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Agrotech, Singapore

Gustavo Palerosi Carneiro, BASF and Alexander Berkovskiy, Syngeta have become President and Vice president of CropLife Asia for 2021 

The CropLife Asia 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) commenced virtually today, bringing together plant science industry leaders from across the continent. This year’s edition of the annual gathering includes a unique focus on how the global pandemic has impacted various aspects of the regional food supply chain as well as the official presentation of the newly-elected Board of Directors.

The 2021 Board consists of four members from leading agribusiness companies:

– Gustavo Palerosi Carneiro – President, CropLife Asia (BASF)

– Alexander Berkovskiy – Vice President, CropLife Asia (Syngenta)

– Jens Hartmann – Treasurer, CropLife Asia (Bayer)

–  Peter Ford – Secretary, CropLife Asia (Corteva Agriscience)

“It is an honour to lead CropLife Asia at such a consequential time for our region and industry,” said Gustavo Palerosi Carneiro, President of CropLife Asia. “The challenges we face in Asia are daunting. While our region remains home to the highest number of hungry and undernourished, farmers are facing increasing pressure from pests, weeds, disease and the impacts of climate change. The far-reaching effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have only exacerbated the strain on food production and distribution.

“Plant science has an important role to play in making our food supply chain more resilient, but it’s only part of the solution. On behalf of CropLife Asia, we look forward to working with food and agriculture stakeholders across the region to meet these growing demands.”

CropLife Asia is a non-profit society and the regional organization of CropLife International, the voice of the global plant science industry. It advocate a safe, secure food supply, and its vision is food security enabled by innovative agriculture. CropLife Asia supports the work of 15 member associations across the continent and is led by six member companies at the forefront of crop protection, seeds and/or biotechnology research and development.

Gustavo Palerosi Carneiro, BASF and Alexander Berkovskiy,

Agro chems – Fertilizers

A new liquid foliar fertilizer product line designed to help plants discover their full agronomic potential

Compass Minerals, a Kansas-based, leading global provider of essential minerals, has announced the introduction of Hydro Bullet, a new liquid foliar fertilizer product line designed to help plants discover their full agronomic potential.

The Hydro Bullet product line is comprised of an innovative portfolio of research-driven nutrient combinations supporting specific agronomic needs with targeted nutritional benefits. Hydro Bullet formulations help deliver the in-season nutrition that plants need during critical growth stages in order to improve plant vigor and maximize crop performance.

Each stressor or nutrient deficiency in a plant’s life cycle can negatively affect crop quality and yield. Through extensive research and development, Compass Minerals designed this trio of Hydro Bullet products to complement its existing plant nutrition portfolio – nourishing crops with the highest quality nutrients to drive optimal plant performance all season long.

Within the Hydro Bullet product portfolio, there are three targeted applications:

  • Battalion
    An amino acid-based liquid fertilizer proven to promote root growth, photosynthesis, and water flow during stress. The battalion has successfully been used on millions of acres during the past 10 years with field data across two continents.
  • Big Iron
    A unique, patent-pending iron delivery system. Its low molecular weight acid complexing agent ensures iron is more available for rapid uptake than traditional methods. With the ideal pH for nutrient uptake in the leaf, Big Iron promotes a greener, higher-yielding crop.
  • Bloom
    A liquid fertilizer blend with an ingredient combination specifically designed to improve flower to fruit/grain retention. Bloom provides key nutrients to reduce abiotic stresses and preserve crop yield.

A new liquid foliar fertilizer product line

Agrotech, E-commerce, R&D

Farmonaut will be providing the technological support for data processing, storage, and access, while Garuda UAV will be providing the drones 

Farmonaut has come together with a leading Indian drone services company, GarudaUAV, engaged in aerial data acquisition, analysis, and reporting for the promotion of drone-based remote sensing technologies for farming amongst the farmers.

Farmonaut is addressing one of the biggest challenges in the Indian agricultural ecosystem. Remote sensing is a widely used technology to monitor fields across the world, but in India, it couldn’t be as popular due to the cost attached to it.

Through this partnership, Farmonaut is working towards educating Indian farmers about the benefits of remote sensing technology in farming and promoting the use of drone-based crop health monitoring services to the farmers. Farmonaut will be providing the technological support for data processing, storage, and access, while Garuda UAV will be working on providing the drones, and allied inventory to make this partnership a success.

