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R&D, Seeds

Draco™ seed treatment is for partial suppression of key diseases and nematodes at the critical early stages of corn and soybean germination and seedling growth.

 Syngenta Canada Inc. adds a new biological control product to their portfolio with the introduction of Draco™ seed treatment for partial suppression of key diseases and nematodes at the critical early stages of corn and soybean germination and seedling growth. 

Draco features the bacteria Bacillus licheniformis and Bacillus subtilis. In corn and soybeans, it provides partial suppression of seed rot and seedling blight caused by Rhizoctonia solani and root knot nematode. In soybeans, Draco also offers partial suppression of soybean cyst nematode.

“Syngenta is very excited to bring this new biological technology to the seed treatment market,” says Scott Ewert, head of Seedcare with Syngenta Canada. “We have a long history of providing innovative solutions to our growers and seed company partners. Draco builds on this legacy, offering additional protection for corn and soybean growers at a crucial stage in their crop’s growth cycle.”

Draco is an additional tool to be used as part of an integrated approach to improve plant stand and yield potential. It complements existing genetics and seed treatments in the market, providing a biological bacteria package for an additional mode of action against target pests.

Syngenta has partnered with a number of seed companies to plant demonstration plots this spring, ahead of making Draco commercially available for the 2022 growing season.

 

 

Draco™ seed treatment is for partial

AgroPolicy, Foodgrains, Logistics

 Sarala foods group will ship 20 containers of rice on Tuesday followed by around 500 containers over the next three months from PICT to Vietnam.

In a major boost to India’s rice exports potential especially from eastern region, a consignment has been officially flagged off from the Paradip International Cargo Terminal (PICT), Odisha to Vietnam.

This is the first time in the history of Paradip Port, non-basmati rice will be exported. Sarala foods group will ship 20 containers of rice on Tuesday followed by around 500 containers over the next three months from PICT to Vietnam.

A consignment of one of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Exports Development Authority (APEDA)’s member exporter M/s Sarala Food will be shipped to Hai Phong port, Vietnam on Tuesday.

“The rice exports through PICT would hugely boost India’s exports of non-basmati rice to south-east countries while boosting income of at least two lakh farmers from Odisha and adjoining states,” Dr M Angamuthu, Chairman APEDA, said after inaugurating flagging off ceremony.

“During the April – February period of 2020-21, the shipment of Non-Basmati Rice witnessed an impressive spike. The non-basmati rice exports were Rs 30,277 crore (4086 US$ Million) during April-February, 2021 against Rs 13,030 crore (1835 US$ Million) reported during April-February, 2020 period. The exports of Non-Basmati have witnessed a growth of 132 per cent in Rupee terms and 122 per cent Dollar terms. Non-basmati rice exports to African and Asian countries are undertaken from various ports of India such as Kakinada, Vishakhapatnam, Chennai, Mundra and Krishnapatnam. Paradip will soon emerge as one of the major rice-exporting port of the country”, Angamuthu added.

 The sharp spike in rice exports especially during a phase where globally the COVID19 pandemic has disrupted supply changes many commodities, has been attributed to the government taking prompt measures to ensure exports of rice while taking all the COVID19 related safety precautions.a

“We took several measures in terms of ensuring safety and hygiene because of the operational and health challenges posed by COVID19, while ensuring that rice exports continue uninterrupted,” M Angamuthu, Chairman, APEDA has said.

 

 Sarala foods group will ship 20 containers

Agro chems – Chemicals, Agro chems – Fertilizers, Finance

Lower Fertilizer margin , higher RM cost and maintenance shutdowns drags down overall performance  

 Coromandel International (CRIN) reported a weak performance on the back of margin contraction in Fertilizer segment due to higher RM cost, lower volumes, and maintenance shutdowns. Price rise in complex Fertilizer, on rising phosphoric acid prices (prices have increased by 64 per cent  YoY and 26 per cent QoQ in 1QFY22), remains a key monitorable going forward. On the back of margin pressures in the Fertilizer segment on higher RM prices, we have reduced our FY22E/FY23E earnings estimates by 10 per cent/4 per cent Maintain Buy.

 Higher RM prices to weigh on near-term performance

 CRIN reported a revenue of Rs 28.6 Billion in 4Q FY21 (flat YoY; v/s our estimate of Rs 26.2billion). Fertilizer volumes declined 6 per cent YoY on lower NPK manufacturing volumes (-12 per cent YoY). However, the same was offset by a 64 per cent increase in SSP (Single Superphosphate) volumes.

The Crop Protection segment grew 17 per cent YoY to Rs 5.2 billion, while the Nutrient and Other Allied Business segment fell 3% to INR23.7b. EBIT margin contracted 430bp/100bp to 8.5 per cent /12.5 per cent in the Nutrient and Other Allied Business/Crop Protection.

