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By S.K. Chaudhary, Founder & Director, Safex Chemicals

India’s population stands at a whopping 140 crores, with trends aggressively pointing to a rise. In such a scenario, it is pivotal for the country to be assured that its resources will be enough to fulfil the needs of its people in times to come. While agriculture is vital to create adequate food resources, agrochemicals are a fundamental element of agriculture to guarantee food security for everyone in the time to come.

The demand for food security is at the Centre stage, with a robust agrochemical industry being its backbone. To guarantee the same and meet its rising needs, the agrochemical industry in India was valued at a massive $4.5 billion in the year 2020. The industry is now expected to grow at a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 8.6 per cent between 2021 to 2026 and is projected to culminate to a value of almost $7.4 billion by 2026. While India is currently food-sufficient, challenges like constant population growth and severe climate change threaten India’s current food security status.

The case of the Indian agrochemical industry

All the chemicals used to enhance crop yields like pesticides and fertilizers are known as agrochemicals. These also include insecticides, herbicides and fungicides that protect the crops from the severe risk of attack from insects and animals. In addition, we also have soil conditioners, which work by enhancing the overall soil fertility. It may surprise you that India alone is the fourth-largest producer of agrochemicals worldwide after the USA, Japan, and China. But the value of domestic consumption of agrochemicals in India is only $2.72 billion, while products worth $3 billion are exported globally. Witnessing the rising demand for food and constant population growth, agrochemicals today are the most practical method for improving crop yields and meeting the increasing demand for food worldwide. They are widely used in fields to protect crops and maximise output.

There are many statements claiming the dangers of agrochemical use. However, they are not entirely true. While all agrochemicals go through extensive toxicity tests prior to their use, modern technologies and newer chemistries in their manufacturing have curbed environmental impact to a great extent. Agrochemicals are highly diluted, sufficient for tiny pests but not harmful to humans. Lastly, crops break down and synthesise the chemicals, which remain in their system only for a short time. Therefore, the claims that all modern agrochemicals are dangerous for humans, and the environment are often untrue and sometimes falsely magnified.

The globalisation of the agrochemical industry

Globalisation has been a game-changer for the agricultural industry, wherein growth has been rapid. As per estimates by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, a few decades ago, growth in agriculture was roughly 3 per cent, which has transitioned to almost 6% now. Globalisation has opened several avenues from technology exchange to international trade, further offering an enhanced knowledge base, better know-how on crop production, and newer methods for boosting yields.

Doors have opened for agriculture and its complementary support arm — the agrochemical industry, which has followed the lead to derive benefits from this cause. Today, enhanced investments in agricultural infrastructure, the opening of free trade between economies and facilitating private sector activity in the agrochemical industry have led to its time in the sun. Globalisation has made farming a more formal profession in India. Farmers today are more conscious about their agricultural efforts to generate ample income while meeting consumer demands. The agrochemical industry has been ensuring this aspect sustainably by supporting the production of the most excellent yields from the farmer’s cultivated land.

Future ahead

As the population increases, the demand for food products will also rise. However, the landmass available for agriculture is gradually shrinking due to the heightened effect of urbanisation. This will provide an impetus for the farmers to use different agrochemicals to increase land productivity, maintain soil health and enhance yields. Post advancements in know-how being offered by globalisation and the integration of agrochemicals into farming practices is clearly the safest and most practical option to support the overall food security and propel the industry’s growth rate in India

By S.K. Chaudhary, Founder & Director, Safex

To increase income of farmers, Government has increased FRP by more than 34% in past 8 years.

Keeping in view interest of sugarcane farmers (Ganna Kisan), the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane for sugar season 2022-23 (October – September) at Rs. 305/qtl for a basic recovery rate of 10.25 per cent, providing a premium of Rs 3.05/qtl for each 0.1 per cent increase in recovery over and above 10.25 per cent, & reduction in FRP by Rs. 3.05/qtl for every 0.1% decrease in recovery. However, the Government with a view to protect interest of sugarcane farmers has also decided that there shall not be any deduction in case of sugar mills where recovery is below 9.5 per cent. Such farmers will get Rs 282.125/qtl for sugarcane in ensuing sugar season 2022-23 in place of Rs. 275.50/qtl in current sugar season 2021-22. FRP of sugarcane is fixed to ensure a guaranteed price to sugarcane growers. Government has increased FRP by more than 34% in past 8 years.

