Courtesy Photo of greenflowcanna.com
By Terry Tinkess
AgriNews Staff Writer
Calamari is an extremely popular appetizer around the world, but have you ever wondered what happens to the leftover squid after the tastiest parts are collected for use as a deep-fried delicacy?
You might be surprised to discover that it is processed into a 2-2-2 liquid fertilizer concentrate and marketed under the name ‘Squid Juice’. Greenflow Canna Corp, based in St. Catharines, Ontario is the Canadian distributor.
Sammy Prantera is the director of marketing for Greenflow Canna Corp. He says the product is relatively new in the Canadian market but has been well established in the US for some time.
“Squid Juice has been on the Canadian market since fall of 2022,” says Prantera. “The product has been established in the states for about 12 years, but Greenflow has got the exclusive distribution rights. We partnered with the largest squid fishery on the east coast in the US.”
The Canadian Ag industry has a reputation for carefully examining new products, but according to Prantera, the response to Squid Juice has been strong and in several different segments of the industry.
“The response has been great, we are in a number of different industries from outdoor fruit and vegetable farms to flower greenhouses, sod farms and broad acre crops,” said Prantera.
The product contains three primary plant nutrients Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (N-P-K) along with several beneficial micro-nutrients. It can be applied as a foliage spray or directly into the soil.
According to the Greenflow Canna Corp website the product is made using a low heat hydrolysate process to create an all-natural high nutrient lawn and garden fertilizer. They use the fresh by-product (waste) from loligo squid caught off the coast of Rhode Island, after they have been processed for human consumption.
During the process they use *OMRI approved potash for potassium, and the natural enzymes of the squid to break down the proteins into a liquid form. To balance the pH levels, they use food grade phosphoric acid. Once the product has finished going through the entire production process they screen it through a 140-micron screen ensuring a high-quality fertilizer that is easy to apply.
A benefit of introducing a product that has already been on the market in the US is that it has already undergone quite a bit of scrutiny. The product is organically certified through Ecocert for use in organic agriculture, in Canada under COR, and the US under NOP. They are also CFIA certified as well.
Prantera says getting the product to the end user is a simple process and usually takes between one and three business days.
For more information, you can learn about Greenflow Canna Corp through their social media site (http://www.facebook.com/greenflowcanna), their website (greenflowcanna.com), or by contacting them directly at 905-359-8363.
