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The report has covered 184 recognised indigenous/exotic & crossbred breeds of 19 selected species that are registered by the NBAGR

Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala released the Breed-Wise Report of Livestock and Poultry based on 20th Livestock Census on May 12, 2022. Dr L Murugan, Minister of State, for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, graced the occasion. Atul Chaturvedi, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry and Upamanyu Basu, JS were present.

The breed-wise data collection was done along with 20th Livestock Census during the year 2019. It was for the first time in the country that breed wise data was collected by using tablet computers instead of paper mode which is indeed a unique attempt. 

The major highlights of Breed-wise Report of Livestock and Poultry are summarised below:

  • The report has covered 184 recognised indigenous/exotic & crossbred breeds of 19 selected species that are registered by the NBAGR (National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources).
  • There are 41 recognised indigenous whereas 4 exotic/crossbred breeds of cattle covered in this report.
  • As per the report, the Exotic and Crossbred animal contribute nearly 26.5 per cent of the total cattle population whereas 73.5 per cent are Indigenous and Non-descript cattle.
  • Crossbred Jersey has the highest share with 49.3 per cent as compared to 39.3 per cent of Crossbred Holstein Friesian (HF) in total Exotic/Crossbred cattle.
  • ·       Gir, Lakhimi and Sahiwal breeds have major contribution in total Indigenous Cattle.
  • In Buffalo, the Murrah breed majorly contributes with 42.8 per cent which is commonly found in UP and Rajasthan.
  • In Sheep, there are 3 exotics and 26 indigenous breeds were found in the country. Among the pure exotic breeds, Corriedale breed majorly contributes with 17.3 per cent and in the indigenous breeds the Nellore breed contribute the highest in the category with 20.0 per cent share.
  • In Goats, there are 28 indigenous breeds found in the country. The Black Bengal breed contributes the highest with 18.6 per cent.
  • In exotic/crossbred pigs, crossbred pig contributes 86.6 per cent whereas Yorkshire contributes majorly with 8.4 per cent. In indigenous pigs, Doom breed major contributes with 3.9 per cent.
  • In Horse & Ponies, the share of Marwari breed majorly contributes with 9.8 per cent.
  • In Donkeys, the share of Spiti breed contributes with 8.3 per cent.
  • In Camel, Bikaneri breed majorly contributes with 29.6 per cent.
  • In Poultry, desi fowl, Aseel breed majorly contribute in both backyard poultry and commercial poultry farm.

The report has covered 184 recognised indigenous/exotic

Allied Industry, Biofuel industry

This is believed to be the first transition loan to be provided by a foreign bank to India’s biofuel manufacturing industry

To support India’s push to double the country’s ethanol distillation capacity and blend 20 per cent of ethanol in petrol by 2025, Shree Renuka Sugars Ltd (SRSL), a subsidiary of Wilmar International Ltd, Singapore and one of the largest sugar and green energy (ethanol and renewable power) producers in India, has obtained a five-year Rs 1.75 billion (SGD31 million) transition finance facility from DBS. The proceeds will be used to finance the expansion of SRSL’s sustainable bioethanol business in India. This is believed to be the first transition loan to be provided by a foreign bank to India’s biofuel manufacturing industry.

SRSL’s focus on the capacity expansion of its bioethanol plants in India supports its commitment towards promoting sustainable growth and combating climate change.

Sunil Ranka, CFO, SRSL, said, “Bioethanol production is not new to India. But it holds the key for the transition of the energy sector’s reliance on fossil fuels, to more sustainable biofuels which have a lower carbon footprint and will lead to energy independence of the country. To provide some perspective, India has an ethanol production capacity of about 849 crore litres today. For India’s targeted 20 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol by 2025, the market will need 1,700-crore litre capacity (80 per cent plant efficiency), and this is where we hope to contribute to the growth of the global biofuel industry by ramping up our bioethanol production capacity to contribute to achieving this ambitious but meaningful target.”

This is believed to be the first

AgroPolicy, Bamboo industry

This is the world’s largest bamboo cultivation drive by a public-private partnership which encompasses the plantation of 100,000 hectares of forest and village land with bamboo.

 A joint venture of CREDUCE and HPCL has signed a MoU with the north-eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh’s Bamboo Resource & Development Agency (APBRDA) for the cultivation and development of bamboo resources in the state. The agreement encompasses the plantation of 100,000 hectares of forest and village land with bamboo, also called ‘green gold’. The landmark agreement signed under the visionary leadership of the Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prema Khandu is set to propel the state into the green growth phase, leading the country and the world towards carbon neutrality.