EBITDA margin contracted 450bp to 9.1 per cent (v/s our estimate of 13.3%) due to a decline in gross margin. EBITDA fell 33 per cent YoY to Rs 2.6b (v/s our expectation of INR3.5b). Adjusted PAT declined 33 per cent YoY to Rs 1.6b (v/s our estimate of Rs 2.2billion).

Highlights from the management commentary

  Subsidy outstanding as on Mar’21 stood at INR5.9b (v/s INR23.2b in Mar’20). Subsidy outstanding includes INR3.3b relating to channel stock pending post acknowledgement.

 In 4QFY21, subsidy received from the government stood at INR29.4b (v/s INR1b in 4QFY20). Subsidy received in FY21 stood at INR50.4b (v/s INR24.2b in FY20).

 Crop Protection: CRIN increased focus on the domestic market in 4QFY21 with the launch of new products. Domestic margin is robust. However, it faced margin pressure on the global front, leading to slight margin contraction in 4QFY21. Also, higher freight cost and lower availability of containers added to expenses. Coromandel International 1 May 2021 2 n Capex: CRIN plans to spend INR5-6b in FY22. Several projects from FY21 have been postponed to FY22. Also, maintenance capex is pegged at Rs 1-1.2billion. Currently, the management intends to focus on backward integration of its sulphuric acid plant.

 

Lower Fertilizer margin , higher RM cost

IT, World

The online consultation is held on the engagement platform SparkBlue and ends on May 12, 2021

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) have recently launched an online public consultation to obtain inputs on how the UN agencies can collaborate in key areas in the coming years.  

The consultation will feed into the operationalization of FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022-2031 and the preparation of WFP’s Strategic Plan 2022-2026. The platform provides a space to hear from partners on concrete ways to accelerate the achievement of shared goals and common approaches towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The consultation will focus on five main themes:

  • Impact of COVID-19 on global development goals;
  • Climate and the Environment;
  • Gender Equality;
  • Strengthening Data and Innovation;
  • Inclusion and Equity, including leaving no one behind.

The online consultation is held on the engagement platform SparkBlue and ends on May 12, 2021.

FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022-2031, which will be submitted to the FAO Conference 2021 for approval, seeks to support the 2030 Agenda through the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable, agri-food systems for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind. 

 

The online consultation is held on the

Agro Universities, R&D

A plant’s circadian clock plays an important role in regulating many of the functions that affect yield

According to a study published by Cambridge plant scientists, the genetic basis of the circadian system is well understood and there are improved genetic tools to modify it, the clock should be exploited in agriculture — a process they describe as ’chronoculture’ – to contribute to global food security.

A plant’s circadian clock plays an important role in regulating many of the functions that affect yield including flowering time, photosynthesis, and water use. The genes controlling the circadian rhythm are similar in all major crop plants – making them a potential target for crop breeders wishing to gain more control over these functions.

The simplest and easiest approach, say the scientists, would be to use knowledge of a crop’s internal clock to apply water, herbicides or pesticides at the most effective time of day or night. Low-cost technologies including drones and sensors could collect round-the-clock information about plant crop growth and health. Farmers could then receive advice about the best time to apply treatments to their specific crop, for their precise location and weather conditions.

A third potential application of chronoculture is post-harvest when plants slowly deteriorate and continue to be eaten by pests. There is good evidence that pest damage can be reduced by maintaining the internal rhythms of the harvested plants.

 

A plant’s circadian clock plays an important

AgroPolicy, Finance, Foodgrains

For FY 2021-22, Government has decided to continue the price of FCI rice to Rs 2000/quintal for the production of ethanol.

With a view to supporting the sugar sector and in the interest of sugarcane farmers, the Government of India has recently allowed the production of ethanol from B-Heavy Molasses, sugarcane juice, sugar syrup, and sugar; and encouraging sugar mills to divert excess sugarcane to ethanol. In the previous sugar season, 2019-20 about 9 LMT of sugar was diverted to ethanol.

In the current sugar season 2020-21, it is likely that more than 20 LMT of excess sugar would be diverted to ethanol. By 2025, it is targeted to divert 50-60 LMT of excess sugar to ethanol, which would solve the problem of high inventories of sugar, improve the liquidity of mills thereby help in timely payment of cane dues of farmers. In the past three sugar seasons about Rs 22,000 crore revenue was generated by sugar mills/distilleries from the sale of ethanol to OMCs.

The government has fixed the price of ethanol from maize as Rs 51.55/litre & rice available with FCI as Rs 56.87/litre for ethanol supply year 2020-21. For FY 2020-21, Government has fixed the price of FCI rice to Rs 2000/quintal for production of ethanol. For FY 2021-22, Government has decided to continue the price of FCI rice to Rs 2000/quintal for the production of ethanol.

