sulfur
(micronized).
The application of micronized sulfur resulted in
a higher number of pods per plant, grains per plant and grain yield
per pod than pelleted sulfur sources. This proved that the smaller
the particle size of S, the greater the contact surface and the
possibility of reaction with the soil.
Very small particles are easily dispersed in the
soil and the larger contact surface facilitates the work of
microorganisms. Therefore, the oxidation rate increases and
nutrients become available to plants more efficiently. This
favours the absorption of sulfur and, consequently, the development
of the plant.
PRE-FEASIBILITY STUDY
Micro S Technology converts widely available
unrefined elemental sulfur into highly efficient micronized
material, as a cost-efficient source of nutrient. Therefore
micronized sulfur can be added to BAKS® to help solve farmers’ main
issues related to the nutrient availability, performance and cost.
The Cerrado Verde Project has a US$ 2 billion
NPV³ and BAKS® makes it potentially possible for the Company
to improve its target market share of the Brazilian potash and
sulfur markets, plus upside from other nutrients.
To correctly assess sulfur’s potential market in
Brazil and the opportunities that come with it, a new
Pre-Feasibility Study will be developed in 2021, which is expected
to be finished by the end of the year.
INVESTORS NEWSLETTER
Subscribe to receive the Company’s monthly
updates
at: http://cloud.marketing.verde.ag/InvestorsSubscription
The last edition of the newsletter can be
accessed at: http://bit.ly/InvestorsNL-January2021
Q4 AND FY 2020 RESULTS CONFERENCE
CALL
The Company will host a conference call on
Wednesday, April 7, 2021 at 11:00 pm Eastern Time (4:00 pm
Greenwich Mean Time), to discuss Q4 and FY 2020 results and provide
an update. Subscribe using the link below and receive the
conference details by email.
Date: |
Wednesday, April 7, 2021 |
Time: |
11:00 am Eastern Time (4:00 pm Greenwich Mean Time) |
Subscription link: |
http://bit.ly/VerdeAgriTech-Q4FY2020 |
The Company’s third quarter financial statements
and related notes for the period ended on September 30, 2020 are
available to the public on SEDAR at www.sedar.com and the Company’s
website at www.investor.verde.ag/.
About Verde AgriTechVerde
AgriTech promotes sustainable and profitable agriculture through
its Cerrado Verde Project. This project is being developed in the
heart of Brazil’s largest agricultural market and has as source a
potassium-rich deposit from which the Company intends to produce
solutions for crop nutrition, crop protection, soil improvement and
increased sustainability.
For additional information please
contact:
Cristiano Veloso, President
& Chief Executive OfficerTel: +55 (31) 3245 0205; Email:
cv@verde.ag
www.investor.verde.ag | www.supergreensand.com
Cautionary Language and Forward Looking
StatementsAll Mineral Reserves' and Mineral Resources'
estimates reported by the Company were calculated in accordance
with the Canadian National Instrument 43-101 and the Canadian
Institute of Mining, Metallurgy, and Petroleum Definition Standards
(May 10, 2014). These standards differ significantly from the
requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Mineral Resources, which are not Mineral Reserves, do not have
demonstrated economic viability.
This document contains "forward-looking
information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation
and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United
States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. This
information and these statements, referred to herein as
"forward-looking statements" are made as of the date of this
document. Forward-looking statements relate to future events or
future performance and reflect current estimates, predictions,
expectations or beliefs regarding future events and include, but
are not limited to, statements with respect to:
(i) the estimated amount and grade of Mineral
Resources and Mineral Reserves; (ii) the PFS representing a viable
development option for the Project; (iii) estimates of the capital
costs of constructing mine facilities and bringing a mine into
production, of sustaining capital and the duration of financing
payback periods; (iv) the estimated amount of future production,
both produced and sold; and (v) estimates of operating costs and
total costs, net cash flow, net present value and economic returns
from an operating mine.
Any statement that expresses or involves
discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs,
plans, projections, objectives or future events or performance
(often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects",
"anticipates", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "envisages",
"assumes", "intends", "strategy", "goals", "objectives" or
variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or
results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur
or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar
expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be
forward-looking statements.