Shailendra Singh Rao, MD, CTPL, said, “Through this agreement, we will be able to cultivate 100 million carbon credits in 10 years, which will be valued at $1.5 billion over the same period. These carbon credits were waiting to be captured and shared for the public resources. We are truly honored to be tasked with the opportunity to help the state and Bharat. We will make the most of this effort.”

“We are extremely bullish with the green opportunity presented by the north-eastern states like Arunachal Pradesh. They have the requisite land and a strong political will to bring change among the locals and emerge as the flag bearers of Bharat’s green revolution. We are proud to be partners with such professional government agencies,” added Kartik Upadhyay, MD, HCPL.

Bamboo plantation and cultivation is an effective carbon sink and an integral nature-based approach to mitigating global warming. Studies have revealed that a one-hectare plantation of bamboo and its products could sequestrate 10,000 kilograms of carbon per hectare per year, making them effective green gold ventures.

Chairman of APBRDA, Tungri Effa, said, “We are proud to be the torchbearer of this exciting new project. It is in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has resolved to make Bharat clean and green by 2030. The development and plantation of ‘Green Gold’ would benefit the state as it will generate large scale employment and keep the people connected to their roots.”

The yields from this joint venture would last for over 30 years, divided into three phases of 10 years each. The effort is the first among many more to come as all the northeastern states have fertility for bamboo cultivation.

This is the world’s largest bamboo cultivation

Agrotech, Finance

The Purdue Ag-Celerator funding allows NanoBio Designs to collaborate with Purdue and industry partners to commercialize the ExpresSeed platform

NanoBio Designs LLC, a company that provides grain distributors and seed suppliers with onsite, rapid genetic detection solutions, has received a $100,000 investment from the Purdue Ag-Celerator, an agriculture innovation fund.

Ryan Skaar, chief operating officer of NanoBio Designs, said new DNA testing solutions are needed because of growing regulatory oversights to label genetically modified food. The company’s ExpresSeed platform reduces genetic testing from three to five days to just minutes.

Skaar added that the Ag-Celerator funding allows NanoBio Designs to establish its laboratory presence in Indiana.

“With an established lab presence, we will be able to more effectively collaborate with Purdue University,” he said. “Collaborations with Purdue and industry partners will be key to our ability to commercialize the ExpresSeed platform.”

Ag-Celerator, created in 2015, is a $2 million innovation fund designed to provide critical startup support for Purdue University innovators who bring Purdue patented intellectual property or Purdue “know-how” technologies to market. The fund is operated by the Purdue Foundry, with assistance from the Purdue College of Agriculture, Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization and the agricultural industry.

Riley Gibb, director of business development for Purdue Foundry, said, “Farmers, growers and producers are always among the fastest adopters of new technologies. Their passion to strengthen crop and livestock production pushes agriculture startups like NanoBio Designs to deliver innovative technologies. We’re proud that Ag-Celerator investments support those technologies.”

In August 2021, Ag-Celerator eligibility was opened to startups in all agricultural fields. Previous recipients of Ag-Celerator investments are AkanoCure Pharmaceuticals Inc., Heliponix, Insignum AgTech, JUA Technologies International LLC, Karyosoft LLC, Krishi LLC, LeafSpec AgTech, Ongenia LLC, Phicrobe LLC, Progeny Drone Inc., Rogo Ag LLC, Verility Inc., VinSense LLC and ZeaVaxx.

The Purdue Ag-Celerator funding allows NanoBio Designs

Agro chems – Chemicals, Agro chems – Fertilizers, Agro Universities, Biostimulants

The technology will help to reduce the excessive use of chemical fertilisers in farming

Anand Agricultural University (AAU) has signed an MoU with Amul Dairy for transfer of liquid biofertiliser technology.

The MoU was signed by the Director of Research and Dean of Postgraduate Studies Dr MK Jhala and MD of Amul Dairy Dr KB Kathiria.

The technology will help to reduce the excessive use of chemical fertilisers in farming.

The technology will help to reduce the

Biofuel industry, Finance, Schemes - Banks, Sustainable Energy

The agreement is designed to ensure that payment received by ethanol plants is utilised for servicing the finance extended by these banks

The Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) – Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) have entered into a long-term purchase agreement (LTPA) for upcoming dedicated ethanol plants across India. The first set of Tripartite-cum-Escrow Agreement (TPA) was signed among OMCs, project proponents and banks of the respective ethanol plant projects in presence of Sandeep Poundrik (IAS), Principal Secretary, Department of Industries, Government of Bihar, Ashwani Bhatia, MD State Bank of India and Sukhmal Jain, Executive Director I/C, Marketing Corporate, BPCL.

State Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank and Indian Bank are three banks who are involved in this tripartite agreement with OMCs and project proponents. The agreement is designed to ensure that payment received by ethanol plants is utilised for servicing the finance extended by these banks.

As per the agreement, ethanol produced by these dedicated ethanol plants shall be sold to OMCs for blending with Petrol as per Govt of India’s Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Program. Payment towards the supply of ethanol shall be credited to the escrow account maintained with the financing bank to ensure servicing of the loan as per schedule. TPAs were signed with Micromax Biofuels, Bihar, Eastern India Biofuels, Bihar, Muzaffarpur Biofuels, Bihar, K P Biofuels, Madhya Pradesh and Visag Biofuels, Madhya Pradesh.

In Ethanol Supply Year 2021-22, India achieved 9.9 per cent ethanol blending, consuming 186 crore litre of ethanol, saving over Rs 9000 crores of foreign exchange. However, the government has advanced the target of achieving 20 per cent blended ethanol by 2025, which is commonly known as E20 target. The major challenge is the deficit of ethanol to achieve this target. As per E20 scenario, the country requires 1,016 crore litre of ethanol to achieve the target in 2025-26. But, there is a deficit of approx. Rs 650 crore of ethanol as per the current availability. These five projects are likely to contribute to around 23 crore litres of ethanol per annum.

Ethanol blended petrol not only gives us a cleaner environment as it produces 38 per cent lesser carbon dioxide emission, as well as, supports the rural economy with investment in rural areas and employment generation.

The agreement is designed to ensure that

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, Environment, Nature, R&D, Sustainability

Discussions were held on issues related to modern agro techniques, capacity building, transfer of knowledge know-how and support in the fields of agriculture, water management, environment

A round table meeting between Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Narender Singh Tomar and Agriculture & Rural Development Minister of Israel, Oded Forer was recently held in Parliament House, Jerusalem during the visit of the Indian delegation to Israel. The minister discussed various issues related to modern agro techniques, capacity building, transfer of knowledge know-how and support in the fields of agriculture, water management, environment and rural development with the Minister of Agriculture, Israel and other stakeholders, keeping in view the scope and potential of agriculture development in both the countries.

During the interaction, MASHAV’s agricultural cooperation programmes and other stakeholders’ professional training activities in India were appreciated. The Minister stated that the Indian Government has to explore the possibilities to adopt MASHAV’s activities in India focusing on capacity building and transfer of knowledge for which Centres of Excellence will be established in each state.

Discussions were held on issues related to

Company News

Cargill will offer one-crop-year contracts to producer customers in eligible states to sequester carbon through implementation of new or expanded regenerative agriculture practices

Cargill RegenConnect, a voluntary market-based regenerative agriculture programme offering producers a simple, flexible, and transparent way to access the growing carbon marketplace is offering enrollment. For the 2022-23 crop season Cargill has expanded grower eligibility to 15 states including: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas, Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Kentucky, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

“In our first year, Cargill has received a tremendous response from growers about RegenConnect,” said Nathan Fries, program lead for Cargill RegenConnect. “It is our goal to deliver a best-in-class program that is economically viable for farmers and improves their profitability through the tools, resources and market access they need to make the shift to regenerative agriculture.”

Cargill will offer one-crop-year contracts to producer customers in eligible states to sequester carbon through implementation of new or expanded regenerative agriculture practices such as cover crops, no-till or reduced-till. Eligible acres must have a primary crop of corn, soy or wheat.  Farmers can choose the practices that are best suited to their operation’s unique growing conditions. For the 2022-23 enrollment, Cargill will offer a market competitive price of $25 per metric ton of carbon sequestered per acre.

The programme’s intuitive digital platform is powered by carbon measurement firm Regrow and uses the industry leading soil carbon model, DNDC. The programme incorporates weather, soil management and environmental conditions that allows farmers to easily model the soil’s response to practice changes and estimate quantified carbon outcomes. In addition, enrolled farmers can track management practices for each of their fields and crops.

Cargill will offer one-crop-year contracts to producer

Agrotech, Start ups

Bioangels will raise Rs 350 crore investment for startups 

Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) collaborated with the Indian Angel Network (IAN) to launch an angel investor network, BioAngels. BioAngels is the country’s first sector-focused angel investor group to fuel the growth of startups from Biotech – the sunrise sector. Sub-domains include medtech, healthtech, pharma, cleantech and agritech. The biotech sector has the potential for cascading multiplier effect to contribute to India’s economic growth target of a $5 trillion economy by 2025.