Production of ethanol would not only facilitate diversion of excess sugar to ethanol but would also encourage farmers to diversify their crops to cultivate particularly maize which needs lesser water.

 

For FY 2021-22, Government has decided to

Agrotech, Finance, Warehousing

From Rs. 27 Crores in March’19, the company has seen a jump of 640 per cent till date. 

 Arya, India’s leading post-harvest Agritech player through its digital financial solutions company, Aryadhan has crossed the book size of Rs. 200 Crores. In its mission to create an equitable value chain in agriculture through sustainable financial & market linkages, the company has benefited farmers, FPOs and micro enterprises in smaller markets. From Rs. 27 Crores in March’19, the company has seen a jump of 640 per cent. In FY 21 Aryadhan disbursed an amount of Rs. 280 Crores.

 Availability of finance for their working capital requirements is a key challenge felt by small farmers and their organisations. This became more a difficulty during the pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns and migrant exodus. The second wave of the pandemic added to the difficulty. To combat this situation, Arya’s Aryadhan and its technological prowess were leveraged to facilitate seamless availability of post-harvest credit to farmers and FPOs. The result is very much visible in the business numbers of the company. 

“It is one of our primary goals to foster and cultivate India’s post-harvest space with newer thought and technology, especially in the primary and secondary markets. This will enable the farmer and the farmer producer organizations to realize better values and for the micro-enterprises easy access to finance. We hope to be the largest lender in the FPC space and we believe that we have made a great beginning in this direction.  With a book of over Rs. 200 crore, we believe we are closer to the goal of becoming the largest NBFC lender in the FPC post-harvest space. COVID has brought with it unprecedented times, and we are truly grateful to various state governments for allowing and enabling us to work smoothly through the lockdowns and the curfews in our endeavor to serve farmers better.” shared D. Chattanathan, Managing Director for Aryadhan. 

Adding to it, Prasanna Rao, Co-founder & CEO, Arya said, “These are extraordinary times that we are living in that makes it more of a challenge for small-scale NBFCs to raise resources.  We are elated that we were able to achieve this feat.  Out of the total, 50% of loans have been to farmers or FPOs and the remaining half to small traders and produce aggregators. I strongly believe that the future of warehousing lies in creating storage-cum-financing solutions “closer to the farm gate” and we will continue to work in this direction.”

From Rs. 27 Crores in March’19, the

Agrotech, World

For providing holistic and innovative solutions for smallholder farmers in developing economies 

 Better Life Farming (BLF), Bayer’s multi-stakeholder global partnership model, received a commendation honour at the fifth edition of the United Nations Economic Cooperation and Integration (UNECE) International Public Private Partnerships (PPP’s) Forum as part of its 2021 Build Back Better Infrastructure Awards.

Build Back Better was also the theme for this year’s UNECE International PPP Forum, which was held virtually from April 22-26. In an unprecedented time when the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted communities globally, UNECE held a competition to find the most resilient projects that involved public-private partnerships throughout the world which put people at the heart of their operations and could help communities maintain, rebuild and move forward within a post pandemic environment. UNECE received 66 submissions from 25 countries. Each had to fulfil at least one of the following characteristics: stakeholder and community empowerment; poverty and inequalities; women’s empowerment; environmental sustainability, climate change and resilience.

BLF, which provides holistic and innovative solutions for smallholder farmers in developing economies, was selected for its stakeholder engagement supporting the enhancement of livelihoods in rural communities. Jointly, with the farming communities in Indonesia, India and Bangladesh and more than 20 local partnerships driven by its global partners – Bayer, Netafim and the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) – the BLF model provides entrepreneurial opportunities for men and women alike, to own and operate Better Life Farming Centers. The centers, which currently reach more than 300,000 smallholders in the mentioned countries, allow farmers to purchase seeds, crop protection inputs, irrigation solutions, as well as have improved access to markets and financial solutions. The model is also backed by the local governments which support BLF’s expansion as part of their rural development strategies.

Lino Dias, Vice President of Smallholder Farming for Bayer said, “This means with an effective partnership-led business ecosystem to address rural smallholder farmers’ challenges, and by enabling them to thrive, we will be improving not only their livelihoods but also enhancing rural development.”

Better Life Farming was one of 6 projects to receive the Build Back Better commendation recognition. BLF aims to grow the number of its Centres from currently more than 640 to exceed 1,000 centres by the end of this year. To view a video outlining the Better Life Farming concept, click here. Bayer is committed to enabling 100 million smallholder farmers in low and middle income countries develop their farming potential as part of the company’s 2030 sustainability commitments.

For providing holistic and innovative solutions for