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Agro chems – Pesticides, Finance

The company is expecting to record strong growth in Asia Pacific, both in China and beyond.

ADAMA Ltd. has provided an estimate regarding its financial performance for the first quarter of 2021. ADAMA is expecting to report record-high first quarter sales, with estimated top-line growth of more than 13 per cent (6 per cent in RMB terms), driven by continued robust volume growth in almost all key regions.

The company is expecting to record strong growth in Asia Pacific, both in China and beyond. In China, ADAMA saw significant growth in the quarter both from its branded, formulated portfolio, which was driven by higher cereal demand due to an increase in field crop planted areas and an early start to the Q2 season, as well as from its sales of raw materials and intermediates. Sales in the country were further bolstered by the inclusion of the Company’s recent acquisition of Jiangsu Huifeng’s domestic commercial crop protection business.

In the rest of APAC, the Company benefited from favourable seasonal conditions to deliver strong growth, despite a slower recovery from COVID-19 challenges in Asia. Continued positive weather conditions also supported robust growth in the India, Middle-East & Africa region.

In North America, a strong performance from the Company’s Consumer and Professional business drove growth in the region, benefiting from the reopening of the economy after COVID-19 related restrictions in 2020, and more than offset a somewhat softer performance in the US crop protection business.

The Company continues its growth trajectory in Latin America, driven by solid volume growth and good performance from recent product launches in the region, and despite somewhat lower sales in Brazil following a strong end to the fourth quarter there last year. 

Sales in Europe are expected to be somewhat lower in the quarter, with growth in the south, where favourable market conditions drove good demand, being outweighed by a slow start to the season in the north and east, especially when compared to Q1 2020 which saw strong orders from distribution in anticipation of the COVID-related shutdowns that soon followed.

Net Income

Reported Net Income in the quarter is expected to be significantly improved against the loss recorded in the corresponding period last year. This improvement is driven by the strong sales growth, resulting in higher reported operating income, and is expected to be achieved despite somewhat higher financial expenses expected in the quarter.

The Company’s Reported Net Income in the first quarter of 2021 is expected to reflect around $32 million (Q1 2020: $44 million) of net expenses in respect of certain non-operational, mostly non-cash items,

The company is expecting to record strong

AgroPolicy

PM Modi has laid great emphasis on the use of modern technologies in the farming sector

Union Ministry of Agriculture and Microsoft India has recently inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a pilot project in 100 villages of 6 states. On this occasion, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Food Processing Industries Narendra Singh Tomar stated that PM Narendra Modi’s idea of digital agriculture is now taking shape. PM Modi has laid great emphasis on the use of modern technologies in farming sector, so that farmers can get benefitted and enhance their income through it. With the use of technology farming will be a profitable venture for the farmers and the new generation will also get attracted towards agriculture.

Union Agriculture Minister Tomar said that as per the government’s idea of transparency, the money of various schemes including Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM Kisan) is being deposited directly in the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. Similarly, MNREGA also is on the priority list of the Prime Minister.

Microsoft has come forward to start a pilot project in selected 100 villages in 10 districts of 6 states (Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh) to develop a farmer interface for smart and well-organised agriculture, including post-harvest management and distribution. For this project, Microsoft has joined in with its local partner, CropData.

In this regard, a MoU and tripartite agreement have been exchanged in the presence of Cabinet Minister Shri Tomar and the two Ministers of State. This project will carry out various tasks for the betterment of farmers in the selected 100 villages, which will enhance their income. This project will reduce the input costs for farmers and make farming easy.

 

PM Modi has laid great emphasis on

Agrotech, Machinery – Post-harvesting

ITL has become the first tractor manufacturer in India to introduce ‘E-Powerboost’

Taking yet another giant leap in introducing state-of-the-art technologies in the tractor industry, International Tractors Limited (ITL) has launched the advanced Solis Hybrid 5015 tractor with Japanese hybrid technology at an exceptional price of Rs 7,21,000 (ex-showroom Pan India). India’s fastest growing tractor manufacturer and the No. 1 Exports brand, ITL has developed the new technology marvel in collaboration with its Japanese partner Yanmar Agribusiness Co. Ltd. to deliver benefits of three tractors in one tractor.