All forward-looking statements are based on
Verde's or its consultants' current beliefs as well as various
assumptions made by them and information currently available to
them. The most significant assumptions are set forth above, but
generally these assumptions include:
(i) the presence of and continuity of resources
and reserves at the Project at estimated grades; (ii) the
geotechnical and metallurgical characteristics of rock conforming
to sampled results; including the quantities of water and the
quality of the water that must be diverted or treated during mining
operations; (iii) the capacities and durability of various
machinery and equipment; (iv) the availability of personnel,
machinery and equipment at estimated prices and within the
estimated delivery times; (v) currency exchange rates; (vi) Super
Greensand® and K Forte® sales prices, market size and exchange rate
assumed; (vii) appropriate discount rates applied to the cash flows
in the economic analysis; (viii) tax rates and royalty rates
applicable to the proposed mining operation; (ix) the availability
of acceptable financing under assumed structure and costs; (x)
anticipated mining losses and dilution; (xi) reasonable contingency
requirements; (xii) success in realizing proposed operations;
(xiii) receipt of permits and other regulatory approvals on
acceptable terms; and (xiv) the fulfilment of environmental
assessment commitments and arrangements with local communities.
Although management considers these assumptions
to be reasonable based on information currently available to it,
they may prove to be incorrect. Many forward-looking statements are
made assuming the correctness of other forward looking statements,
such as statements of net present value and internal rates of
return, which are based on most of the other forward-looking
statements and assumptions herein. The cost information is also
prepared using current values, but the time for incurring the costs
will be in the future and it is assumed costs will remain stable
over the relevant period.
By their very nature, forward-looking statements
involve inherent risks and uncertainties, both general and
specific, and risks exist that estimates, forecasts, projections
and other forward-looking statements will not be achieved or that
assumptions do not reflect future experience. We caution readers
not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements as
a number of important factors could cause the actual outcomes to
differ materially from the beliefs, plans, objectives,
expectations, anticipations, estimates assumptions and intentions
expressed in such forward-looking statements. These risk factors
may be generally stated as the risk that the assumptions and
estimates expressed above do not occur as forecast, but
specifically include, without limitation: risks relating to
variations in the mineral content within the material identified as
Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves from that predicted;
variations in rates of recovery and extraction; the geotechnical
characteristics of the rock mined or through which infrastructure
is built differing from that predicted, the quantity of water that
will need to be diverted or treated during mining operations being
different from what is expected to be encountered during mining
operations or post closure, or the rate of flow of the water being
different; developments in world metals markets; risks relating to
fluctuations in the Brazilian Real relative to the Canadian dollar;
increases in the estimated capital and operating costs or
unanticipated costs; difficulties attracting the necessary work
force; increases in financing costs or adverse changes to the terms
of available financing, if any; tax rates or royalties being
greater than assumed; changes in development or mining plans due to
changes in logistical, technical or other factors; changes in
project parameters as plans continue to be refined; risks relating
to receipt of regulatory approvals; delays in stakeholder
negotiations; changes in regulations applying to the development,
operation, and closure of mining operations from what currently
exists; the effects of competition in the markets in which Verde
operates; operational and infrastructure risks and the additional
risks described in Verde's Annual Information Form filed with SEDAR
in Canada (available at www.sedar.com) for the year ended December
31, 2019. Verde cautions that the foregoing list of factors that
may affect future results is not exhaustive.
When relying on our forward-looking statements
to make decisions with respect to Verde, investors and others
should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other
uncertainties and potential events. Verde does not undertake to
update any forward-looking statement, whether written or oral, that
may be made from time to time by Verde or on our behalf, except as
required by law.
_____________________________________
¹ See the Glossary on page 3 of Q3 2020
Management’s Discussion and Analysis for Technical
Terms.² IBANEZ, Thiago Bergamini et al. Sulfur modulates yield
and storage proteins in soybean grains. Sci. agric. (Piracicaba,
Braz.) [online]. 2021, vol.78, n.1, e20190020. Epub Mar 13, 2020.
ISSN 1678-992X. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-992x-2019-0020.³
Estimated Net Present Value after tax of US$1.99 billion, with 8%
discount rate and Internal Rate of Return of 287% (see NI 43-101
Pre-Feasibility Technical Report Cerrado Verde Project, MG, Brazil,
page 207).
Verde Agritech (TSX:NPK)
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