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Home2022September (Page 10)
Bee keeping, India, Opinions

 By Rituparna Majumder, Senior Manager – Life Science Advisory, Sathguru Management

India is home to the largest number of beehives (12.2 million) and is the eighth largest producer in the world, producing about 62,000 metric tonnes (MT) of honey worth Rs 21.1 billion (2020- 21). Today India contributes to only about 3.6 per cent of global natural honey exports worth Rs 6.62 billion, of which 73 per cent is exported to the US. The Indian honey market is anticipated to reach Rs 38.3 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 10.31 per cent, according to IMARC report. The country’s largest honey-producing states are West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Bihar.

The flavoured honey market in India is gradually gaining traction. Increasing consumer preferences for healthy and natural alternatives over artificial sweeteners and increased awareness about honey’s advantages drive the market’s growth. The country’s diverse flora helps produce honey in various flavours. Multifloral honey such as Multi-flora Himalayan and monofloral honey such as Rapeseed/Mustard, Eucalyptus, Lychee, Sunflower, Karanj /Pongamea, Multi-flora Himalayan, Acacia, Wild Flora are some of the significant varieties of flavoured honey.

Multifloral and monofloral honey

Multifloral honey (wild/forest honey), derived from a wide array of wild flora, is less expensive, and is the most common type of honey in the markets. The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of multifloral honey help treat skin problems, reduce swelling, and heal wounds and burns. Monofloral honey is predominantly derived from the nectar of a single flowering plant. It is harder to produce owing to its dependence on a dominant blossom’s nectar and pollen that determines the flavour, taste, and properties. Hence it  fetches a premium price. Monofloral honey results from two conditions (a) predominance of the target plant in the vicinity of hives, leaving the bees with little choice of plants, and (b) timing for introducing the hive and coinciding harvesting of the honeycomb with the blooming period.

Monofloral honey contains diverse dietary phytochemical compounds with functional and nutritional properties such as phenolic acids, minerals, phenolics, and flavonoids. It also has a low glycemic index (GI). This has led to its prominence in the medicinal field owing to direct health benefits, wound healing, antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. It aids in soothing chronic coughs and reducing allergies. The elusiveness of monofloral honey with regards to its geographical area or plant species fetches premium pricing. Orange Blossom honey from Meghalaya, Eucalyptus Honey from the Nilgiris, Jamun Honey from the forests in Eastern India, and Indian Laurel Honey from the Western Ghats are a few of the popular monofloral honey varieties available in India.

The domestic market is broadly segmented into multifloral honey and monofloral honey (eucalyptus honey, ajwain (carom) honey, sidr (lote) honey, and others). Multifloral honey contributes approximately 60 per  cent of the honey market being the most popular flavour. In contrast, the market for different monofloral honeys that are perceived as more exotic and beneficial is still in nascent stages, with eucalyptus, ajwain, and sidr contributing approximately 10 per cent each and the remaining 10 per cent from others. According to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), in the case of multifloral honey the pollen count of plant species’ does not exceed 45 per cent. In contrast, for qualifying as monofloral honey, the pollen count of the plant species should not be less than 45 per cent. 

 By Rituparna Majumder, Senior Manager – Life

Agrotech, Animal Health, India, Opinions, Poultry

By Dr Krishna Sahoo, Global Product Manager, Proteon Pharmaceuticals

Given the high prevalence of disease in poultry due to intensive farming, innovative solutions such as bacteriophages are the need of the hour.

In 2018, the Indian poultry market was valued at Rs 1,750 billion and it is expected to reach Rs 4,340 billion by 2024. Notable for its production of eggs, meat and employing rural people, poultry farming in India is growing every year. However, with tremendous growth, the rate of infectious disease outbreaks in poultry farms has also risen across different regions. To counter this challenge, biosecurity on poultry farms has received increased interest, especially over the past few decades.

What is Biosecurity?

Biosecurity refers to the procedures or methods used to prevent the introduction and spread of disease-causing organisms in poultry farms. Infectious agents like parasites, fungi, protozoa, viruses and bacteria are a serious threat to poultry health, which in turn leads to morbidity and mortality. Biosecurity aims to overcome the indirect and direct threat of diseases to poultry, through effective control measures like cleaning, disinfection, traffic control and segregation. Its main objectives are:

Keep out highly contagious diseases like Newcastle Disease (ND), Infectious Bronchitis (IB), and Infectious bursal disease (IBD) (Gumboro disease)

Reduce pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli

Control vector habitat and attractants

Sanitisation of equipment and supplies

Improve the health of the flock

Reduce mortality losses

Increase profitability

Causative factors

Despite being one of the largest producers of broiler meat and eggs, the Indian poultry industry faces some major challenges. The majority of Indian poultry farms are open buildings where climate control and quarantine mechanisms are out of place. This exposes the birds to potential epidemics and diseases. A study conducted on the samples collected from 160 chickens received at the Veterinary University Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (VUDDL) in Tamil Nadu from 2014 to 2016 showed a high prevalence of infectious diseases like Newcastle Disease, E. coli infection, Salmonellosis, Fowl Cholera, Clostridia infection and Candida infection.