ITL has become the first tractor manufacturer in India to introduce ‘E-Powerboost’ – the Japanese hybrid technology under its Solis Yanmar range and has also patented the related product technologies. With the launch of new Solis Hybrid 5015 tractor, ITL aims to further strengthen Solis Yanmar’s position as the 4W drive tractor experts.

The new 50 HP Solis Hybrid 5015 tractor is a customized product that optimizes traditional diesel engine power combined with electric energy to deliver sustainable performance and high speed, similar to what is offered by a 60 HP tractor.

Using a simple ‘Power booster’ switch on the dashboard and a hand-operated lever, the customer would experience smooth power adjustment to gain a powerful boost in tractor performance. The advanced vehicle controller monitors the energy and the tractor also gets faster acceleration with its highly efficient electric motor.

The Solis Hybrid 5015 tractor by Japanese 4WD experts Solis Yanmar comes equipped with lithium-ion battery. It offers a continuous power supply through a synchro-controller and is maintenance-free. The new tractor by Solis Yanmar also features an auto-charging cut-off function that results in longer battery life.

ITL has become the first tractor manufacturer

Agro Universities, Agrotech, R&D

The plant is a semi-determinate variety, meaning the tomatoes tend to ripen at about the same time, making it timely for preserving. 

 The new Oregon State University-developed tomato Midnight Roma follows in the steps of 10-year-old Indigo Rose, the first antioxidant-rich purple tomato available on the market.

Indigo Rose was bred by Jim Myers, vegetable breeder and professor in the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences. Midnight Roma is the result of crossing Oregon Star, a big, fleshy tomato good for slicing or paste with excellent flavour, and Indigo Rose, a dark purple tomato that contains anthocyanins, the same healthy antioxidants found in blueberries. Both varieties were also developed at OSU.

“We were selecting for a really dark Indigo-type processing tomato,” Myers said. “Ultimately, we got a really nice one. Anybody into home canning would be interested. Chefs like it for making sauces. Right now, Serious Pie in Seattle is using Midnight Roma to make pizza sauce.”

For Midnight Roma, Myers concentrated on flavour and disease resistance, coming up with a better-tasting tomato than many other paste tomatoes. It also is resistant to verticillium wilt. The plant is a semi-determinate variety, meaning the tomatoes tend to ripen at about the same time, making it timely for preserving. The anthocyanins are contained in the dark skin. So, to keep the antioxidants, the skin must be included in processing. Myers suggests running the sauce in a blender or food processor and then pressing it through a sieve, which he has done with success.

Midnight Roma darkens in the same way, and sunlight is key to getting purple skin, which contains the anthocyanins, Myers said. To achieve the highest level of antioxidants, use a trellis and prune excess leaves to allow the maximum amount of sun to reach the tomatoes.

“One of the parents for Indigo Rose that led to its purple, anthocyanin-rich skin was an experimental variety with wild tomato genes discovered by Carl Jones, a then OSU graduate student who was examining plants in a special collection at the University of California, Davis, that is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Plant Germplasm System. At that point, the health benefits of antioxidants weren’t commonly known and other breeders weren’t working on a marketable purple tomato”, Myers said.

 

 

The plant is a semi-determinate variety, meaning

Agrotech, R&D

The Agri-food sector holds the key to over 18 million jobs and P6.1 trillion in GDP contribution 

The Philippines’ agri-food sector is a key pillar in the national economy, contributing to almost a third of the country’s total GDP in 2019. According to a recent report by Oxford Economics, the sector is a significant driver of the country’s post-COVID-19 economic recovery, but supply and demand risks, fiscal measures, and a drawn-out pandemic could disrupt the recovery.

Commissioned by Food Industry Asia (FIA) to better understand the challenges and economic impact of the agri-food sector faced in 2020, The Economic Impact of the Agri-Food Sector in South East Asia report highlighted that the agri-food sector’s role in driving the Philippines’ economic recovery is pivotal, creating employment, and putting food on the table at stable prices.

