Connect with:
Saturday / October 12. 2024

logo
mobile-logo
Home2022February (Page 5)
Inputs

The T6.180 Methane Power tractor marks a first in the industry

New Holland Agriculture, US has announced the launch of the world’s first production T6 Methane Power tractor on February 8, 2022. The T6.180 Methane Power tractor marks a first in the industry, designed to minimise emissions while maximising the profitability and productivity with unimpeded performance.

The launch is a culmination of a multiyear development project to create and bring to market a tractor line-up that furthers the use of more sustainable fuel sources in US agriculture. From livestock farms to municipalities with roadside mowing crews, T6 Series tractors are the definition of flexibility and versatility.

“The T6.180 Methane Power is the result of New Holland’s pioneering work on the use of alternative fuels through our Clean Energy Leader strategy. It is a significant step forward on the path to decarbonizing agriculture, and it is happening now, as the development of this sustainable tractor has reached its production phase. It is commercially available to our customers beginning this 2022 season,” commented Michael Cornman, Livestock and Dairy Segment Manager for New Holland Agriculture North America.

The T6 Methane Power features an all-new NEF 6.7 liter engine specifically developed for agricultural applications by FPT Industrial and benefits from the company’s 20+ years of experience in natural gas powertrain technology development. To date, FPT Industrial has produced more than 50,000 natural gas engines.

The T6.180 Methane Power tractor marks a

Agro chems – Chemicals

The awards were a facilitation to honour the outstanding achievements in the Indian agrochemical industry

Best Agrolife Limited, one of India’s leading agrochemical players, has recently bagged the award for Fastest Growing company. BAL has received this recognition at PMFAI-SML Annual Agchem Awards 2022. Pesticides Manufacturers & Formulators Association of India (PMFAI) organised India’s largest Agri Inputs Trade Summit in Dubai.

These awards were a facilitation to honour the outstanding achievements in the Indian agrochemical industry and remarkable contributions, which help in the sustainable growth of agriculture. The 3rd PMFAI SML awards held on a global scale witnessed participation from distributors, suppliers, R&D Executives, Technical Executives, Manufacturers, Consultants, Exporters, Importers, Agronomists, Research Institutions, Scientists, Traders, Journalists, Supply chain management & co-operatives.

Ventures capitalists & Financial Representatives, Service providers, Farmers & dealers, Allied Chemicals & Packaging material suppliers, Seed companies, spraying and irrigation equipment manufacturers, plantation and horticultural producers, Manufacturers & Distributors of Bio-pesticides, Bio-fertilisers, Micronutrients, Key Government officials, Policy Makers & Researchers, Industry Associations, Chamber of Commerce, etc. all these stakeholders were also present who are involved directly & indirectly with Agri inputs.

Upon receiving this recognition, Vimal Alawadhi, MD, Best Agrolife said, “It is a feeling of pride to see our team’s efforts being recognised on a global level. PMFAI SML award has always been a prestigious honor to be associated with. We would like to extend our thanks to the jury members and the contemporary industry players present in the event to make our victory a memorable one.”

The awards were a facilitation to honour

Agro chems – Fertilizers, Agrotech, Finance, Seeds

The company plans to use the fund for talent acquisition, embedded fintech product development, and scaling up operations

AGRIM, a B2B platform for agri-inputs, has raised $10 million in Series A funding. The round was led by Kalaari Capital, with participation from existing investors Omnivore, India Quotient, and Accion Venture Labs. Axis Bank also joined the round as part of their Bharat Banking initiative.

AGRIM is building a digital platform for India’s $50 billion agri-inputs industry by connecting retailers directly with manufacturers and providing all parties with solutions for distribution, credit, logistics, and marketing. AGRIM works across agri-input categories, including seeds, fertiliser, crop protection, animal nutrition, and farm implements.

AGRIM currently works across 500 districts, with over 2,500 manufacturers and 170,000 retailers on the platform. AGRIM plans to use this funding for talent acquisition, embedded fintech product development, and scaling up operations. The startup expects to clock annualised GMV (gross merchandising value) of $100 million in 2022.

AGRIM plans to increase stock-keeping units by 10x, to reach 250,000 SKUs across agri-input categories, providing retailers with a vast selection on the platform. AGRIM will soon be launching financial services to ease their burden while ensuring optimum stocking.