BioAngels is an inclusive platform that engages early-stage investors from India and overseas from different angel investor groups, to fund and nurture high-quality startups, with both money and mentoring backed with critical sectoral expertise. BioAngels’s vision is to become the platform of choice for Investors and innovative startups to build globally competitive companies.

Bioangels will raise Rs 350 crore investment

Agro chems – Chemicals

Cheval is a premium pre-seed and post emergent herbicide that controls weeds in soybean and other crops

ADAMA Limited, one of the leading global crop protection companies, has announced the Brazilian launch of Cheval, a premium pre-seed and post emergent herbicide that controls weeds in soybean and other crops, providing valuable benefits to the farmer due to its unique formulation and long residual effect.

Cheval is powered by ADAMA’s proprietary T O V Formulation Technology which maximises the potential of its active ingredients improving their efficacy, providing a unique Weed Resistance Management (WRM) tool. The two modes of action in Cheval, Glufosinate and S-metolachlor, combine to prevent carryover weeds after burndown, while increasing the residual effect.

Germain Boulay, Global Head of Herbicides at ADAMA commented, “Cheval allows for better retention, spreading and foliar uptake, so farmers can spray with confidence, without concern for competition for their crops. We expect widespread use for Cheval in Brazilian soybean, cotton and corn crops, and look forward to launching it in other markets so this unique Weed Resistance Management tool can continue to simplify the lives of farmers,” he added.

Cheval is a premium pre-seed and post

Agro chems – Pesticides, India

The company will soon start manufacturing Tombo at its state-of-the-art manufacturing site Best Crop Science Pvt. Ltd. Gajraula.

Best Agrolife Limited, one of the leading player in the Indian agrochemical industry, has been granted the registration for the indigenous manufacturing of Tembotrione technical 94 per cent u/s 9(4) by the Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee in the 439th meeting. The company has a pivotal positioning in Rice and Soybean crops and this registration will help it in consolidating its portfolio in the herbicides segment further. The company has decided to launch its commercial formulation under the brand name ‘Tombo’ in early June, 22.

A new generation corn herbicide Tembotrione shows a fast efficacy in the control of weeds. It is a post-emergence herbicide that dissipates rapidly in the environment without causing any crop phytotoxicity. Tembotrione has a low rate of application per hectare and hence poses almost nil environmental risks. A product with a high level of crop tolerance Tembotrione assures higher grain yield and profitability.

Commenting on this new development Vimal Alawadhi, MD, Best Agrolife Ltd. said, “Corn demand in the domestic and global market is fast increasing as this cereal crop is highly sought as a staple food, animal, poultry feed, and for industrial uses. In the future corn will also contribute substantially to Methanol production. Till now, a Germany-based MNC is importing and distributing Tembotrione 34.45 per cent SC formulation in India. But this registration will help us to make it immediately available to the Indian farmers at a more competitive rate”

Best Agrolife Ltd. will soon start manufacturing Tombo at its state-of-the-art manufacturing site Best Crop Science Pvt. Ltd. Gajraula. Tombo has already aroused interest amongst leading peer companies including MNCs to market this product under licensing agreement. It will improve the company’s market share in corn cultivating states esp. Bihar, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The company will soon start manufacturing Tombo

Agrotech, R&D

The AI Labs will focus on studying and ‘computing’ cultivable lands worldwide

Cropin, the agritech pioneer, building the first global Intelligent Agriculture Cloud, has set up a new AI Labs. With an initial team of 30 members comprising Earth Observation Scientists, data scientists, agronomists and AI/ML Researchers, the AI Labs will focus on studying and ‘computing’ cultivable lands worldwide. Leveraging the contextual convergence of earth-observation data, geo-fenced field data, AI models and knowledge built and tested over the years, Cropin’s AI Labs scientists will bring intelligence to every acre of the world’s farmlands.

The complex process of ‘Agri asset computation‘ brings together hyper local historical and forecasted weather data, soil information, agro-climatic conditions, seed genetics, global crop sowing and harvesting patterns, management practices, agronomical knowledge, land records, farmer KYC and other farming insights, all under one umbrella. Cropin’s proprietary knowledge graphs are created on trillions of farm pixel datasets that continuously grow and multiply in time and space, allowing the company to build and implement the various AI models in any country in the shortest possible time. Cropin is doubling down efforts in solving some of the most complex challenges and opportunities in this industry with the launch of this initiative.

In a first of its kind initiative in the global agriculture ecosystem, this move will help accelerate digital adoption in the sector and transform agriculture into a sustainable, efficient, and data-driven industry. 