Farmonaut’s Satellite-Based Crop Health Monitoring System is built to put satellite technology in the hands of each farmer in the most economical way. Farmonaut’s main objective is to break the cost barrier and help democratize remote sensing in the farming community by providing an on-the-go always a ready platform for field monitoring through satellites. The system is accessible through its web, android as well as iOS apps. Currently, the platform is serving more than 15000 users through its’ various technological offerings.

 

Farmonaut will be providing the technological support

Agrotech, Trade

It would allow FPO Shri Balaji FPO to aggregate, procure and store quality IPM and organic cumin on behalf of ITC as per the prescribed quality norms. 

 Shri Balaji Farmers Producers Company Limited, Balada in Pali district, Rajasthan and ITC Ltd, Barmer, Rajasthan have agreed to work together for procurement, aggregation and buy-back of quality IPM and organic cumin from smallholder farmers of Jaitran tehsil of Pali district of Rajasthan.

The pact was signed between Shri Balaji FPO and ITC on March 1, 2021 during the farmers mela attended by 250 smallholder farmers on the cumin demonstration farmer’s field organized jointly by DBT-SABC Biotech Kisan hub and Ambuja Cement Foundation at Kurki, Rajasthan.

The collaboration would allow FPO Shri Balaji Farmers Producers Company Limited to aggregate, procure and store quality IPM and organic cumin on behalf of ITC as per the prescribed quality norms. ITC in turn buys-back IPM & organic cumin directly at a premium price from FPO Shri Balaji Farmers Producers Company Limited to enhance farmers’ income and livelihood.

“Our farmers will be benefited by this collaboration with ITC, and we will get premium price for IPM and organic cumin produced by most backward farmers of our region”, said Rambharos Gurjar, CEO of Shri Balaji FPO.

“ITC is committed to create value for smallholder farmers across supply chain of Agri commodities. Our quest is to help smallholder get better realization for quality seed spices such as cumin. Engaging with FPO is a way to pass on benefits directly to farmers and this is a classic example of creating value for residue free and IPM cumin”, alluded Giriraj Sharma of ITC Ltd.

“IPM cumin is the future of farming & can fetch 10-20% premium price to cumin growing farmers in Rajasthan. The collaboration between Shri Balaji FPO and ITC Ltd is an outcome of DBT-SABC biotech Kisan hub project, which is promoting IPM cumin production in Western Rajasthan. There is a potential international market for IPM cumin from Japan, EU and USA that could help our farmers to transform income and livelihood”, said Dr Bhagirath Choudhary of the DBT-SABC Biotech Kisan hub and technical member on the Board of APEDA, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Govt of India.

 

 

It would allow FPO Shri Balaji FPO

Live Stock, World

FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ pantries or in their refrigerators

Milky Way International Trading Corp., doing business as MW Polar, a Norwalk, California, firm, is recalling approximately 297,715 pounds of ready-to-eat canned corned beef products that were imported and distributed in the United States without the benefit of FSIS import re-inspection, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced recently.

The canned corned beef items were imported on various dates between June 6, 2020 to January 21, 2021. The product cans are labeled with various “Best Before” dates and the product cases are labeled with various shipping marks.

The products subject to recall bear “Australia Inspected” number “39” and were shipped to retail locations nationwide. The problem was discovered after FSIS received a tip from an industry representative indicating that corned beef product received from Milky Way did not undergo FSIS import reinspection.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about a reaction should contact a healthcare provider.  

FSIS is concerned that some products may be in consumers’ pantries or in their refrigerators. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

 

FSIS is concerned that some products may

World

Each hybrid and variety selected for the series is backed by demonstrated performance

The new Field Forged Series from NK Seeds, coming this fall, is built on strong agronomics and innovative product development. The inaugural lineup will feature a number of proven hybrids and varieties as well as the latest portfolio additions to come out of the Syngenta Seeds pipeline. The series will include 10 new NK corn hybrids, four new Enogen corn hybrids and 20 new NK soybean varieties for the 2022 growing season, selected for both agronomics and yield potential.­­

Each hybrid and variety selected for the series is backed by demonstrated performance and has been tested vigorously in the field. Showalter credits ongoing investments and increased efficiencies in research and development (R&D) to helping accelerate trait introgression and hybrid commercialisation.