The company plans to use the fund

Environment

FMC ranks 72nd on Barron’s top 100 list

FMC Corporation, a leading global agricultural sciences company, has made Barron’s annual list of America’s Most Sustainable Companies for the first time, and is the only agricultural company included on the list. 

“Sustainability has become a key indicator of company performance, not just for FMC but for any company looking to compete in the global marketplace,” said Mark Douglas, president and CEO. “FMC continues to invest significantly in sustainability across our company, from research and new product development to more efficient production, packaging and logistics around the world. We’re honoured to be included in this year’s list—it shows that our efforts are gaining traction and making a difference.”

The rankings, compiled by Calvert Research and Management, an investment management company specialising in responsible investing, evaluated the top 1,000 publicly held American companies by market value on their performance for five constituent groups: shareholders, employees, customers, communities and the planet. FMC ranks 72nd on Barron’s top 100 list.

“FMC has set ambitious goals over the past year that will challenge the way our company and business operate,” said Karen Totland, vice president and chief sustainability officer for FMC.

Barron’s is the second major publication this year to include FMC in its rankings of most sustainable companies.

FMC ranks 72nd on Barron's top 100 listFMC

Agrotech

The partnership will empower women through inclusive agriculture approach

HarvestPlus and Grameen Foundation India have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to increase food, nutrition, and livelihoods security through the production, consumption, and marketing of conventionally bred biofortified crops in India.

The collaboration will focus on health and nutrition initiatives, along with financial inclusion and agriculture-based livelihoods, to enable vulnerable populations (especially women) to overcome poverty and hidden hunger. These initiatives will be led by women agripreneurs known as Grameen Mittras, who will provide doorstep availability of various services and develop a personal connection with farmers through regular interactions, thereby cultivating good faith and trust with them.

These Grameen Mittras are also transforming their own lives by learning new skills, generating income, and increasing their financial independence. Under this engagement, a pilot with biofortified zinc wheat has been undertaken in Uttar Pradesh under the Commercialisation of Biofortified Crops (CBC) Programme, which is co-led by HarvestPlus and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). This pilot focuses on training and capacity building of smallholder farmers (with at least 30 per cent women farmers), awareness generation on the cultivation of biofortified crops, and enhancing knowledge of farmers and Farmer Production Organizations (FPOs) on pre-harvest and post-harvest loss and its management.

“We are pleased to have the opportunity to partner with Grameen Foundation to help scale up production and consumption of nutrient-enriched crops in India,” said Arun Baral, CEO, HarvestPlus.

“The focus on women agripreneurs, in particular, is in line with our strategic priority of engaging and empowering women as farmers, family members, and entrepreneurs,” he added.

The partnership will empower women through inclusive

Agrotech, Finance

The brand is the driving force behind the initiative to bring 4G infrastructure to the region and has provided financial investment

Case IH, a global agricultural machinery brand of CNH Industrial has selected Água Boa, a region renowned for its high agricultural productivity, as the location for its Connected Farm project. The brand is the driving force behind the initiative to bring 4G infrastructure to the region and has provided financial investment, worked with telecommunications provider TIM Brazil, and forged links within the local community to bring the project to fruition.

“Case IH is recognised as the brand of choice for technology-oriented farmers. It has been instrumental in introducing cutting edge technologies to Brazilian farmers,” said Vilmar Fistarol, President Latin America, CNH Industrial. “The Connected Farm shows how the brand is leading the Brazilian digital agriculture revolution.”

This Connected Farm aims to demonstrate how rural connectivity increases in-field productivity, even in an already highly productive region. A 4G internet connection installed at the farm enables the entire operation, and its machines, to report data and be monitored by the new AFS (Case IH’s precision farming package) Connect Center, based at the Case IH Sorocaba Plant in the state of São Paulo.

Connectivity provides the farmer with a wealth of benefits including increased productivity, reduced water consumption, efficient logistics, machine uptime information, and more efficient inventory management. The financial benefits include an increased return on investment and optimisation of overall and specific input costs.

In addition to showcasing the Connected Farm project, the video contains interviews with members of the Água Boa community. These interviews give an insight into how the local population is keen to embrace new technologies in the workplace, schools and the public health sector, which are made more accessible by the new connectivity infrastructure.