The domestic poultry market in India lacks comprehensive quality standards to maintain optimal hygiene in poultry farms. Farm licensing is done at the municipality level where people often lack the expertise, knowledge and human resources to adhere to the quality standards.

Lack of clean and hygienic dry processing facilities along with waste treatment plants can lead to serious environmental concerns. The wet processing machinery can be a serious threat to the environment, owing to poor waste disposal management.

On top of that, the intensive poultry farming practices are restricting the birds to immunologically compromised, unhygienic crowded locations that are leading to zoonotic disease outbreaks. To combat the zoonotic diseases, there is indiscriminate use of antibiotics which is leading to bacteria developing resistance against them.

The fight against these challenges requires extensive biosecurity measures at every step of poultry farming to mitigate the threats and remain profitable.

To read more click on https://agrospectrumindia.com/e-magazine

By Dr Krishna Sahoo, Global Product

Allied Industry, Bee keeping, India, Interaction

In an interaction with AgroSpectrum India Namrata Khanna, Director, India Honey Alliance (IHA) shared her vision for a ‘Sweet Revolution’ along with the infrastructural and regulatory challenges plaguing the Indian honey market at large. Edited excerpts.

What are the factors driving the Indian honey market given that its size is expected to reach Rs 38 billion by 2027, according to a report by the  International Market Analysis Research and Consulting Group (IMARC)?

Demand for honey has been growing with consumers becoming more health conscious and including honey in their daily diet. This demand witnessed a sizeable jump during the COVID pandemic as honey is known for its immunity boosting properties. In fact, the market touched a high in 2020, with a total valuation of Rs 19.2 billion and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10 per cent to reach Rs 30.6 billion by 2026.  All this can be attributed to the therapeutic properties that honey carries.

The pandemic ensured people made a beeline for wellness products. Today, the industry is propelled by the Food & Beverage segment, personal care and cosmetic industry due to its proven use in reducing oxidative stress and inflammation, as a natural humectant, and as a healthy alternative to sugar. Many leading FMCG players are launching not just different flavours of honey, such as tulsi, ajwain, ashwagandha, eucalyptus and jamun, but also newer formats like honey-based syrups, which have been driving market growth. The rising applications of honey in home remedies due to its antibacterial and antiseptic qualities that help in healing wounds and burns, also influence the growth of the honey market.

Moreover, the recommendation by the Ministry of AYUSH for honey as a home remedy for preventive care only helped in propelling the overall demand.

Further, scientific endorsement of the medicinal properties of honey and its growing usage as a premium ingredient in nutraceuticals are also creating a favourable market outlook. The demand is also getting escalated owing to the easy product availability through e-commerce platforms and extensive R&D activities to improve its uses and quality. Besides, the Government of India is introducing various training programmes and mentoring services to create awareness amongst farmers about the latest beekeeping practices.

To read more click on https://agrospectrumindia.com/e-magazine

E-Magazine
E-Magazine
E-Magazine
E-Magazine

In an interaction with AgroSpectrum India Namrata

Agro chems – Pesticides, Biostimulants, Company News, Europe, World

Andermatt Group AG, a Swiss company group specialising in the development of biological solutions based on microorganisms for the control of insect pests and diseases and for biostimulation, has become the majority shareholder (80 per cent stake) in the Croatian company BIOinput d.o.o.
Located in Varaždin, Croatia, BIOinput d.o.o. has developed to be a leading supplier of biological plant protection products, biocides, plant stimulants and nutrition specialties in Croatia. Talking about the major business development, Martina Borić, Managing Director, BIOinput, said, “There is a great cultural and entrepreneurial fit between BIOinput and the Andermatt Group. We are proud to be a part of the Andermatt network and look forward to bringing its fast-growing portfolio of biological solutions to our Croatian customers.”
The Andermatt Group has been investing over the last decade in a worldwide production and distribution network to strengthen its position in important agricultural markets. “We are excited about the integration of BIOinput in the Andermatt Group which will definitely support our strategy to create a large offer of biologicals for the Croatian customers”, said Daniel Zingg, CEO of Andermatt Group AG.
In return for the sales of its majority in BIOinput, Martina Borić will become minority shareholder in the Andermatt Group. It is part of the succession plan of the founders of the Andermatt Group AG to integrate other biocontrol pioneers as shareholders.