Unmatched corn traits with improved standability

The NK corn portfolio includes high-yielding hybrids with industry-leading traits to meet a variety of needs in the field. New products in the Field Forged Series will feature advanced Agrisure Duracade, Agrisure Viptera and Agrisure Artesian traits, which protect genetic yield potential and offer premium above- and below-ground insect control in hybrids.

At the heart of developing new hybrids is Syngenta Seeds’ proprietary Stalk Crusher Technology, which measures stalk strength for improved standability.

Proprietary soybean genetics with in-demand trait choice

The Field Forged Series introduces a step-change in innovation for NK soybeans — with varieties that pair the latest, most desired traits with proven, proprietary NK genetics. The product lineup will include the launch of proprietary Enlist E3 Soybean varieties and proprietary XtendFlex varieties

Each hybrid and variety selected for the

AgroPolicy

Wheat procurement estimated at 427.363 Lakh MT during Rabi Marketing Season 2021-22

The Secretary, Department of Food & Public Distribution (DFPD), Government of India, recently chaired a meeting of State Food Secretaries recently to discuss the arrangements for procurement of Wheat during the ensuing Rabi Marketing season 2021-22 and that of Rice (Rabi Crop) of KMS 2020-21.

A total quantity of 427.363 LMT wheat has been estimated for procurement during the forthcoming RMS 2021-22 which is 9.56 per cent more than the 389.93 LMT procured during RMS 2020-21.

Similarly, a total quantity of 119.72 LMT rice (rabi crop) has been estimated for procurement during the forthcoming rabi crop of current KMS 2020-21 which is 24.43 per cent more than the 96.21 LMT procurement of rice (rabi crop) during KMS  2019-20.

State wise procurement ESTIMATE of Wheat during RMS 2021-22 is as follows: –

S.No   

 

State   

Procurement Estimate (in LMT)

1

Punjab

130.00

2

Madhya Pradesh        

135.00

3

Haryana          

80.00

4

Uttar Pradesh 

55.00

5

Rajasthan       

22.00

6

Uttarakhand   

2.20

7

Gujarat

1.5

8

Bihar  

1.00

9

Himachal Pradesh      

0.06

10

Maharashtra   

0.003

11

Delhi  

0.50

12

Jammu & Kashmir     

0.10

 

Total  

427.363

 

 

 

Wheat procurement estimated at 427.363 Lakh MT

Agro chems – Fertilizers, Agrotech

Datt is associated with NFL as Director (Marketing) since October 2018. 

Virendra Nath Datt has taken over as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Virendranath Datt (RFCL) with effect from February 23, 2021. He has been serving in the capacity of Non-Executive Director on the Board of RFCL since  October, 2018.

Datt is holding the additional charge of Chairman and Managing Director of National Fertilizers Limited (NFL) since June 3, 2020. He is associated with NFL as Director (Marketing) since October 2018.

An MBA from Maharshi Dayanand University,  Datt has a rich professional experience of over 35 years with premier CPSEs such as GAIL and ONGC, besides the Fertilizer Industry. Prior to joining NFL, Shri Datt was Executive Director in GAIL (India) Limited where he handled all India marketing operations of the company in addition to Corporate Strategy, Planning and Advocacy. He was also a Director on the Board of Mahanagar Gas Ltd.,Mumbai. He also had a 10 year stint with ONGC before joining GAIL in 1995.

As Director (Marketing) of NFL, Datt is credited with 32 per cent growth in fertilizer sale of company from 43 Lakh MT to 57 Lakh MT over a span period of two years. During this period, NFL established pan India footprints in the fertilizer industry.

Datt is associated with NFL as Director

R&D

Pluton will use its Micromining Innovation Engine to identify and develop microbes currently found in soil that can store carbon and nitrogen. 

 Pluton Biosciences has signed a research agreement with global life sciences company Bayer AG to investigate the development of an all-natural, microbial-based carbon-capture soil amendment for growers.

Collaborating with Bayer, Pluton will use its Micromining Innovation Engine to identify and develop microbes currently found in soil that can store carbon and nitrogen. Pluton’s proof-of-concept research predicts that such a consortia of microbes, applied in a spray at planting and harvest, can scrub nearly two tons of carbon from the air per acre of farmland per year, while replenishing nutrients in the soil.