The brand is the driving force behind

Agrotech, Environment, World

The move is expected to fuel both mid-and-long-term growths for the company

Bayer announced the advancement of key innovation projects that showcase the latest in crop protection, seeds and traits and digital solutions. These significant advancements, plus more than 500 seed deployments and greater than 300 new crop protection product registrations in 2021 are expected to fuel both mid-and-long-term growths for the company as they bring new value to growers around the globe.

The company’s new solutions for agriculture are geared to support farmers in their need to meet the growing global demand for food, feed, fibre, and fuel, while also advancing a climate-smart future for the industry. This commitment to Bayer’s farmer customers and innovative research brings forward a pipeline valued at up to €30 billion peak sales potential over the next two decades.

“Once again Bayer’s pipeline extends the company’s track record of converting R&D into value-adding solutions for growers,” said Bob Reiter, Head of R&D for the company’s Crop Science Division. “Whether it is leading innovation in the core business, tackling climate change with carbon-smart practices, or transforming agriculture with Digital Farming Solutions, Bayer continues to deliver solutions and remains committed to making global food systems more resilient while catering for the need to feed a growing population.”

The move is expected to fuel both

AgroPolicy, Foodgrains, Oilseeds, Pulses

Record foodgrains production of 316.06 million tonnes is estimated in the country

The of production of major crops for the year 2021-22 have been released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Record foodgrains production of 316.06 million tonnes is estimated. 

As per 2nd Advance Estimates, the estimated production of major crops during 2021-22 is as under:

  • Food grains –316.06 million tonnes. (record)Rice –127.93 million tonnes (record)
  • Wheat –111.32 million tonnes (record)
  • Nutri / Coarse Cereals –49.86 million tonnes 
  • Maize –32.42 million tonnes (record)
  • Pulses –26.96 million tonnes (record)
  • Tur –4.00 million tonnes
  • Gram – 13.12 million tonnes(record)
  • Oilseeds –37.15 million tonnes
  • Groundnut – 9.86 million tonnes
  • Soybean –13.12 million tonnes
  • Rapeseed and Mustard –11.46 million tonnes (record)
  • Sugarcane – 414.04 million tonnes (record)
  • Cotton –34.06 million bales (each of 170 kg).
  • Jute and mesta –9.57 million bales (each of 180 kg).

As per 2nd Advance Estimates for 2021-22, total food grains production in the country is estimated at a record 316.06 million tonnes which is higher by 5.32 million tonnes than the production of food grain during 2020-21. Further, the production during 2021-22 is higher by 25.35 million tonnes than the previous five years (2016-17 to 2020-21) average production of food grains.

Total production of rice during 2021-22 is estimated at a record 127.93 million tonnes. It is higher by 11.49 million tonnes than the last five years’ average production of 116.44 million tonnes.

Production of wheat during 2021-22is estimated at a record 111.32 million tonnes. It is higher by 7.44 million tonnes than the average wheat production of 103.88 million tonnes.

Production of nutri / coarse cereals is estimated at 49.86 million tonnes, which is higher by 3.28 million tonnes than the average production.

Total pulses production during 2021-22 is estimated at 26.96 million tonnes which is higher by 3.14 million tonnes than the last five years’ average production of 23.82 million tonnes.

Total oil seeds production in the country during 2021-22 is estimated at a record 37.15 million tonnes which is higher by 1.20 million tonnes than the production of 35.95 million tonnes during 2020-21. Further, the production of oil seeds during 2021-22 is higher by 4.46 million tonnes than the average oil seeds production.                

Total production of sugarcane in the country during 2021-22 is estimated at 414.04 million tonnes which is higher by 40.59 million tonnes than the average sugarcane production of 373.46 million tonnes. 

Production of cotton is estimated at 34.06 million bales (each of 170 kg) is higher by 1.12 million bales than the average cotton production of 32.95 million bales. Production of jute and mesta is estimated at 9.57 million bales (each of 180 kg). 

Record foodgrains production of 316.06 million tonnes

Acquaculture, AgroPolicy, Animal Health

According to the experts, intensification and diversification has added to the risk factors of the spread of new and emerging aquatic diseases in aquaculture

Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India organised a webinar on National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases: A Step towards Establishing Disease Governance System in India. The event was attended by more than 150 participants including officials of the Department of Fisheries, ICAR institutes, GoI and fisheries officials of different States/UTs, faculties from state agriculture, veterinary and fisheries universities, entrepreneurs, scientists, farmers, hatchery owners, students and stakeholders from aquaculture industry across the country.

