Suren Cooke Agencies launches novel eco-friendly cylinderised liquid phosphine fumigant

Suren Cooke Agencies Ltd. confirmed today that the company has received full regulatory approval from the Registrar of Pesticides and National Plant Quarantine Services to market ECO2 FUME cylinderised phosphine fumigant, manufactured in Canada, for food applications such as raw agricultural commodities, animal feeds, feed ingredients, fruits, vegetables, herbal tea along with processed foods, and non-food commodities. ECO2 FUME is an environmentally friendly, non-flammable fumigant which can be easily applied to control insect pests in stored post-harvest commodities such as grains, processed cereal products, fresh & dried fruits, nuts, tobacco, and seeds and tea. 

Cytec-Solvay is the leading global supplier of phosphine and phosphine based chemicals used in a variety of specialty market segments. Cytec Industries, Inc. is a specialty chemical and materials technology company with sales over $ 2 billion. Cytec has been producing the cylinderised premixed phosphine and carbon dioxide fumigant called ECO2 FUME for markets in Australia for the past ten years. They also supply cylinderised phosphine to Germany, Turkey, Cyprus, China, Indonesia, Thailand and now Sri Lanka. They are the largest producer of phosphine for the semiconductor market in the world. 

Suren Cooke Agencies and Cytec-Solvay Industries have partnered to launch this new and exciting product. The first step has been to provide a stewardship training program to ECO2 FUME users. This free one-day, hands on opportunity will explain the differences between ECO2FUME and conventional fumigants. 

Cytec-Solvay Group Fumigation Sales Manager (APAC) Mathew Murphy stated, “We are glad that we have received a full registration for this phosphine technology from the Registrar of Pesticides and National Plant Quarantine Services. Now we can move forward to provide this fumigation management system to the stored product community.”

Suren Cooke Agencies Director Rajitha Cooke stated: “With the added pressures and the restriction on the use of methyl bromide, being an ozone depleting substance and the limitations of aluminium phosphide and magnesium phosphide (metal phosphides) have caused a setback in the export and domestic fumigation industry.

“Taking the above, we are pleased to introduce Eco2fume, cylinderised liquid phosphine, with a composition of 2% phosphine and 98% carbon dioxide. Extensive trials and research have been carried out in Sri Lanka by the National Plant Quarantine Services, with positive results and data, in controlling stored product pests, fruit and melon flies.”

Cooke added: “Continuing with our ethos, we are pleased to introduce another first using the latest innovation and technology in the Fumigation and Pest Management industry.”

Cooke further stated that partnering with Cytec-Solvay group was not a difficult decision to make due to the technology backing they provide, which gave confidence on the efficacy of the product.

Phosphine Gas Fumigants, Sri Lanka Global Technical Support and Development Manager Justin Tumambing was in a position to accept Eco2fume due to the issues with fruit and melon flies faced by the exporters of fruit and vegetables to Europe. Eco2Fume had great results in treating against fruit and melon flies.

Tumambing further stated that appointing Suren Cooke Agencies as their local distributor was based on the ethics and values of the company which has been in business for the last 35 years. Their dedication to bring in new technology has given great confidence to continue this partnership with a positive outlook that Eco2fume will benefit the Sri Lankan market tremendously. 

Pix by P.D. De Silva