Kanematsu Corporation (“Kanematsu”) and EF Polymer Inc. (“EF Polymer”), in collaboration with Kanematsu’s processing tomato supplier, Morning Star Packing Company (“MSP”), have begun a field trial using EF Polymer, a 100% naturally derived and biodegradable water-retention polymer produced by EF Polymer, within MSP's commercial tomato production fields in California, USA. Through this collaboration, the companies aim to better understand the agronomic performance and practical application of EF Polymer under commercial processing tomato production while supporting continued evaluation of innovative technologies that may contribute to more sustainable agricultural production and resilient food supply systems.

■ Background

California agriculture has continued to evolve in response to changing water availability, increasing demands on shared water resources, and long-term efforts to balance the needs of agriculture, communities, and the environment. As water management continues to advance, growers are adopting new technologies and production practices that improve resource efficiency while maintaining productive and resilient agricultural systems.

At the same time, there is growing interest in evaluating innovative technologies that may further enhance soil function, nutrient cycling, and overall resource utilization under commercial growing conditions.

In Japan, similar initiatives are being advanced through national sustainability policies, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' Climate Change Adaptation Plan and the MIDORI Strategy for Sustainable Food Systems. These initiatives encourage the evaluation and adoption of innovative agricultural technologies that contribute to resilient food production systems while supporting long-term environmental stewardship.

■ About the Field Trial

In this field trial, EF Polymer will be applied within MSP’s commercial tomato production fields to evaluate its agronomic performance under California growing conditions. Throughout the 2026 growing season, Morning Star will document agronomic observations to better understand the polymer's practical application within commercial processing tomato production.

Knowledge gained through this evaluation will help inform future research and determine whether expanded field evaluations are warranted. Looking ahead, Kanematsu, EF Polymer, and MSP will continue collaborating to explore innovative technologies that may strengthen agricultural productivity, resource efficiency, and long-term sustainability.

EF Polymer The image of EF Polymer

Comment from Giampietro Aaron, Chief Financial Analyst, MSP

"We believe meaningful innovation begins with careful evaluation under real-world commercial conditions. This collaboration with Kanematsu reflects our commitment to exploring technologies that may create value for growers, customers, and the broader food system while maintaining a disciplined, data-driven approach.”

Comment from Narayan Gurjar, CEO, EF Polyme

"California is a global leader in agricultural innovation, where numerous new agricultural technologies and sustainable practices are being developed. Our collaboration with MSP and Kanematsu represents a highly meaningful initiative, enabling us to validate our naturally derived polymer under real-world farming conditions and demonstrate the value it can deliver to growers. Building on the insights gained through this project, we will further accelerate product development and innovation, contributing to solutions for the water resource and environmental challenges facing agriculture around the world."

◆ List of Kanematsu’s GX initiatives (press releases)

  1. Kanematsu enters into a partnership agreement with Denmark’s Danish Crown to spread sustainable pork products in Japan
  2. Kanematsu enters into a partnership agreement with Green Carbon, Inc. aiming to reduce “rice paddy methane” emissions and spread environmentally friendly rice to address global warming
  3. Kanematsu and green and agritech venture TOWING partner to expand adoption of the high-performance biochar “Soratan” in Japan and the U.S.
  4. Kanematsu partners with Morinaga Milk Industry and TOWING to build a sustainable supply chain for Brazilian coffee beans
  5. Kanematsu invests in Nagoya University based green and agri-tech venture TOWING: Driving the development of sustainable food supply chains globally
  6. Kanematsu and dsm-firmenich start promoting joint initiatives for reducing the environmental impact of livestock products by utilizing a feed additive that reduces cattle methane emissions
  7. Kanematsu participates in the Insetting Consortium toward strengthening “GX for agriculture and food”
  8. Kanematsu begins supplying domestically produced rice combined with added environmental value to Skylark – Project reduce supply chain emissions from raw ingredient production and procurement–
  9. Kanematsu joins with Shikishima Farm and dsm-firmenich for the world’s first commercial farm implementation of methane-reducing feed additive Bovear® on Japanese Black cattle

Kanematsu Corporation
Under its medium-term management plan, “integration 1.1,” Kanematsu aims to become a solutions provider that leads the transformation of efficient and sustainable supply chains. As one of its key initiatives, the company is promoting GX. In the agriculture and food GX field, a particular area of focus, Kanematsu leverages its strengths in food supply chains and works with farmers, fertilizer manufacturers, feed manufacturers, meat packers, food manufacturers, retailers, and foodservice companies to advance a range of GX projects.　https://www.kanematsu.co.jp/en

EF Polymer Inc.

EP POLYMER LOGO
EF Polymer is a pioneering deep-tech startup founded in India and nurtured in Okinawa, Japan. The company upcycles agricultural residues that were previously discarded, such as orange and banana peels, to produce and market EF Polymer, a 100% organic superabsorbent polymer for agricultural applications. In addition, by promoting the use of its fully organic polymer as a raw material for consumer products, cosmetics, and medical applications, EF Polymer supports companies in advancing their Green Transformation (GX) initiatives. Through the widespread adoption of its technology, the company aims to help address environmental challenges, particularly those related to water scarcity.　https://www.efpolymer.com/en-us

【Contact】

PR Section, Kanematsu Corporation Tel: +81-3-6747-5000　 https://www.kanematsu.co.jp/en/inquiry/