The A2 + FL cost of production of sugarcane (i.e actual paid out cost plus imputed value of family labour) for the sugar season 2022-23 is Rs 162/qtl. This FRP of Rs. 305/qtl at a recovery rate of 10.25 per cent is higher by 88.3 per cent over cost of production, thereby ensuring the promise of giving the farmers a return of more than 50 per cent over their cost. The FRP for sugar season 2022-23 is 2.6 per cent higher than current sugar season 2021-22.

Decision will benefit 5 crore sugarcane farmers (Ganna Kisan) and their dependents, as well as 5 lakh workers employed in the sugar mills and related ancillary activities. 9 years back, FRP was only Rs 210/ qtl in sugar season 2013-14 & only about 2397 LMT of sugarcane was purchased by sugar mills. Farmers were getting only about Rs. 51,000 cr from sale of sugarcane to sugar mills. However, in past 8 years Government has increased FRP by more than 34 per cent. In the current sugar season 2021-22, about 3,530 lakh tons of sugarcane of worth Rs. 1,15,196 crores was purchased by sugar mills, which is at all-time high.

To increase income of farmers, Government has

ESDS’ digital agro platform ‘Famrut’ will help farmers in varietal selection, pest and disease management, and nutrition management for onion and garlic.

ESDS Software Solution Limited has associated with ICAR – Directorate of Onion & Garlic Research (DOGR), Pune (ICAR- DOGR), an institute of repute that focuses on merging innovation with entrepreneurship in Agriculture. The association has been formed to aid farmers with a Decision Support System for guidance and management of onions and garlic.

ESDS’ innovative digital agro platform ‘Famrut’ assists the farmers to extract high yield & thereby income from their land by linking them with appropriate stakeholders in the agricultural ecosystem. Through Famrut, ESDS aims to provide farming solutions to farmers across the nation.

ESDS’ association with ICAR enables a strong Decision Supports System for farmers that will help them in varietal selection, pest and disease management, and nutrition management for onion and garlic. It will also provide advisory support system, and market support system. Additionally, it will have an onion and garlic knowledge portal with technology repository and a registration platform for the onion and garlic stakeholders like farmers, farmer producer organizations, exporters and private organizations.

Sharing his views on the association, Kishore Shah, Head – SPOCHUB (an initiative by ESDS Software Solution Ltd), said, “This association will be the best suit for every onion and garlic producer as it will connect the farmers with a government organization that is dedicated to their wellbeing through an easy-to-use medium. ICAR- DOGR services offered through Famrut will help simplify the farmers’ jobs in their field with a solid research-based, and data-driven Decision Support System.

R. B. Kale, Officer-In-Charge at ICAR – Directorate of Onion & Garlic Research (DOGR), expressed his thoughts that “development of online platforms in collaboration of ICAR-DOGR & ESDS will help to connect the organization with millions of farmers. It will additionally prosper our vision to promote the overall growth of onion and garlic in terms of enhancement of quality production, export, and processing”.

ESDS’ digital agro platform ‘Famrut’ will help

Total Income higher by 141%, driven by volume and price growth, with refinery and distillery segments being the major contributors.

Shree Renuka Sugars Limited – one of India’s largest sugar and green energy (ethanol and renewable power) producers and a subsidiary of Wilmar Sugar Holdings Pte Ltd, Singapore – has reported its financial performance for the quarter ended June 30, 2022.

Highlights of the results for the quarter are summarized below.

Total income up by 141 per cent over the previous year from Rs 8,067 Mn to Rs 19,401 million.

 The company posted strong Q1 performance driven by double digit volume growth and higher margins across all its business segments compared to a year ago.

Growth was led by 1) Refinery (175 per cent) & Distillery (89 per cent), 2) Consumer pack sales grew by 4%. Realization remained robust and improved by 5 per cent.

Distillery had a record production of 4.62 crore litres despite being off season due to availability of stored molasses, compared to 1.84 crore litres produced in the previous year.