The welcome address was given by IA Siddiqui, Fisheries Development Commissioner, DoF along with the introduction of the theme of the webinar and the distinguished panellists Sagar Mehra, Joint Secretary (Inland Fisheries); Dr Joykrushna Jena, Deputy Director General (Fisheries Science), ICAR, New Delhi; Dr Iddya Karunasagar, Advisor (Research and Patents), Nitte University, Mangaluru; Dr AG Ponniah, Former Emeritus Scientist and Former Discipline Leader, WorldFish Centre, Malaysia, Dr KK Lal, Director, ICAR- National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow; Dr Neeraj Sood, Principal Scientist ICAR- National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow; V Balasubramaniam, General Secretary, Prawn Farmers’ Federation of India, Bengaluru and other participants.

Shri Sagar Mehra, Joint Secretary (Inland Fisheries), in his opening remarks mentioned that aquaculture production through intensification and diversification has added to the risk factors of spread of new and emerging aquatic diseases in aquaculture.

During the technical session, Dr Joykrushna Jena, Deputy Director General (Fisheries Science), ICAR, New Delhi, set the context for the webinar and stated that India is a vast country with state divergent levels of capabilities and fisheries priorities hence surveillance programme for monitoring and controlling spread of diseases of national and international concern has become a primary requirement for effective health management and ultimately for sustainable aquaculture.

Dr Jena further stated that the National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD) of India has made its own example in establishing a coordinated surveillance programme for aquaculture.

Dr Neeraj Sood, Principal Scientist ICAR- National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Lucknow delivered a detailed presentation on NSPAAD along with the status of the project in the country and the future aims of the project.

Dr Iddya Karunasagar, Advisor, Nitte University, Mangaluru focussed on strategising aquatic animal health management based on disease surveillance through a knowledge filled session. Dr AG Ponniah, Former Emeritus Scientist and Former Discipline Leader, World Fish Centre, Malaysia delivered an informative session on emergency response in case of detection of exotic aquatic diseases and V Balasubramaniam, General Secretary, Prawn Farmers’ Federation of India briefed about the industrial approach and the need of fisheries and aquaculture sector for disease surveillance in shrimp aquaculture.

The webinar concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Dr SK Dwivedi, Assistant Commissioner, DoF.

According to the experts, intensification and diversification

Acquaculture, AgroPolicy, Agrotech, Dairy, Horticulture, Middle East countries, Organic

The pavilion will display opportunities in horticulture, dairy, fisheries and organic farming

India will pitch to become the preferred sourcing partner for the global food processing industry during the fortnight at EXPO2020 Dubai and host various seminars and conferences to deliberate on ways to explore international collaborations and further strengthen its export potential.

The fortnight will showcase India’s prowess in sectors like food processing, horticulture, dairy, fisheries, and organic farming and the vast investment opportunities that it offers.

As part of the key theme – ‘Millets’, the fortnight will witness the millets food festival, the launch of Millets Book, and various seminars focusing on its health and nutritional benefits.

The sector is set to witness increased investment in agricultural infrastructures such as irrigation facilities, warehousing, and cold storage, with global consumption reaching the pre-pandemic level. The fortnight will also see the participation of several senior government officials from India who will be present during the various sessions. The ‘Food, Agriculture and Livelihood’ fortnight will conclude on March 2, 2022.

The pavilion will display opportunities in horticulture,

Agro chems – Pesticides, Sustainability

The summit will be held in Birmingham, UK from May 23-25, 2022

The Annual World Bioprotection Summit & Awards (AWBSA; formerly the BioPesticide Summit), will be held in Birmingham, UK from May 23-25, 2022. Delegates should register before March 31, 2022.

New this year is the option for virtual participation for those unable to attend the event in person. Virtual delegates will be able to view all presentations, and they will be able to participate via an interactive platform in the Q&A and panel discussion sessions. Virtual delegates will also have access to the networking platform, enabling them to connect with potential partners in biocontrol, and they will be able to watch the Awards ceremony live.

The AWBSA will bring together leading figures in the biocontrol industry, academia and the public sector, to share expert knowledge and address major challenges in sustainable pest and disease management.

