Natur-Tec and Bayer will test compostable seedling cups in Indian nurseries, aiming to replace single-use plastic pots while maintaining compatibility with crop chemicals.
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Natur-Tec India, a subsidiary of Northern Technologies International (NASDAQ: NTIC), signed a memorandum of understanding with Bayer to develop compostable seedling cups for Indian nurseries. The cups are designed to replace single-use plastic pots while remaining compatible with standard nematicides and fungicides, the companies said in a statement Tuesday.
The cups will be engineered to break down within transplant cycles, eliminating nursery waste. Pilot trials will start in vegetable and fruit nurseries across India, measuring germination rates, root development, and yield outcomes. If the trials succeed, both companies plan to scale the innovation globally.
Simon Wiebusch, Bayer's country divisional head for crop science in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, said the partnership advances regenerative agriculture goals. Vineet Dalal, vice president and director of global market development for Natur-Tec, said the goal is to build nursery systems that work with nature rather than against it.
The deal targets a specific waste stream: single-use plastic cups used in nurseries, which are typically discarded after seedlings are transplanted. India's agricultural sector generates significant plastic waste from nursery operations, and regulatory pressure on single-use plastics has been mounting.
Natur-Tec's compostable biopolymers are already used in bags, cutlery, and food packaging. The seedling cup application extends that platform into agriculture, a market where biodegradability faces tougher conditions because cups must survive contact with crop chemicals and soil microbes.
Bayer brings crop science expertise and distribution reach across India's nursery network. The company has been pushing regenerative agriculture practices that reduce synthetic inputs and waste. The partnership gives Bayer a physical product to show progress on that front.
For NTIC, the deal represents a potential volume driver. Agricultural plastics are a large addressable market, and India's nursery sector is fragmented but growing. If the pilot succeeds and the product scales, NTIC could see meaningful revenue from a new vertical.
The companies did not disclose financial terms or a timeline for commercial launch. Pilot results will determine whether the cups meet germination and vigor benchmarks under real farming conditions.
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