Atul Chaturvedi, Executive Chairman said, “This quarter’s results must be seen in the light of soaring global inflation, high interest rates, high crude prices and weakening currency. Commodity markets remain very volatile, compelling Government to resort to export restrictions. Our total income for the quarter has increased by 141 per cent over the previous year. Revenues have grown significantly across all segments with better sales realization.

With the onset of good monsoon in the country, we anticipate better sugarcane availability in the upcoming season (October-September) also. Besides improving the balance sheet and cash flows of sugar mills, higher ethanol sales has ensured timely payment of cane dues to farmers and balance out sugar inventories. We remain very optimistic in the financial performance and overall growth of our Company.”

 Sunil Ranka, Chief Financial Officer said, “Shree Renuka Sugars has delivered a strong financial performance in the first quarter with a gross profit growth of about 311 per cent and EBITDA growth of 359 per cent. High volumes and margins propped up EBITDA up to Rs 1,102 Mn from negative Rs 425 Mn in the previous year.

Ethanol blending program has been a game changer for the sugar sector and this has de-risked the seasonal and cyclical nature of business. Good monsoon, strong sugarcane planting and government policies will keep Renuka on the growth path.”

Total Income higher by 141%, driven by

Seedling production of tomato, pepper, brinjal, chilli, cucumber, tomato, pepper, brinjal, chilli and exotic vegetables is proposed to be done in the Center of Excellence for Vegetables

 Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar, laid the foundation stone of the Indo-Israel Center of Excellence for Vegetables in Chandauli (Uttar Pradesh) through video conferencing.

The technology for the Center is provided by Israeli experts under the India-Israel Action Plan (IIAP) with funds for building infrastructure for demonstration purposes from MIDH. Centers of Excellence (CoEs) are being set up in the States based on Israeli technologies. These Centers of Excellence act as demonstration and training centers for the latest technologies in the field of Horticulture. They also serve as a source of planting material for fruits and vegetables in protected cultivation.

Tomar hoped the establishment of the Indo-Israel Center of Excellence for Vegetables will play an important role in the development of Chandauli district as well as Purvanchal region. “Here seeds and plants of improved vegetables will be cultivated and distributed to the farmers. Farmers can also sponsor the development of plants for themselves. Farmers will get a lot of benefit in increasing the production of vegetables. By using the latest methods of farming, farmers will be able to get better yield and also export vegetables. Nursery of other agricultural produce including vegetables will be prepared at this Centre of excellence to promote the agriculture sector globally. This will not only benefit the farmers here, but will help the district be known globally in the field of vegetables and agriculture,” he said.

Tomar added that it is the intention of the Government that the leading district in the production of paddy and wheat can also emerge better in vegetable production as well. “The climate of Chandauli district, which is known as the rice bowl of UP, is suitable for setting up the Centre of Excellence for Vegetables. There are 9 agro-climatic zones in the State which are favourable for the cultivation of various horticultural crops throughout the year. Seedling production of tomato, pepper, brinjal, chilli, cucumber, tomato, pepper, brinjal, chilli and exotic vegetables is proposed to be done in the hi-tech climate-controlled greenhouse to be set up in the Centre of Excellence for Vegetables, while cultivation of cucumber, cauliflowers, baby corn, sweet corn and exotic vegetables is proposed in the open field. Along with micro-irrigation in the open, a trial demonstration of farming with fertigation and chemigation systems will be done. There will also be a demonstration of installation of seepage, sprinkler irrigation and other plastic culture applications,” he said.

Seedling production of tomato, pepper, brinjal, chilli,

ICAR-CIFA scientist team conducted breeding and seed production trials of striped Murrel during July and August 2022 at Wyra and produced about 1.5 lakhs Murrel hatchlings.

ICAR-CIFA, Bhubaneswar Demonstrated Murrel Seed Production Technology in Telangana ICAR-CIFA, Bhubaneswar Demonstrated Murrel Seed Production Technology in Telangana. The ICAR – CIFA, and the Department of Fisheries, Government of Telangana established a Murrel Breeding and Seed Production Center at Wyra, Khammam, Telangana. Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Senior Scientist, ICAR-CIFA and his team conducted breeding and seed production trials of striped Murrel during July and August 2022 at Wyra and successfully produced about 1.5 lakhs Murrel hatchlings.

