Verde Introduces Alpha: An All Natural Product for Crop Protection

TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - April 20, 2016) - Verde Potash (TSX: NPK) ("Verde" or the "Company") announces a new product development for the crop protection market: Alpha. The Company has developed a proprietary technology to produce Alpha from its potassium silicate mineral deposit. Alpha is applied directly on crop leaves to provide plant available silicon, an element that has been proven to induce crops' resistance and increase its protection against pests and diseases. The product's development is a strategic addition to the Company's expanding portfolio of products and solutions that foster sustainable, more profitable and productive agriculture.

Plant available silicon has proven beneficial effects on crop protection. Alpha, a source of plant available silicon, provides the following benefits:

• helps suppress plant diseases caused by bacteria and fungi;
• improves plants' resistance to pests by providing support in creating a physical defence barrier;
• strengthens plants' cell walls by producing an armour-like layer on the outer cell wall;
• increases plants' tolerance to environmental stresses (e.g. temperature extremes) and chemical stresses (e.g. salt and nutrient imbalances);
• enhances plants' resistance to drought by reducing water loss; and
• directly stimulates plant growth and yield through more upright growth and plant rigidity.

Alpha's market potential in Brazil is a direct reflection of the market for crop protection. In 2014, the global crop protection market was worth US$54.8B and is expected to reach US$77.5B by 2020¹,  of which Brazil represents 22.3% (approximately US$12.2B)².  The majority of such expenditure is attributable to chemical products. Verde's Alpha is a reinforcement that can work alongside other chemical products to confront the challenges of fighting ever-stronger pests and diseases.

The Company is conducting 18 field trials with some of the world's largest agriculture corporations, 3 field trials with leading independent research companies and an overall evaluation being carried out by one of Brazil's leading agronomy universities. Alpha is being tested on coffee, rice, corn, soybeans, cotton and potato, among others. While Verde's TK47 ^„¢ and Super Greensand ^„¢ are used in soil application, Alpha is applied as foliar feed (i.e. technique of feeding plants directly through their leaves).

During the past six years, Verde has spent over C$20 million on mineral exploration, drilling 41,942 meters. This investment as well as additional studies has resulted in a comprehensive understanding of the minerology of Verde's rare mineral asset. The Company was able to identify some rare mineralogical assemblies, leveraging this knowledge to develop new and exciting products. Verde has narrowed down its initial approximately 200,000 hectares of mineral asset to areas where the raw materials for unique agri-tech products can be sourced.

Name Change: Verde AgriTech

As announced in its October 19, 2015 press release, the Company is proposing to change its name to Verde AgriTech. The new name will be put forward at the next annual general meeting for shareholders' approval. Verde has a portfolio of innovative agri-tech products, and is continuously working on product research and development. The Company has over 50 agricultural partners including some of the world's largest agriculture corporations.

About Verde Potash

Verde Potash is an agri-tech company promoting sustainable and profitable agriculture through the development of its Cerrado Verde Project. Cerrado Verde, located in the heart of Brazil's largest agricultural market, is the source of a potassium-rich deposit from which the Company intends to produce solutions for crop nutrition, crop protection, soil improvement and increased sustainability. The Company's portfolio includes TK47 ^„¢, Super Greensand ^„¢ and Alpha.

Cautionary Language and Forward Looking Statements NEITHER THE TSX EXCHANGE NOR ITS REGULATION SERVICES PROVIDER (AS THAT TERM IS DEFINED IN THE POLICIES OF THE TSX EXCHANGE) ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS RELEASE. THIS PRESS RELEASE CONTAINS CERTAIN "FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS", WHICH INCLUDE BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, STATEMENTS WITH RESPECT TO THE FUTURE FINANCIAL OR OPERATING PERFORMANCE OF THE COMPANY, ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND ITS PROJECTS, AND STATEMENTS REGARDING USE OF PROCEEDS. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS CAN GENERALLY BE IDENTIFIED BY THE USE OF WORDS SUCH AS "PLANS", "EXPECTS", OR "DOES NOT EXPECT" OR "IS EXPECTED", "ANTICIPATES" OR "DOES NOT ANTICIPATE", OR "BELIEVES", "INTENDS", "FORECASTS", "BUDGET", "SCHEDULED", "ESTIMATES" OR VARIATIONS OF SUCH WORDS OR PHRASES OR STATE THAT CERTAIN ACTIONS, EVENT, OR RESULTS "MAY", "COULD", "WOULD", "MIGHT", OR "WILL BE TAKEN", "OCCUR" OR "BE ACHIEVED". FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS INVOLVE KNOWN AND UNKNOWN RISKS, UNCERTAINTIES AND OTHER FACTORS WHICH MAY CAUSE THE ACTUAL RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE COMPANY TO BE MATERIALLY DIFFERENT FROM ANY FUTURE RESULTS, PERFORMANCE OR ACHIEVEMENTS EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED BY SAID STATEMENTS. THERE CAN BE NO ASSURANCES THAT FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS WILL PROVE TO BE ACCURATE, AS ACTUAL RESULTS AND FUTURE EVENTS COULD DIFFER MATERIALLY FROM THOSE ANTICIPATED IN SAID STATEMENTS. ACCORDINGLY, READERS SHOULD NOT PLACE UNDUE RELIANCE ON FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. Readers are cautioned not to rely solely on the summary of such information contained in this release and are directed to the complete set of drill results posted on Verde's website (www.verdepotash.com) and filed on SEDAR (www.sedar.com) and any future amendments to such. Readers are also directed to the cautionary notices and disclaimers contained herein.

¹ Global Crop Protection Market -- By Type, Crop Type, Regions and Vendors -- Market Size, Demand Forecasts, Industry Trends and Updates (2014-2020), November 2015. Web. 12 April 2016. < http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/lmj8jt/global_crop>.

² Carvalho, Jefferson. "Slowdown in Brazil Will Continue to Impact the Crop Protection Industry's Performance."Far.rabobank.com.Rabobank, 1 May 2015. Web. 5 Oct. 2015. <https: far.rabobank.com/en/sectors/farm-inputs/Slowdown_in_Brazil.html>.

Contact

For additional information please contact:
Cristiano Veloso  
President & Chief Executive Officer
Tel: +55 (31) 3245 0205  
Email: cv@verdpotash.com
www.verdepotash.com

Iwona Zakrzewski  
VP Investor Relations & Corporate Secretary
Tel: +1 (416) 844-7337
Email: iz@verdepotash.com