Findings from the report show that in 2019, the agri-food sector in the Philippines made a GDP contribution of P6.1 trillion, which marked a 16 per cent increase from 2015. The sector is also responsible for 42.7 per cent of the entire workforce with 18 million jobs, making it the single most critical source of employment in the economy. The sector also contributed a total of P829.5 billion in tax revenues.

A key driver for the Philippines’ agri-food sector is F&B manufacturing, which in contrast to many other Southeast Asian economies, outweighs the size of agricultural production by making up almost half (46 per cent) of the total agri-food sector’s contribution to GDP in the Philippines.

The report also revealed that the sector was impacted by the disruptions coming from the COVID-19 pandemic, seeing a 4% contraction in 2020, or a P262.1 billion drop in GDP contribution. However, the scale of this impact was considerably smaller than what the economy endured as a whole, highlighting the essential nature of agri-food production and distribution.

Nonetheless, the sector can expect the pandemic to continue to present challenges in economic recovery. According to the report’s Economic Recovery Matrix, the Philippines showed important vulnerabilities due to its dependence on tourism to revive its food industry. It placed second worst across 10 countries when it comes to the sector’s expected economic recovery.

Commenting on the findings, Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers Inc. Chairman and President, Ms Elizabeth M. de. Leon-Lim, stated that given that uncertainties in international tourism continues into the near future, the agri-food industry will need to work closely with the Philippine government to identify other ways it can thrive in the new normal.

“With the agri-food industry being instrumental to the national economy, it is critical that both the industry and the public sector come together to sustain and uplift the agri-food sector as we move forward into the rest of this year. The sector holds the key to over 18 million jobs and P6.1 trillion in GDP contribution and as such, is undeniably an economic powerhouse and an important driver of local employment opportunities,” de Leon-Lim said.

 James Lambert, Director of Economic Consulting Asia, for Oxford Economics said, “As the Philippines looks to emerge from the pandemic stronger, it is important that policymakers provide the most conducive conditions for the agri-food industry to successfully rebuild itself, and that any fiscal policy implemented is carefully planned, designed, and communicated. That will allow the industry to continue to provide the economic benefits it has delivered over recent decades.”

The report’s Fiscal Risk Assessment Framework also found that the Philippines is amongst the most at risk in Asia from post-COVID-19 fiscal adjustments, scoring higher than China, India, and other higher-income Asia economies. This means that poorly crafted fiscal responses can have the potential of harming the agri-food sector’s recovery, impacting food security, income and employment, and economic opportunities as a whole.

The report recommends that for governments to develop successful fiscal responses that do not inhibit the recovery of the agri-food industry, three conditions need to be met: using education to influence behaviour; favouring regulatory standards over taxes; and maintaining a constant conversation with the industry.

 

 

 

The Agri-food sector holds the key

Agro chems – Chemicals, Trade

Azelis will expand its technical capabilities in India by adding an agrochemicals lab to the ones that already cater to the local customer needs in CASE

Azelis, an innovation service provider in the specialty chemicals and food ingredients distribution industry, announces that it has signed an agreement to acquire the distribution assets of the Indian companies Spectrum Chemicals and Nortons Exim Private Limited (“Spectrum”). Both companies are owned by the Mehta family and specialize in the distribution of specialty chemicals for home care, the road sector, agrochemical and other applications. Spectrum has offices in Mumbai and New Delhi. 

Highlights & rationale

Highly complementary to Azelis’ current portfolio in India, Spectrum will further expand Azelis’ offering in agrochemicals, home care and industrial cleaning as well as bespoke specialty chemicals for industrial applications.

Following on this acquisition, Azelis will expand its technical capabilities in India by adding an agrochemicals lab to the ones that already cater to the local customer needs in CASE, personal care and food market sectors.

This transaction is consistent with Azelis’ corporate strategy of complementing organic growth with targeted acquisitions. 