Presently, about 30,000 Murrel fingerlings are produced and the breeding trials is being continued to produce more Murrel seed. Striped Murrel is the state fish of Telangana and it is in very high demand but most of the catch comes from the wild, which has reduced its population in nature. Therefore, the Government of Telangana approached the ICAR- Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar to technically help in breeding and seed production of Striped Murrel in Telangana to boost its farming.

Murrels also known as Snakeheads, is a potential candidate species for aquaculture in Asia, it shows an excellent growth rate and can be cultured at high stocking rates. Its promising nutritional quality, coupled with fewer intramuscular spines, usually brings them good market value (5-7 USD per Kg) in its native regions. In addition to that, striped Murrel is considered a medicinal freshwater fish due to the abundant presence of bioactive components in its flesh like albumin, amino acids (glycine, lysine, arginine), and fatty acid (arachidonic acid 20:4n-6) involved in antinociception, gastroprotection, disease resistance, antioxidant and wound healing process.

ICAR-CIFA scientist team conducted breeding and seed

While serving as the Secretary in the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, Agarwal was also an ex-officio member of the ICRISAT Governing Board from 2018 to 2022.

 Sanjay Agarwal from the Indian Administrative Service, who is currently the Chair of the Government of India’s Committee on Minimum Support Price, joins ICRISAT as its new Assistant Director General. Director General of ICRISAT Dr Jacqueline Hughes has officially welcomed Sanjay Agarwal who commenced as Assistant Director General. ​

While serving as the Secretary in the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Government of India, Agarwal was also an ex-officio member of the ICRISAT Governing Board from 2018 to 2022. Agarwal is a 1984-batch Indian Administrative Service officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre. He has over 37 years of experience in administration and public policy including in the areas of women and children’s development, rural cooperatives, handicrafts/textiles, agricultural research, infrastructure, extension and education in various capacities with the State Government of Uttar Pradesh and the Central Government.

“I am pleased to announce that Sanjay Agarwal has joined ICRISAT as the Assistant Director General.  He will be based in New Delhi and lead country relations and business affairs and will have a broader portfolio of activities to support ICRISAT globally,” said Dr Hughes.​

“I deem it a privilege to be a part of ICRISAT as it ventures into new territory to improve dryland agri-food systems. I am looking forward to contributing to its vision and mission as an autonomous non-profit international organization, and in strengthening its identity as a global leader in dryland agriculture,” said Agarwal.

ICRISAT’s leadership has warmly welcomed the appointment and has acknowledged Agarwal’s immense contribution to not only the Institute but for being instrumental in delivering India’s National Year of Millets 2018 – a move which has contributed to 2023 being designated as the International Year of Millets in 2023 by the United Nations.

While serving as the Secretary in the

Platform will enable income generation and climate resilient development by leveraging carbon credits through high-quality sequestration projects in India.

 Intellecap and Transform Rural India Foundation (TRIF) announced the launch of a national carbon finance platform that will help Indian smallholder farmers leverage climate/carbon finance for sustainable agro-forestry, climate smart agriculture and other activities that can result in carbon sequestration and mitigation. The platform brings together more than one million smallholder farmers who will be provided support and training for climate smart agriculture and agro-forestry.

The newly launched platform will play a key role in empowering smallholder farmers by:

Generating awareness on different types of carbon projects (e.g., agroforestry, clean cooking, waste management etc.) and their benefits

Enhancing technical capacity to design and implement high-quality carbon projects at scale

Supporting monetizing of carbon assets and pre-financing of projects

Establishing rules on fair practices for carbon benefit sharing

Improving resilience of vulnerable communities to climate change through improved watershed, cooler microclimate, soil erosion prevention, and enhanced biodiversity

The platform will be registering different type of carbon offset projects in which smallholder farmers would be able to participate and benefit from the monetization of the carbon credits that will be generated under an independent carbon crediting mechanism in the voluntary carbon market. The global voluntary carbon market is expected to be worth $200 billion by 2050. The platform is already in discussion with Indian and global corporates who are keen to participate and support smallholder farmers by purchasing carbon credits from these projects.