The summit will be held in Birmingham, UK

Nature, Water

An all-in-one skid package for the commercial sector that boosts an annual operating COP in excess of ten

SunEarth, Inc. of Fontana, Ca has partnered with Nyle Water Heating Systems of Brewer, Maine to bring a scalable solar water series heat pump water heater to the multi-family/commercial sector.

Heat pumps are well known for being an eco-friendly way to provide heating and cool. Used in a commercial context, they not only save energy costs, but can contribute to reducing a company’s carbon footprint while opening new business opportunities. Leveraging solar water heating and heat pump efficiencies allow SunEarth’s scalable Solar Series Heat Pump Water Heater to provide up to a 90% reduction in system operation cost over historical water heating solutions.

Adam Chrisman, SunEarth President notes “Air to water heat pumps are at their basis an indirect solar water heater utilizing solar energy stored in ambient air to reduce the electrical energy required to meet the load conditions. Combining this incredible technology from the experts at Nyle Water Heating with direct solar heating allows a solar water heating system to provide hot water no matter the forecast with tremendous efficiency.”

Ryan Hamilton, Nyle Water Heating Systems President states “We are so excited about this partnership with SunEarth, it’s really a dream come true. What makes this partnership so powerful is that we have two well-established companies, each in respective segments coming together to create a mold-busting, industry first for residential, commercial, and multifamily water heating. Factory integration of heat pump water heaters with modern solar-thermal technology is an ideal combination, and what we’re doing is integrating these technologies with a combined 88-years of experience between the companies to bear a segment-shifting solution which offers eye-popping efficiencies and cost-benefits for owners.”                                                                                                 

An all-in-one skid package for the commercial

Agro Universities, Biofuel industry, Sustainable Energy

The construction of the plant is easy and it is an all brick masonry structure

The Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) has inked a pact with SP ECO FUEL, Anand, Gujarat, for commercialisation of Modified PAU fixed Dome Type Janta Model Biogas Plant having capacity from 25 m3/day to 500 m3/day technology.

Dr GS Mangat, Director of Research, PAU and SP ECO FUEL signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on behalf of their organisations. As per the agreement, the university offers non-exclusive rights to the above-mentioned firm for making Modified PAU fixed Dome Type Janta Model Biogas Plant having capacity from 25 m3/day to 500 m3/day within India.

Dr Ashok Kumar, Dean, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology and Director of Extension Education, PAU congratulated Dr Rajan Aggarwal, Head, Department of Renewable Energy Engineering for commercialization of this technology developed by Dr Sarbjit Singh Sooch, Principal Scientist, Department of Renewable Energy Engineering.

Dr Aggarwal said that animal waste (cattle dung, poultry droppings, etc.) can be digested anaerobically for the production of biogas as a fuel for thermal applications as well as for power generation.

Giving details about the technology, Dr Sooch explained that the construction of this type of plant is easy and it is an all brick masonry structure. This design is suitable for all regions of the country, he added. Informing that the life of this plant was around 25 years, he said its advantage was that the whole plant is underground.

Dr Usha Nara, Plant Breeder, TMIPRC, informed that PAU has signed a total of 276 MoAs. “This is the eighth MoA of Modified PAU fixed Dome Type Janta Model Biogas Plant,” she said.

The construction of the plant is easy

Agro Universities, Seeds

The foundation stone of the incubation centre was launched under the PMFME Project at CoE Vegetables

The Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Baramati, Maharashtra recently organised the KRUSHIK – Agri Technology Week, 2022. Dada Bhuse, Agriculture Minister, Government of Maharashtra and other senior officials of various Departments of Government of Maharashtra and State Agricultural Universities also participated in the programme.

Bhuse urged all four agricultural universities and Krishi Vigyan Kendras for following the KVK, Baramati’s Model and organise such types of innovative exhibitions. He also stressed on ‘Vikel Te Pikel’ and ‘One District One Crop’ Schemes of Government of Maharashtra; quality seeds production, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojnaa, Drip Irrigation and different Schemes for Farm Women, etc.

The dignitaries inaugurated the Innovation & Start-Ups Centre and laid the foundation stone of the incubation centre under the PMFME Project at CoE Vegetables during the occasion. More than 90,000 farmers and other stakeholders visited the exhibition and live demonstrations.

The foundation stone of the incubation centre