Sumitomo Chemical Australia has revealed plans to expand and strengthen its Advantage Agency network.

New registrations for its proprietary insecticides - Samurai (clothianidin) and ParaMite (etoxazole) will result in a significant geographic expansion of its network of agents to service new crops into which these products can now be sold.

Initially the agents were concentrated in pome fruit, stone fruit and table grape production areas. However, both ParaMite and Samurai were recently registered on wine grapes, while the new ParaMite label now extends to tomatoes, capsicums and citrus.

“The number of agents is set to increase by around 30%” said Tony Brookes.

“This has provided the perfect opportunity to fire up the entire network and we are producing a whole new range of promotional and technical materials to further train and support our Agents”.

“Our agents are critical to developing these products and expanding sales. We want them to be skilled, motivated and suitably rewarded for their efforts”.

“Our sales and marketing team will be visiting every Agency outlet over the next six weeks to deliver a kit of materials, training aids and promotional items to launch into the spring horticulture markets”.

“In addition we are looking to increase our advertising spend on all the agency brands which also include the specialist PGRs - ReTain and ProTone”. 

“We have just concluded a major Road Show for agents and growers in the Eastern Sates which included several overseas speakers. All in all, it adds up to quite a big push going in to support the products and our agent and we will be looking for strong sales results in return”.

Further incentives to recognize the efforts of agents will include:

• A staff member from the three highest performing outlets in 2011/12 to join an overseas study tour, with each taking a key grower client with them
• Prizes of four iPads to lucky Agency staff who complete a Q&A training quiz

ParaMite is a unique insect growth regulator for control of mites. Samurai is a system insecticide for control of a range of sucking pests, including mealybug and woolly apple aphid, utilizing both foliar and soil applications.