In the search for new ways to increase profit margins in agriculture, the effectiveness of white mineral oil as an eco-friendly pesticide can be more impactful than you might think.
Mineral oil-based products have long been used to kill aphids, mites, mealybugs, fungi, and other critters that consume crops. Most modern crop oils can be used year-round.
But there are still important differences between products.
- Wetting is a key quality variable. Low viscosity is key to achieving a consistent coat on plants.
- Minimal to zero phytotoxicity is important. If it contains impurities, the risk of damage to leaves is too great for spring and summer applications.
- Purity and biodegradability are also important. Low toxicity is especially important to organic farmers.
- It has to be reasonably priced. A competitive price with higher quality is a winning combination.
We know from our experience working with agricultural customers that any adoption of new products at this scale has to meet three criteria: improved quality, cost-effective pricing, and reliable service.
Here’s how to hit the mark with your white mineral oil-based insecticides, acaricides, and fungicides.
Below, you’ll also learn a bit about Renoil PSO-70 (paraffinic spray oil, 70 SUS viscosity).
Talking with Farmers About Agricultural White Mineral Oil
We work with many different industries, some of which have unique, niche needs such as agricultural spray oils used in farming.
The quality of the product is only one consideration. Common questions farmers ask us about white mineral oil include:
- Is there a superior product to the typical horticultural oils we’ve used for years?
- How much could I expect to increase crop yield with a better white oil-based spray oil?
- What kind of investment are we talking about for better quality oils?
- Will there be enough supply of these specialty oils ready for us when we get a break in the weather?
If you read a little skepticism in these questions, that’s understandable. At a time when supply concerns are practically universal to every industry, it’s natural to wonder where the catch is: minimal benefit, exorbitant cost or spotty availability?
Building a Better White Mineral Oil for Agriculture
As we strive to meet the needs of the agricultural industry, Renkert Oil has been targeting the “three-legged stool” of profitability: improved quality, low cost, and consistent supply.
Improved Quality
To better control for common crop-consuming bugs year-round, spray oil needs to have superior wetting. It takes a consistent coat, evenly distributed over stem and leaf, to effectively coat and suffocate insect eggs and larvae.
In an emulsified spray application, a pure, low-viscosity paraffin oil is ideal. Sufficient purity ensures that no contaminants will react in sunlight and “burn” plants (phytotoxicity). Low viscosity helps achieve an even coat.
Renoil PSO-70, a paraffinic spray oil, has the highest unsulfonated residue on the market (99%), where higher means safer for your plants.
Cost Containment
White mineral oil comes in a wide range of viscosities, pour points, flash points, volatilities, and other properties. Though food-grade purity is a desirable quality, agricultural spray oils have unique specifications that differ from white oils used in food manufacturing and medicinal applications.
We leveraged our relationships with refiners to develop a new agricultural spray oil product that meets tight EPA criteria with a readily available supply chain. This process has led to the development of a new, cost-effective product. (More on that below.)
Supply & Service
No matter how well costs are contained in the refining process, farm operators will still see significant cost increases if the supply chain isn’t optimized.
Agriculture is a seasonal and weather-dependent business with a tentative profit margin. Farmers need to work with suppliers who take on the cost of storing inventory and can deliver products on demand. Supplier infrastructure and logistics are key factors in this equation.
Thankfully, Renkert Oil has invested in facilities and railcars. We are that unique supply partner that has built every leg of this three-legged stool.
A New Agricultural White Mineral Oil from Renkert Oil
Allow us to introduce you to our new agricultural spray oil, Renoil PSO-70.
- Quality: This Paraffinic Spray Oil (PSO) has a 70 SUS viscosity, the purity needed to exceed unsulfonated residue requirements, and the narrow distillation needed to be well within specifications for agricultural pesticides. It exhibits low phytotoxicity and is inherently biodegradable. Renoil PSO-70 functions alone and as an ideal adjuvant with active pesticidal/fungicidal substances.
- Cost-Effective: As discussed above, we leveraged existing relationships with refiners to develop this product expressly for agriculture. We have intentionally contained costs in each step of the supply chain to help support the narrow profit margins common in farm operations.
- Service: Renkert Oil has spent decades building a robust infrastructure to meet the needs of many industries, and now is able to leverage it for agriculture. In addition to a significant inventory investment, we operate a railcar fleet to reliably and cost-effectively deliver specialty oils to farms all over the country, year-round.
Learn more about the benefits of Renoil PSO-70 for your farming business. To inquire about contracts that anticipate your seasonal and weather-dependent needs, contact us today.