Andermatt Group AG, a Swiss company group

Agro chems – Pesticides, Company News

FMC India, an agricultural sciences company, launched the third year of its safety awareness and stewardship campaign around pesticide use for the farming community in the Indian district of Akola, in partnership with the agriculture department of the Maharashtra state government. This campaign builds on an initiative which FMC India started in Akola in 2020, to promote the adoption of safe agricultural practices aimed at preventing accidental cases of poisoning amongst the farming community.
Elaborating on the awareness campaign, Ravi Annavarapu, President, FMC India, said, “FMC is heavily invested in the welfare of the farming community in India. As such, we have been training farmers on safe and sustainable agricultural practices over many years. Our campaign in 2021 reached 7,500 farmers in the different villages throughout Akola, and we firmly believe that this year’s campaign will scale up to new levels and reach an even wider farmer community to improve their awareness and knowledge.”
As part of the campaign, FMC India collaborates with the government’s agriculture department, health department and Krishi Vigyan Kendra (agricultural extension centers in India) to organise farmer meetings and education sessions about the proper usage of pesticides in different crop seasons and crop varieties. Mobile vans are mobilised on a mass scale to ensure education sessions are offered to a large number of villages and farmers throughout Akola.
This year’s campaign was launched in the presence of Akola District CEO Saurabh Katiyar, Akola District Zila Parishad President Pratibhatai Bhojane, Additional CEO Dr Saurabh Pawar, Akola District Superintendent of Agriculture Aaarif Shah, former Zila Parishad President Pushpatai Ingale, Akola District Agriculture Development Officer Muralidhar Ingale, District Quality Controller Milind Janjal, along with FMC India’s Area Marketing Manager Hiraman Mandal.

FMC India, an agricultural sciences company, launched

Agro chems – Pesticides, Company News, North America

Corteva Agriscience and BASF Agricultural Solutions have announced their agreement to develop future herbicide-tolerant soyabeans and complementing herbicides for farmers in North America and beyond. The collaboration aims to bring competitive alternatives to manage resistant and tough-to-control weeds through innovative trait stacks and durable, long-lasting modes of action. 

Farmers will benefit from broader weed management options and strong germplasm choices from both BASF and Corteva seed brands. The strategic cross-licensing agreement includes the development of new trait stacks, as well as optimised herbicide options for future weed control.

“The spirit of our cooperation is to drive innovations that make a difference for farmers,” said Dr Peter Eckes, President R&D and Regulatory of BASF Agricultural Solutions. “Our new PPO trait in combination with our leading herbicide products and exciting herbicides pipeline gives soybean farmers new options in managing challenging weeds. Collaborating also strengthens our branded soybean seed business.”

“Expanding options for soybean farmers to manage weed challenges with the herbicides that work best for their operation is one of our priorities,” said Dr Sam Eathington, Executive Vice President, Chief Technology and Digital Officer, Corteva Agriscience. We know farmers who prefer the weed control system will need additional, new modes of action as they work to improve the sustainability of their weed-control practices.”

Corteva Agriscience and BASF Agricultural Solutions have announced

Agro chems – Pesticides, Agrotech, Biostimulants, India

The World BioProtection Forum’s India Chapter and Sharda University are organising the World BioProtection Summit – India (WBS–India) 2022 on December 1 at Sharda University, Greater Noida, India. WBS-India 2022 will bring these solutions to the Indian BioAg/Agritech sectors, with international experts who can help companies in India to expand their networks and achieve their goals. The event will gather Innovators, Academics, Manufacturers, Agronomists, Technical managers, IPM practitioners and End-users in the BioProtection sector, at the highly reputed Sharda University. 

This year’s event has two main objectives, ‘Accelerating novel technologies and products for global market’ and ‘Connecting academia and industry, creating synergy for faster advancement of the Bioprotection sector‘.

The organisers would welcome presentations from innovative companies, academics and researchers who are involved in innovation, efficiency, and productivity through the commercialisation of innovative solutions and new production systems to the topic of the conference. Exciting exhibition and sponsorship opportunities are also available for companies wanting to showcase their products and technologies, and to demonstrate their imagination, innovation and excellence in the industry.

The World BioProtection Forum’s India Chapter and

Acts & Schemes – Centre, AgroPolicy, India, Pulses

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved disposal of chana pulses to states and union territories at discounted rates to utilise for various welfare schemes. The disposal will be done from the stock of pulses procured under Price Support Scheme (PSS) and Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF). 

It also approved enhancement of the ceiling on quantity of procurement under PSS from existing 25 per cent to 40 per cent in respect of tur, urad, and masur. Under this approved scheme, the states and UTs are offered to lift 15 lakh metric ton of chana at the discount of Rs 8/kg over the issue price of the sourcing state on first come first serve basis. The states and UTs will utilise these pulses in their various welfare schemes including mid-day meals, public distribution system, and integrated child development programmes.  

This will be a one-time dispensation for a period of 12 months or till the complete disposal of 15 lakh metric ton stock of chana. The centre will spend Rs 1200 crore for the implementation of this scheme.

In recent times, the country has witnessed an all-time high production of chana, especially during the last three years. The central government under the price support scheme has made record procurement of chana due to which 30.55 lakh metric ton Chana is available with the government under PSS and PSF. The production of chana is expected to be good in the coming rabi season as well.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA)