Casterra Announces New Agreements with Seed Producers in Brazil and Africa to Meet Growing Demand for its Elite Castor Seed Varieties

(Casterra Ag/PR Newswire) The new agreements are expected to support additional production of approximately 400 tons of Casterra's elite castor seeds in 2024 and establish long-term production infrastructure -- Casterra Ag Ltd., an integrated solutions company for growing castor seeds for bio-based industries, such as biofuels, biopolymers, and a subsidiary of Evogen Ltd. (Nasdaq: EVGN) (TASE: EVGN), is taking significant steps to strengthen its castor production capabilities. The company recently signed strategic agreements with existing and new seed producers in Brazil and Africa to increase its production capabilities of high-yielding, high-oil castor seeds.

These agreements are expected to add approximately 400 tons in 2024 and establish long-term production infrastructure. Expanding the number of seed producers in various geographies with whom the company currently works is expected to lower production risks.

Casterra's high-yield castor seed varieties, developed with Evogene's GeneRator AI tech-engine, are rigorously tested to meet industry standards. They are distinguished by exceptional cleanliness, successful phytosanitary test results, and an exceptional germination rate of ~90%, exceeding industry benchmarks.

Mr. Yoash Zohar, CEO of Casterra, emphasizes: "These agreements strengthen our supply chain and mark a strategic change towards diversifying our production sources. Ensuring a reliable and sustainable supply of castor seeds is crucial in meeting the evolving demands of our customers while contributing positively to local economies. Casterra intends to continue to seek additional seed producers to engage with in 2024, to support ongoing seed production."

Casterra is developing and commercializing high-yielding castor bean seeds as a cost-competitive, sustainable, second-generation feedstock for the growing biofuel market. It has built its castor genetic assets based on a broad collection of over 300 castor lines from over 40 different geographic and climatic regions. As part of its development process, Casterra applies advanced breeding methods utilizing Evogene's GeneRator AI tech-engine, enabling cutting-edge plant genomics tools and agro-technique expertise to enable efficient and sustainable industrial-scale production of the castor bean.

Evogene (Nasdaq: EVGN, TASE: EVGN) is a computational biology company aiming to revolutionize the development of life-science-based products by utilizing cutting-edge technologies to increase the probability of success while reducing development time and cost. Evogene established three unique tech-engines - MicroBoost AI, ChemPass AI, and GeneRator AI – leveraging Big Data and Artificial Intelligence and incorporating deep multidisciplinary understanding in life sciences. Each tech-engine is focused on the discovery and development of products based on one of the following core components: microbes (MicroBoost AI), small molecules (ChemPass AI), and genetic elements (GeneRator AI).

Evogene uses its tech-engines to develop products through subsidiaries and strategic partnerships. Evogene's subsidiaries currently utilize the tech-engines to develop human microbiome-based therapeutics by Biomica, ag-biologicals by Lavie Bio, ag-chemicals by AgPlenus, medical cannabis products by Canonic and castor varieties, for the biofuel and other industries, by Casterra.

Excerpt from Casterra/PR Newswire: Current castor seed production is expected to support the supply of the new order in 2024, valued at ~ $440K -- Casterra Ag Ltd., a subsidiary of Evogene Ltd. (NASDAQ: EVGN) (TASE: EVGN), is a provider of an integrated solution for industrial-scale cultivation of castor plants based on its elite castor seed varieties, developed for bio-based industries including, biofuels & biopolymers. Casterra is pleased to announce the receipt of an additional purchase order valued at ~$440K from an existing customer. This order expands Casterra's operations into a new African country and solidifies Casterra's unique offering in the bio-fuel market.

Mr. Yoash Zohar, CEO of Casterra states: "This additional order reflects the confidence in Casterra's capabilities and in our castor seed varieties, developed utilizing Evogene's GeneRator AI tech-engine and Casterra's advanced breeding methods, and marks a significant step in our expansion into Africa. We expect that our previously announced seed production, now totaling 900 tons, will more than support this order, which is expected to be completed by Q4 2024, as well as earlier purchase orders received last year. Casterra remains committed to being a world leader in castor seed development and production and promoting sustainable biofuel production globally."

Casterra anticipates that the remaining revenue from castor seed orders received during 2023 and in 2024, which were not supplied to date (including the order described in today's PR), will be approximately ~$8.4 million, reflecting a price adjustment due to late delivery of the order from 2023. Based on the planned production this year, Casterra expects to recognize revenues in this amount in the second half of 2024.

The global biodiesel market size was estimated at $36.48 billion in 2022 and it is expected to hit around $79.12 billion by 2032, expanding at a notable CAGR of 8.1% from 2023 to 2032[1]. Biofuels offer significant advantages over conventional petrochemical fuels, presenting a renewable and biodegradable alternative with substantially lower negative environmental impact. Castor oil emerges as a standout non-fossil oil candidate due to its carbon-neutral and other properties making it compliant with tightening European regulatory standards.

Casterra's high oil-yielding varieties have been developed with traits which make the castor plants grown suitable for large scale farming on marginal soils in semi-arid conditions. Castor plants and the castor oil produced have the potential of becoming a major sustainable feedstock for the global bio-fuel industry – without competing with food crops over prime land.