Speaking on the launch of this platform, Anish Kumar, Co-Lead, Transforming Rural India Foundation said, “At TRIF we are excited about launching this platform which will provide fair pricing while ensuring an increase in income of smallholder farmers and vulnerable communities as well as supporting India achieve its net zero goals sustainably. While climate finance and carbon finance are becoming a major source of financing climate action for enterprises and big corporates, smallholder farmers struggle to get access to climate finance for the projects that are not only producing climate outcomes but also creating jobs and building resilience of the local communities. This platform aims to be the guide and champion of these smallholder farmers for climate/ carbon finance.”

Santosh K. Singh, Managing Director- Agri and Climate, Intellecap said, “We are committed to increasing smallholder farmers’ income and transitioning them to climate smart agriculture. Climate finance, specifically carbon finance provides a great opportunity for these farmers to undertake climate action projects, which would not be possible in absence of carbon finance. The platform also helps corporates and other stakeholders who are committed to net zero goals and looking to offset their residual carbon footprints from projects which not only give then carbon emission reduction but also empower and benefit local communities”.

Platform will enable income generation and climate

Company aims to sign up another 50,000 acres in August with extra financial incentives for farmers.

 AgriCapture is expanding its rapidly growing Soil Enrichment Project to enable more farmers to receive premium payments for their climate-friendly practices. Since its launch, the project has more than doubled in size, with over 1,10,000 acres of regenerative farmland enrolled and 31 farmers participating. The acres registered with the Climate Action Reserve’s (CAR) Soil Enrichment Protocol cover farmland across eight states in the Mid-South producing rice, corn, cotton, and soybeans.

The AgriCapture team is attending field days and meeting with farmers across the Mid-South throughout this month to enroll row crop farmers in the expanding Soil Enrichment Project. The Soil Enrichment Project is expanding for more farmers to receive payments for their climate-friendly practices.

“Word is spreading quickly across the Mid-South and farmers are approaching us to join our project,” says Founder and CEO of AgriCapture, John Farris. “We are spending time with farmers explaining that they must enroll before September to receive maximum direct financial incentives from AgriCapture.”

Across the project, farmers are implementing climate-friendly farming practices including cover crop rotations, reduced/no-till, efficient fertilizer application, avoided burning and irrigation changes to reduce GHG emissions and sequester carbon. Due to the environmental impact of these practice changes, AgriCapture is generating high-quality and high-value carbon credits.

Missouri farmer, Jarrett Lawfield says, “AgriCapture’s direct financial incentives help make it possible for us to consider certain practices. They understand farmers, they know what questions to ask and, most importantly, they are not full of empty promises.”

AgriCapture manages the full project development and carbon credit generation process to reward farmers for their regenerative farming efforts. A team of agronomists and sustainable farming experts determine an optimal combination of climate-friendly farming practices and collect practice data from farm records, remote sensing, and satellite imagery to submit for validation and verification of emission reductions with CAR. The AgriCapture team manages the sale of carbon credits and facilitates payments to farmers for their climate-friendly farming practices.

Company aims to sign up another 50,000

 Volume gains were driven by continued penetration of new products, including EnlistTM and ArylexTM herbicides and OnmiraTM fungicide, and strong early demand in Latin America

Agrochemical major, Corteva, Inc.  has reported financial results for the second quarter and six months ended June 30, 2022. Company posted $6.35 billion net sales registering +11 per cent growth in Q2 2022 compared to $6.25 billion in Q2 2021.

First Half 2022 Highlights

First half 2022 net sales rose 11 per cent versus prior year with gains in both segments. Organic1 sales increased 14 per cent in the same period with gains in all regions.

Seed net sales grew 3 per cent and organic1 sales increased 6 per cent year over year, with notable gains in EMEA2, partially offset by the reduction of corn acres and canola volumes in North America2. Price was up 7 per cent globally, led by continued execution on the company’s price for value strategy and recovery of higher input costs.

Crop Protection net sales grew 24 per cent and organic1 sales increased 28 per cent led by North America2 and Latin America. Volume gains were driven by continued penetration of new products, including EnlistTM and ArylexTM herbicides and OnmiraTM fungicide, and strong early demand in Latin America. Price gains reflected strong execution across all regions in response to cost inflation.