 Parindu Mehta, the current owner of Spectrum, will remain with Azelis. Spectrum will provide Azelis with better access to other regions of India, enabling Azelis to gain additional cross-selling opportunities in related markets and attract new mandates. The deal is also expected to facilitate growth opportunities in India in both agrochemicals and road marking. There is a plan to set up an agrochemicals lab at Azelis’ premises soon, in addition to the three labs Azelis already runs in India: CASE, personal care and food. The transaction is expected to complete in the next two weeks. 

 Aparna Khurana, Managing Director of Azelis India, said, “We have been building our presence in India through a mix of organic growth and strategic acquisitions, but in a market as large and diverse as India there is always more that can be achieved. That is why we are continually reviewing our portfolio and carefully monitoring market developments, in a continuous effort to provide the local customers with the best possible product mix and highest quality services. We are very excited about the excellent complementary portfolio that Spectrum is bringing on board, allowing us to provide an improved lateral value chain to our customers.”

 Parindu Mehta, Founder and Business Director of Spectrum, commented, “We are very excited about this next stage in our company history. Having built strong presence in the local market, the time is right for us to partner with a reputable, international player who can provide access to new principals and help us expand our reach altogether. The new partnership will increase specialization and customer/supplier intimacy driven by market knowledge.”

Azelis will expand its technical capabilities in

Live Stock

Half the respondents saw cattle farmers as responsible for reducing the impact of livestock

When it comes to climate change, consumers view agriculture as a part of the solution rather than the problem. Among participants in Cargill’s recent global Feed4Thought survey, those who indicated climate change as important to them also rated livestock and agriculture lowest in negative impact compared with other industries generally regarded as significant contributors. More than one-third of respondents expressed confidence in the industry’s ability to limit its contributions to climate change.   

Cargill’s Feed4Thought survey included responses from 2,510 consumers representing the US, France, South Korea, and Brazil. From among all participants, transportation and deforestation were ranked as the greatest contributors to climate change. According to consumers surveyed, who’s most responsible for accelerating change? 59 per cent said that federal and national governments bear the highest responsibility for addressing climate change, while 57 per cent saw companies involved in beef production and 50 per cent saw cattle farmers as responsible for reducing the impact of livestock.

Today, about 14.5 per cent of global human-originated emissions can be attributed to agriculture and approximately 3 per cent of US emissions are attributed to methane emitted as a result of enteric fermentation – a natural part of the digestive process in ruminant animals.

The Feed4Thought findings also show that, when asked about the most important factors considered at the point of purchase, consumers ranked taste, avoidance of antibiotics/growth hormones/steroids use, and knowing where products come from highest.

Half the respondents saw cattle farmers as

Agrotech, Organic

THE’s process only utilises USDA certified Organic food-grade processing aids

Tennessee Harvester Enterprises (THE) has pioneered a proprietary process that has yielded the world’s the first and only USDA- Certified Organic Cannabidiol (CBD) isolate. Once thought impossible, due to the prevalent use of hydrocarbons during traditional CBD isolate manufacturing, THE’s process only utilises USDA certified Organic food-grade processing aids. This game changing technology could not come at a better time for the rapidly growing CBD industry as the call for CBD as an ingredient is only increasing. 

With a base of operations in Nashville, Tennessee, THE is well positioned to serve hemp farmers and processors throughout the United States, and internationally. THE’s scientific capabilities include USDA Organic certification of both CBD distillates and now CBD isolate, GMP processing standards, repeatedly demonstrating THC free production of less than .001% and a vast white label capability for both domestic and international clientele.

Nor does THE intend to be limited to the production of USDA certified organic CBD distillates and isolates. Given the number of compounds in the industrial hemp plant, there is much work to be done with organically isolating other compounds utilising THE’s technology.

 

THE’s process only utilises USDA certified Organic

Live Stock

Cargill, Ausvet, Heifer International, and the IPC will increase the capacity of government, agribusinesses & farmers

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has tapped a consortium led by Cargill and including Ausvet, Heifer International, and the International Poultry Council (IPC) to improve livestock management and combat the threat of zoonotic diseases to both human and animal health. The five-year, $33 million Transformational Strategies for Farm Output Risk Mitigation (TRANSFORM) consortium will harness innovation to sustainably improve animal health, strengthen animal agriculture production systems in Asia and Africa and enhance global health security.

