Ac-Planta to Launch 'Skeepon' at the 32nd Uganda National Agricultural Show

Ac-Planta (Headquarters: Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama; CEO: Jong Myung Kim) will launch sales of 'Skeepon', an agricultural material that enhances plant resistance to high temperature and drought stress, at the '32nd Uganda National Agricultural Show' held in Jinja, Uganda.

At the 32nd Uganda National Agricultural Show, Ac-Planta will set up a booth within the exhibition space of the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) to present the Skeepon product. Ugandan government officials are also expected to attend the presentation.

On-site, NARO will set up a demonstration field with crops sprayed with Skeepon. This will allow visiting farmers and stakeholders to visually compare the growth conditions with crops cultivated using conventional methods.

About the product sold in Uganda

For this launch, in addition to the existing 1-liter bottle, a new 300-milliliter small bottle has been prepared to make it easier for small-scale and micro-farmers to purchase. A dedicated label has also been created for the Ugandan market, making the product design familiar and easy to understand for local farmers.

Background to the launch and efforts for dissemination

Skeepon completed product registration in Uganda in August 2025, and has been conducting demonstrations on crops in various locations in collaboration with the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO). The announcement at this agricultural show marks the start of the first full-scale retail sales within the country.

Ac-Planta signed a sales contract for Skeepon in Uganda in May 2026. Going forward, in collaboration with NARO and local agricultural organizations, the company will conduct demonstrations and explanatory sessions for farmers in various regions, establishing a system where farmers can purchase the product on the spot.

Since product registration, the company has visited 16 regions within the country and explained the usage and effects of Skeepon to over 1,000 farmers. After the event, the company plans to continue holding explanatory sessions in new regions and proceed with sales.

In the future, the company plans to expand its activities to the northern region, which suffers from frequent drought damage, in addition to the eastern and western high-temperature regions that have been the focus of visits so far. Target crops include maize, coffee, beans, and bananas. As smallholder farmers in Uganda cultivate a variety of crops, many for their own consumption, the company anticipates the product's use across a wide range of crops.

Comment from CEO Jong Myung Kim

Approximately two and a half years have passed since the demonstration tests with NARO began. By accumulating on-site results and gaining the understanding and support of government agencies, we have finally reached the stage where we can deliver Skeepon to farmers in Uganda.

During this time, we have directly heard the voices of many farmers in various regions. I am truly happy that we have come to the point of actually delivering the product while taking those voices to heart.

As damage from high temperatures and drought becomes more severe, we hope to contribute to stabilizing farmers' income and securing crops. We see this launch as an important gateway to that goal. We will continue to promote the adoption of Skeepon in collaboration with NARO and local agricultural organizations.

About the high-temperature/drought tolerance material 'Skeepon'

Skeepon is an agricultural material that utilizes the action of acetic acid (the main component of vinegar). By enhancing plants' resistance to drought and high temperatures through the action of acetic acid, it helps maintain yield and quality and contributes to water conservation.

About Ac-Planta Inc.

Ac-Planta is an agri-biotech startup that developed the agricultural material 'Skeepon', which utilizes the action of acetic acid to enhance plant tolerance to high temperatures and drought. This was based on a paper published in the academic journal 'Nature Plants' in 2017 by founder and CEO Jong Myung Kim, who was a researcher at RIKEN at the time. Against the backdrop of climate change and growing demand for reduced pesticide and chemical fertilizer use, the company is conducting demonstration experiments for high-temperature and drought countermeasures using Skeepon in 14 countries overseas, including the United States and Uganda.

Domestically, the company sells products through JA (Japan Agricultural Cooperatives) nationwide and conducts demonstration tests with prefectural agricultural experiment stations and extension offices in Gunma, Aichi, Wakayama, Mie, and other prefectures, as well as with farmers, agricultural groups, and companies nationwide. The company has received numerous awards, including the Grand Prize at the 6th Agritech Grand Prix, the Excellence Award at the 1st JA Accelerator, the Best Business Concept Award at the AgriFood SBIR Pitch 2023, and the Nikkei Award at the 'Super DX Summit Impact Pitch' sponsored by the Nikkei.

Company Overview

Head Office: Room 503, Leading Venture Plaza 1, 75-1 Ono-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa 230-0046
Established: February 7, 2018
Business: Research, development, manufacture, and sale of agricultural materials with drought, high-temperature, and salt tolerance; manufacture and sale of agricultural, turf, horticultural, forestry, and greening materials; water conservation in plant factories and farms, etc.
Website: https://ac-planta.com/

[Contact Information]

Ac-Planta Inc. Public Relations

E-mail: info@ac-planta.com

Web: https://ac-planta.com