GAAP income and earnings per share (EPS) from continuing operations were $1.58 billion and $2.16 per share for the first half of 2022, respectively. Operating EBITDA1 was $2.76 billion, a 17 per cent improvement over prior year on strong price execution and volume gains in all regions and productivity actions, partially offset by inflation and currency headwinds. Operating EPS1 was $2.61 per share, up 19 per cent compared to prior year.

Management increased full year 2022 net sales and earnings guidance3. Net sales are expected to be in the range of $17.2 billion to $17.5 billion and Operating EBITDA1 is expected to be in the range of $2.95 billion to $3.10 billion. Operating EPS1 is expected to be in the range of $2.45 to $2.60 per share.

The Company announced a 7 per cent annualized dividend increases effective in the third quarter – reflecting continued focus on returning capital to shareholders.

“Corteva delivered an impressive first half with double-digit sales and Operating EBITDA growth and margin expansion, reflecting strong customer demand and focused execution amidst dynamic market conditions.

“We also continue to take actions to accelerate performance, including the completion of strategic portfolio reviews aimed at refining our strategy, driving operational execution, and making disciplined investment decisions in innovation and technology to deliver increased value to farmers and contribute to a more sustainable global food system.

“We believe that we are well-positioned to continue to adapt and execute in a challenging operating environment. Our strong first half momentum and robust market fundamentals have given us confidence to raise our guidance for the year,” said Chuck Magro, Corteva Chief Executive Officer.

 Volume gains were driven by continued penetration

The new coating reduces dehydration, maintains weight and locks in freshness throughout the supply chain.

AgroFresh Solutions, Inc. announced the launch of VitaFresh™ Botanicals Life Select, an organic plant-based coating to keep produce fresh longer and reduce food loss and waste. Developed from the carnauba tree palm leaf, the new VitaFresh Botanicals Life Select formulation has received organic certification from CAAE, a leading international certifier.  AgroFresh is a global agtech innovator and the leader in the fresh produce post-harvest segment, providing a full range of freshness solutions and digital technologies that enhance the quality and extend the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Life Select is the newest addition to the company’s full VitaFresh Botanicals portfolio of proprietary plant-based post-harvest solutions for a wide variety of crops from citrus to avocados to mangos. The new coating reduces dehydration, maintains weight and locks in freshness throughout the supply chain.

Recent trial testing of the product in avocados showed positive results both before and after ripening, including increased shelf life by two to three days, decreased internal browning by 50 to 67 percent, and improved internal appearance by 50 percent. These impacts on shelf life translate into an overall 50 percent reduction in waste.

“Our customers are looking for versatile solutions to address their most pressing operational and supply chain challenges in order to provide a consistent supply and the highest quality produce for consumers. Our focus is to help our customers with solutions that preserve freshness and minimize food loss and waste,” said Clint Lewis, Chief Executive Officer for AgroFresh. “Protecting our global food system has never been a more urgent charge. Advancements like VitaFresh Botanicals Life Select help us fulfill our promise to meet the world’s need for fresh, safe and abundant produce while reducing our impact on the environment.”

Duncan Aust, Chief Technology Officer AgroFresh said, “Now in addition to a full coatings product line that leverages natural and plant-based ingredients, we have an organic option that helps meet an increased demand for these types of solutions.”

AgroFresh operates seven innovation centers on four continents in key fruit growing regions and offers a full portfolio of post-harvest freshness solutions that meet the needs of growers and packers around the world.

The new coating reduces dehydration, maintains weight

Through the combination of tea tree oil and difenoconazole, REGEV HBX provides eight mechanisms of activity against fungal and bacterial plant pathogens.

Summit Agro USA has announced the introduction of REGEV HBX hybrid fungicide. This unique formulation brings new disease fighting power to growers of soybeans, rice and pecans. REGEV HBX benefits from the combination of tea tree oil, a botanical ingredient, with a conventional fungicide (difenoconazole).

“We recognized gaps in the performance of existing fungicides in these three crops, which led us to create this specially formulated hybrid product,” said Dr. Eric Tedford, R&D manager for Summit Agro.