“We are very excited that Bayer has elected to partner with Pluton in advancing Bayer’s global initiative to reverse climate change,” said Pluton CEO Charlie Walch. “Pluton/Bayer’s carbon capture amendment will allow growers to improve soil health in the field by sequestering carbon from the air. Our amendment will give growers an easy, cost-effective way to tap into the carbon credit market as it matures. The carbon credit market is in its infancy but is growing rapidly – projected to become a $14B market by the end of this decade.”

Dr. Geoff Kneen, Bayer US – Crop Science, Research and Development, Innovation Sourcing said, “By working collaboratively with partners like Pluton and the world’s farmers, our industry is uniquely positioned to sequester carbon on farms as well as provide global environmental benefits and grower incentives.”

 

 

Pluton will use its Micromining Innovation

Acquaculture

Cargill’s SeaFurther program will start with salmon farmers, who are focused on the role they play in ocean stewardship and addressing the sustainability of food systems, especially with relation to climate change.

Cargill has set a course to protect oceans, a vital ecosystem where the company helps to grow and move food around the world. Cargill’s latest initiative, SeaFurther Sustainability, will help aqua farmers raise more sustainable seafood with less environmental impact. It is part of the company’s overall carbon commitment, with a science-based scope 3 targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent per tonne of food by 2030. SeaFurther alone will help save two billion kilograms of CO2 by 2030, which is the equivalent of removing more than 400,000 cars from the road.

Reducing the climate impact of aquafarming and feed

Cargill’s SeaFurther program will start with salmon farmers, who are focused on the role they play in ocean stewardship and addressing the sustainability of food systems, especially with relation to climate change.

Through SeaFurther Sustainability, Cargill is setting the goal to reduce the footprint of farmed salmon 30% by 2030.  Today, feed represents up to 90% of a salmon’s environmental footprint. To reduce this climate impact and enable salmon farmers to provide consumers with sustainably raised seafood options, SeaFurther is focused on:

Sourcing — Cargill’s feed is designed to minimize the environmental footprint of aquaculture. We work closely with our suppliers to grow responsibly-sourced ingredients and supply chains while finding ways to reuse by-products, like fish trimmings that would normally be discarded, whenever we can.

Maximizing — Cargill knows aqua sustainability happens at the farmer level. Utilizing its extensive aquaculture feed experience, Cargill helps farmers do more with less to increase efficiency and maximize production while decreasing their impact on the planet.

Caring — Consumers want to know how their protein was raised and animal welfare must be at the center of any sustainability program.

While the company is starting with salmon, SeaFurther will expand, with an intent to add other species, like shrimp in the near future.

 

Cargill’s SeaFurther program will start with salmon

Finance, Machinery – Post-harvesting, North America

It will enable agribusinesses to realize profitable zero-emission farming. 

CNH Industrial has announced that it has completed its minority investment in Monarch Tractor, a US-based agricultural technology company, which will assist in accelerating agricultural industry transformation towards autonomy and electrification. This strategic partnership is an important step towards further enhancing long-term sustainability, enabling the world’s farmers and agribusinesses to realize profitable zero-emission farming.

Monarch’s leading-edge electric tractor platform offers a unique combination of a fully electric powertrain with autonomous technologies. This is paired with a comprehensive agronomic and machine data management platform to deliver a complete technology ecosystem. This technology will provide professional agriculture producers a first-to-the- market offering in the sub-100hp segment, which lowers overall emissions, improves agronomic insights and enhances safety.

“Monarch is pioneering tractor technology that incorporates electrification, autonomous use, and data management. These are three of the key pillars supporting sustainability, productivity, and profitability, both for CNH Industrial and for our farming customers,” said Scott Wine, Chief Executive Officer, CNH Industrial. “We are incredibly excited to work with Monarch to develop and deploy their ground-breaking technology ecosystem, which we believe has applicability across our entire Off-Road business. This partnership underscores our commitment to rapidly improving our alternative propulsion and precision farming portfolio, while extending our world-leading sustainability credentials.”

 

It will enable agribusinesses to realize profitable

Agro chems – Pesticides, R&D

 It provides excellent control of yield-depleting annual grasses such as foxtail, barnyard grass and panicum.