As a farm-based initiative, TRANSFORM will prioritize efforts to significantly decrease the risks of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and zoonoses, diseases spread from animals to humans such as foodborne pathogens, anthrax and Avian and swine influenza. The group will also consider transboundary animal diseases (TADs,) such as foot-and-mouth disease and African swine fever. Scientists estimate that more than three out of five known infectious diseases in people can be spread from animals, and 75% of new or emerging infectious diseases in people come from animals.

Together, Cargill, Ausvet, Heifer International and the IPC will increase the capacity of government, agribusinesses, and farmers to prevent and, if needed, identify and quickly respond to these threats to human health. 

TRANSFORM will work in several key geographies, on large and small farms, with a variety of species. 

  • Ausvet will expand its health information system to serve farms of all sizes in Indonesia and Vietnam.
  • Heifer International will work with smallholder farmers in India and Kenya to improve biosecurity and animal management and health, with the added benefit of increasing farmer incomes.
  • IPC will lead the development and adoption of industry-wide principles, policies and standards around antimicrobial stewardship within the poultry industry.

 

Cargill, Ausvet, Heifer International, and the IPC

Agrotech, North America, R&D

BVT is also launching two R&D demonstration trials in Michigan. 

Bee Vectoring Technologies International Inc, today announced that the company has tripled its sales commitments among blueberry growers in the US Midwest, signing nine growers, including three of the largest berry producers in the region. BVT is also launching two R&D demonstration trials in Michigan.

Michigan, the main blueberry growing state in the US Midwest, is following the same sales adoption pattern that BVT has experienced in Georgia. In Georgia the initial two years saw increasing levels of interest and market adoption through establishment of a solid foundation with key customers, followed by increased acreage as the experience and word of mouth spread. This was followed by rapid accelerated growth in the third year with 100 per cent customer retention together with a doubling of revenue through acquisition of new customers.  

“We now have secured the foundation in Michigan from where we expect to grow along the same path as we paved in Georgia,” said Ashish Malik, CEO of Bee Vectoring Technologies. “More importantly we have now significantly increased our customer base in key US markets, including the Southeast and the Midwest, and continue to make good inroads in the Pacific Northwest and California. We anticipate this strong momentum to continue in lead up to and through this year’s growing season and look forward to announcing more news soon in other US regions.”

Blueberry growers in the Midwest are particularly impacted by Anthracnose fruit rot caused by the fungus Colletotrichum acutatum. It can lead to substantial economic loss through reduced yield, shelf life and fruit quality, with reported pre-harvest fruit losses of 10 to 20 per cent and postharvest losses of up to 100 per cent. It can also cause unacceptably high microbial counts in frozen fruit.

“Anthracnose can be mitigated through chemicals but not rectified altogether,” said Ian Collinson, Sales Manager at Bee Vectoring Technologies. “Midwest growers use the BVT system to combat Anthracnose, reduce early fruit drop, and cut down on chemical pesticide spray intervals and intensity. Large growers looking for new solutions have been especially keen to try the BVT system with its totally organic approach and zero residue.”

These growers will use BVT’s proprietary Vectorite with CR-7 (Clonostachys rosea CR-7) (CR-7) biological fungicide and natural precision agriculture system in the upcoming growing season on about 170 of their approximately 3,000 overall blueberry acres under production. Based on common practice and the actions of previous growers trialling the system, the Company expects these growers will add BVT on increased acreage across their operations in the coming two to three seasons based on positive results.

BVT is also launching two R&D demonstration

AgroPolicy, R&D

The SoI will span the promotion of science education, advancing digital solutions and agri-tech to strengthen supply chains 

 Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog has collaborated with Bayer, a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of healthcare and nutrition, to work towards the mission’s innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives across the country.