Dr. Tedford cited trial data showing the effectiveness of REGEV HBX against frogeye leaf spot and Asian soybean rust on soybeans. Since there are reports of widespread resistance to group 11 fungicides, it is recommended to rotate two to three effective classes of fungicides. REGEV HBX is listed as FRAC BM 01 (tea tree oil) and FRAC 3 (difenoconazole).

For rice, similarly successful trials demonstrated the efficacy of REGEV HBX against rice blast. Based on the trial data, pecan growers will be impressed by how well REGEV HBX performs on pecan scab.

Through the combination of tea tree oil and difenoconazole, REGEV HBX provides eight mechanisms of activity against fungal and bacterial plant pathogens to deliver remarkable disease control with only one MRL. REGEV HBX provides significant value to soybean, rice and pecan growers due to its preventative and curative activity, efficacy against a broad spectrum of bacterial and fungal diseases, and the ability to enhance plant growth and yield. These attributes make REGEV HBX an important component in the disease management and control programs for these crops.

Through the combination of tea tree oil

Income from operations stood at Rs 729.87 crore (Q1 FY22: Rs. 386.26 crore; Q4 FY22: Rs. 829.01 crore)

Pune based Praj Industries (Praj), a globally leading process engineering company with a bouquet of sustainable solutions for Bioenergy, Cleantech and Greentech industry announced its unaudited financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2022

Performance Review for Q1 FY23 ‐ Consolidated:

Income from operations stood at Rs 729.87 crore (Q1 FY22: Rs. 386.26 crore; Q4 FY22: Rs. 829.01 crore)

PBT is at Rs. 54.23 crore for the period (Q1 FY22: Rs. 29.80 crore; Q4 FY22: Rs. 78.05 crore)

PAT is at Rs. 41.26 crore (Q1 FY22: Rs. 22.20 crore; Q4 FY22: Rs. 57.65)

Order intake during the quarter Rs. 1094 crore (Q1 FY22: Rs. 661 crores; Q4 FY22: Rs. 1101.5 crore)

Commenting on the Company’s performance, Shishir Joshipura, CEO & MD, Praj Industries said, “We have started FY  23 on a strong note with positive developments on order book and delivery volumes. However, challenges around volatile commodity prices, impact of war in Europe and rising global inflation continued. With commodity prices & supply chains stabilizing and increased focus on sustainable energy transition, business environment is expected to be conducive going forward.”

Key Developments:

1.Praj was conferred with the prestigious Fortune India THE NEXT  500 in the Engineering sector. Fortune India Next 500 is a ranking of the top five hundred midsize corporations in India compiled based on the latest sales and gross revenue figures. This award is a recognition of the remarkable growth and outstanding performance among the most promising mid‐sized companies in India.

2.Praj was bestowed with prestigious Golden Peacock Award in the Innovative Product and Service category for its ground‐breaking product BIOSYRUP®.  BIOSYRUP® makes it possible to store sugarcane juice in form of syrup for up to 12 months without any contamination or loss of sugar.

3. Praj joined Mission Possible Partnership (MPP), International Alliance to Pursuit Net Zero Aviation.

Income from operations stood at Rs 729.87

 FPC will encourage the avocado, rambutan, mangosteen, and passion fruit production and will export the same to other countries.

Kottayam based Mahatma Gandhi University and the Fruits Valley Farmers Producers Company has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop an avocado research centre at Adimali in Kerala.The MoU was signed by University Registrar Prakash Kumar and Biju Parayannilam, chairman, Fruits Valley Farmers Producers Company. Vice-Chancellor Sabu Thomas emphasised that the commercial production of imported fruits like avocado was necessary for the survival of the agriculture sector in the state.

“Farmers should come forward and try to produce foreign fruits in a commercial manner as these days rubber and pepper farming are facing a downward trend,” Thomas added. He said the research department will provide all necessary support to produce avocado fruit.

Parayannilam , chairman, Fruits Valley Farmers Producers Company stated that his company will encourage the avocado, rambutan, mangosteen, and passion fruit production and will export the same to other countries and ensure a stable price for such fruits.

 FPC will encourage the avocado, rambutan, mangosteen,