Commenting on the launch of Cropin AI Labs, Krishna Kumar, Co-Founder & CEO, Cropin, said, “Cropin’s AI Labs will help us accelerate this effort to compute and bring the benefits of predictive intelligence to every acre of the world’s farmlands.”

The company’s AI/ML-powered predictive risk monitoring and mitigation solutions have registered a revenue growth of more than 110X between 2019 and 2022 and now account for 65 per cent of Cropin’s revenues. Cropin’s Data and Insight Platforms provide businesses with actionable insights on crop identification and yield estimation; crop health monitoring, biotic and abiotic stress risk mapping, predicting harvest, irrigation & water usage management; and greenhouse gas emission monitoring and climate-smart agriculture advisories.

Praveen Pankajakshan – VP, Data Science & AI, Cropin, said, “Cropin’s AI Labs is on a mission to solve the most complex and challenging research problems in Agriculture by custom-building these solutions as an intelligence stack for all the world’s farmlands and help accelerate this transformation. These are foundational blocks that play a critical role in future-proofing agriculture and influence the future of food security. We are excited and determined to fuel the next wave of agriculture transformation for our planet. Cropin is revolutionising the ‘AICulture for Agriculture’ and what is good for the planet is great for us.” 

The AI Labs will focus on studying

Agro chems – Chemicals, Biofuel industry

The estimated project cost is to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore and it is expected to generate annual revenue of approximately Rs 1,500 crore

Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited (GACL) and GAIL (India) Limited (GAIL) have joined hands to set-up a bioethanol plant of 500 KLD capacity. A term sheet for the setting up of a bioethanol plant in Gujarat was signed by Harshad R Patel, Managing Director, GACL and RK Singhal, ED (BD & E&P), GAIL, in the presence of MV Iyer, Director (Business Development) of GAIL, in New Delhi.

The plant will be using corn/broken rice as feedstock with eco-friendly technology with a likely production capacity of 500 KLD Bioethanol, which will be used for blending in petrol. As by-products from this plant, 135 KTPA Protein-rich animal feed and 16.50 KTPA of corn oil while using corn as feedstock are also expected to be produced.

Dahod, Panchmahal, Aravalli, Mahisagar and Sabarkantha are major corn-producing districts in Gujarat and hence, the project is likely to come up in this part of Gujarat. Corn is also produced in nearby states of Gujarat viz. Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. A Detailed Feasibility Study through a third party is in progress for the project.

The estimated project cost is to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore and it is expected to generate annual revenue of approximately Rs 1,500 crore.
An estimated savings of $70 million per year in Foreign Exchange outgo is expected through this project. Beyond the savings, this project will also generate direct and indirect employment for around 700 persons.

Long term supply contract for corn would encourage corn farming with sustainable, multi-fold income for farmers through increased productivity and assured market. Steps will also be taken to improve the productivity of corn in the state with the help of the Maize Research Centre in Godhra and other institutes.

The estimated project cost is to the

Agro Universities, AgroPolicy, Agrotech, Dairy, Live Stock, Start ups

Dr Singh was speaking at the inauguration of a two-day International Conference on Coronaviruses organised by the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST)

Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Earth Sciences, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Science and Technology, MoS PMO and Minister of State Ministry of Personnel and Public Grievances said that Kashmir has a huge startup potential in agriculture and dairy sectors which is largely unexplored.
He said, though covid caught us unaware, it made us realise our intrinsic potential and capacities.

He was speaking at the inauguration of a two-day International Conference on Coronaviruses organised by the Sher-i-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) at its Shalimar Campus.

Dr Singh said diseases evolve with time and the whole of the medical fraternity was unprepared for a challenge of the magnitude posed by covid. He appreciated the efforts of all stakeholders for rising to the challenge despite the limitations they faced.

Dr Singh congratulated the authorities at SKUAST for holding this first-of-a-kind conference immediately after the end of the pandemic.
Dr Singh expressed happiness that the Department of Biotechnology had provided funding for some of the pioneering research during the pandemic and expressed hope that it would continue to do so in the future.

Commenting that the youth should look beyond government jobs as a source of livelihood, Dr Singh said that start-ups are the thing of the future and the youth should prepare themselves for a change in mindset. He said that India has around 70,000 start-ups now as compared to just a few hundred some years back.

Dr Singh said that the agriculture and dairy sectors have immense potential in a place like Kashmir and the youngsters should evaluate the opportunities that lay in front of them in these fields. He assured all possible help to the youth from the government in setting up employment generating units for themselves.

Dr Singh was speaking at the inauguration