A Statement of Intent (SoI) of a strategic partnership between AIM and Bayer was signed and exchanged to formalise the collaboration. The SoI will span the promotion of science education, advancing digital solutions and agri-tech to strengthen supply chains as well as healthcare projects. Additionally, Bayer will collaborate with AIM to support their current and future programs and foster innovation and entrepreneurship across the agriculture and healthcare sectors.

A flagship program of AIM, ‘Atal Tinkering Labs’ (ATL) has played a pivotal role in fostering creativity and imagination amongst school children. Bayer will explore opportunities to mentor school children, inculcate design thinking, problem solving and adaptive learning skills amongst them and support and adopt mutually agreed schools.  Additionally, as a part of the ‘Atal Incubation Centres’ (AIC) and ‘Atal Community Innovation Centres’ (ACIC), Bayer shall mentor young innovators and start-ups and collaborate with them to further the cause of innovation. Bayer would also explore association with the techno-preneurs from the ANIC and ARISE programs in the area of digital solutions both in agriculture and healthcare sectors.  

Mission Director AIM, NITI Aayog, R Ramanan while exchanging the virtual SoI with Bayer said, “The collaboration with Bayer is a long term strategic one for Atal Innovation Mission as their areas of specialisation Agriculture, Healthcare and Lifesciences are areas of national importance, especially more so in the times of the Pandemic. The partnership will be holistic in nature spurring and supporting knowledge and innovation at school, university and Startups leveraging Bayer’s domain expertise, global reach and facilities.”

Vice Chairman & Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer – Bayer CropScience Limited, D. Narain while sharing his thoughts said, “Bayer is pleased to partner with the Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog. Through this collaboration, we endeavour to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in India across the sectors of agriculture and healthcare. It will enable us provide multiple opportunities to mentor school children and inculcate scientific curiosity as a part of the ‘Atal Tinkering Labs’ initiative, enable digital solutions across value chains and partner with inventive start-ups. At this critical time, entrepreneurship and science-led innovation can play an important role in accelerating our progress towards doubling farmer incomes and expanding access to health solutions across India.” 

Bayer has been present in India for over 120 years and as a leader in agriculture, healthcare and nutrition has consistently aimed at using science and technology to benefit a large section of society. This first of a kind collaboration in the sectors of agriculture and healthcare between AIM and Bayer will aid in fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.

The SoI will span the promotion of

Acquaculture, Acts & Schemes – Centre, IT

It will enhance quality levels, traceability of fish and provide new options for aqua farmers 

Piyush Goyal, Union Commerce and Industry Minister, has virtually inaugurated e-SANTA, an electronic marketplace providing a platform to connect aqua farmers and the buyers. It will enable the farmers to get a better price and the exporters to directly purchase quality products from the farmers enhancing traceability, a key factor in international trade. The term e-SANTA was coined for the web portal, meaning Electronic Solution for Augmenting NaCSA farmers’ Trade in Aquaculture. National Centre for Sustainable Aquaculture (NaCSA) is an extension arm of Marine Products Export Development Authority (MPEDA), Govt. of India, Ministry of Commerce & Industry.

 Goyal said that e-SANTA will raise income, lifestyle, self-reliance, quality levels, traceability, and provide new options for our aqua farmers. He said that the platform will change the traditional way of carrying out business from a word of mouth basis to become more formalised & legally binding.

The Minister said that e-SANTA is a digital bridge to end the market divide and will act as an alternative marketing tool between farmers & buyers by eliminating middlemen. It will revolutionize traditional aquafarming by providing cashless, contactless and paperless electronic trade platform between farmers and exporters. “e-SANTA can become a tool to advertise collectively the kind of products the buyers, fishermen & fish producing organisations are harvesting, so people in India & internationally can know what is available & in the future, it can become an auction platform”, he added. The Platform is available in many languages, which will help the local population.

e-SANTA is a completely paperless and end-to-end electronic trade platform between Farmers and exporters. The farmers have the freedom to list their produce and quote their price while the exporters have the freedom to list their requirements and also to choose the products based on their requirements such as desired size, location, harvest dates etc. This enables the farmers and buyers to have greater control over the trade and enables them to make informed decisions. The platform provides detailed specification of each product listing and it is backed by an end to end electronic payment system with NaCSA as an Escrow agent.