Sorghum growers have a new tool for better maximizing their production with the ground-breaking Inzen herbicide-tolerant trait, Corteva Agriscience recently announced. The new Inzen trait, which will be exclusive to industry-leading Pioneer brand sorghum, allows for a post emergence application of ZestWDG herbicide to provide excellent control of yield-depleting annual grasses such as foxtail, barnyardgrass and panicum. An introductory supply of sorghum seed with Inzen technology will be available to select growers this year as a first step toward a full commercial launch for the 2022 growing season.

“Sorghum growers will soon experience the long-awaited and game-changing annual grass control that the Inzen trait can provide their operations,” said LeAnn Larson, Pioneer Sorghum Marketing Manager. “It will help open acres that previously were challenged with low yields or even were deemed unusable because of unchecked grass pressure to planting Pioneer brand sorghum, with all the yield and performance potential that growers expect from Pioneer.”

Inzen technology is a non-transgenic, ALS-tolerant trait that is built on elite Pioneer genetics and leading agronomics. It adds another management option to the industry’s broadest lineup of sorghum hybrids — proven to deliver top-end yield performance across diverse geographies and various field management practices. When the Inzen trait is used with Zest WDG herbicide, the system leverages new trait technology and the crop protection expertise of Corteva Agriscience and has been extensively tested by local field teams to help protect profitability on every sorghum acre.

 “This powerful new system brings together the diverse crop protection portfolio and expertise of Corteva Agriscience with world-class sorghum genetics from Pioneer,” said Brandon Walter, U.S. Product Manager, Corteva Agriscience.

 

 It provides excellent control of yield-depleting annual

Agrotech

Rieggo has undertaken pilot tests in Mexico of the sensors and technological solutions offered by CropX

CropX has recently signed a partnership agreement with the leading provider of water solutions in the Americas to offer innovative precision agriculture solutions focused on water conservation and soil health.

CropX, a leading global agricultural analytics provider and rieggo, Grupo Rotoplas’ new company dedicated to providing smart water services to farming operations in Mexico, announced their partnership to help Mexican agribusinesses reduce water consumption and improve crop yields.

rieggo is a Joint Venture between Renewable Resources Group Mexico and Grupo Rotoplas, that aims to provide smart water solutions and services and increasing agricultural yields in a sustainable fashion through technology. Its target is the high-value crop’s market at the core of the vibrant and fast-growing export sub-sector of Mexico’s agricultural landscape.

rieggo held pilot tests in Mexico of the sensors and technological solutions offered by CropX, with the objective of demonstrating reductions in water use and manual labor, yield improvement, ease of use and enhanced overall insights. Upon successful conclusion of the pilot tests, rieggo decided to integrate CropX’s technologies as part of its commercial offering and become an official reseller of CropX in Mexico.

 

Rieggo has undertaken pilot tests in

Machinery - Pre-harvesting, Trade

The company has registered a growth of 35.5 per cent as compared to the same period last year

Sonalika Tractors has created a new record of excellence by clocking its highest ever cumulative domestic sales of 1,06,432 tractors in just 11 months, registering a growth of 35.5 per cent as compared to the same period last year. With this, Sonalika has achieved a significant landmark of the fastest ever 1 lakh domestic tractor sales by any tractor brand in the Indian market since its inception. India’s fastest growing tractor manufacturer and No.1 tractor exports brand in the country, Sonalika has overall sold 11,821 tractors in Feb’21 as compared to 9,650 tractor sales same period last year.

Sonalika’s R&D team has been working relentlessly to develop state-of-the-art tractors and implements that capitalize on farmer’s feedback and are customized as per their respective crops and geographies. While focussing on building a state-specific strategy, Sonalika is fully geared up at its World’s no.1 vertically integrated tractor manufacturing plant to introduce revolutionary products going forward in the year 2021. Its innovative products will be customized to exponentially increase farmer’s income level and further propel the company towards its vision of ‘Leading Agri Evolution’ across the globe.

Sonalika is fully committed to increase farm mechanization at a rapid clip and bring farm prosperity in an affordable way. Sonalika’s heavy-duty product portfolio in 20-120 HP range is being rolled out from its Hoshiarpur facility, which is powered by robotics and automation to manufacture high-quality products.

The company has registered a growth of