After crop listing and online negotiation, a deal is struck, advance payment is made and an estimated invoice is generated. Once the harvest date is fixed, the buyer goes to the farm gate and the produce is harvested in his presence. Once the harvest is completed, the final count, quantity of material is verified, the final amount is decided and delivery challan is issued. Once the material reaches the processing plant, the final invoice is generated and the exporter makes the balance payment. This payment is reflected in the escrow account. NaCSA verifies it and accordingly releases the payment to farmer.

It will enhance quality levels, traceability of

AgroPolicy, Finance, Institutions

FPOs would be able to access easier credit and market through the NCDC agreements with ICC and Deutsche Bank 

The National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) has secured Rs 600 crore loan from Deutsche Bank, Germany’s largest bank, for onward lending to cooperatives in the country. An agreement was inked between NCDC and the German Bank in this regard in presence of the Union Agriculture Minister, Narendra Singh Tomar in New Delhi . The Minister also presided over signing of an agreement between the Indian Chamber of Commerce and NCDC to boost farmers’ linkages with markets. 

The Agriculture Minister said that the Farmer Producer Organizations being set up in the country would be able to access easier credit and market through the NCDC agreements with ICC and Deutsche Bank, this will help small and marginal farmers.

This is for the first time that one of the largest European banks in the world is lending to the NCDC, thus reflecting the confidence of the global financial institution in the Indian development finance institution, particularly at a time when global economic turmoil created by the Covid-19 crisis has made lending a challenging proposition.

Deutsche Bank’s initiative in India is just one of the many key business interests shown by German companies in India over the years. Today, more than 1700 German companies are active in India, providing around 4, 00,000 direct and indirect jobs. Germany is India’s largest trading partner in Europe and among India’s top ten global trade partners.

Parshottam Ruapala, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Kailash Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Sanjay Agarwal, Secretary, DAC&FW, GOI,  Sundeep Kumar Nayak, MD, NCDC and Shri Dileep Sanghani, President, NCUI were also present on this occasion.

 

 

FPOs would be able to access easier

China

Researchers installed sensors at several key sites on the stem of watermelon and observed the distribution of water

Recently, a wearable electronic sensor for plants has been jointly developed by LIU Xiangjiang and YING Yibin from the College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, WANG Xiaozhi from the College of Information Science and Electronic Engineering, and HU Zhongyuan from the College of Agriculture and Biotechnology.

Meanwhile, they found that fruit growth and photosynthesis are not synchronised, which not only alters people’s long-standing perception of the plant’s growth and development process but also opens the door to new technologies in high-yield crop breeding and cultivation. 

A plant-wearable sensor capable of continuously monitoring the stem flow

It is the rising fluid flow in the stalk of plants under internal and external pressures such as transpiration and osmotic potential. Therefore, continuous real-time monitoring of stem flow enables researchers to resolve the mysteries of water and nutrient distribution, signaling, and responses to the environment.

The Intelligent Bio-industrial Equipment Innovation Team (IBE), the Institute of Smart Sensor and Micro/Nano Systems (ISSMNS), and the Vegetable Germplasm Innovation and Molecular Breeding Team carried out inter-disciplinary research and developed a plant-wearable sensor based on the idiosyncratic physiological traits of plant stems and a wide range of recent advances in materials, micromechanics and nanofabrication.

New discovery altering the traditional understanding of the watermelon growth

Researchers installed sensors at several key sites on the stem of watermelon and observed the continuous and dynamic distribution of water in different organs, such as leaves, fruits and stalks, without any damage.

Watermelon is primarily composed of water (roughly 95%). However, according to data from stem flow sensors, only a small amount of water (5%) is transported to the fruit for growth at the daytime, while virtually all water is transported to the fruit at nighttime. 

These findings imply that the accumulation of fruit fresh weight mainly happens during the night, which is contradicted with the common view that the fruit growth rate should be synchronized with the photosynthesis activities.

 

Researchers installed sensors at several key sites