Connect with:
Saturday / September 7. 2024

logo
mobile-logo
Home2022September (Page 9)
Agrotech, Company News, India, Start ups

 The advisory board will offer guidance leveraging their expertise in the fields of agriculture, supply chain design, public policy, finance, ecosystem building, and technology

Bengaluru based Ninjacart, India’s leading agri-startup that leverages technology and data to organize the Indian agriculture ecosystem, forms an Advisory Board, comprised of Industry veterans and experts, to strengthen its ambition of revolutionizing the agriculture ecosystem in India.

The advisory board will offer guidance leveraging their expertise in the fields of agriculture, supply chain design, public policy, finance, ecosystem building, and technology. Board members will support Ninjacart’s efforts to improve its efficiency, contribute to the development of infrastructure, and broaden its horizons to engage with institutions and stakeholders. Additionally, the advisory board will provide assistance in developing long-term strategies and anticipate challenges along the ambitious path and suggest mitigation measures to avoid them.

The advisory board comprises a diverse group of professionals bringing deep expertise and decades of real-world experience to the table that will help Ninjacart in achieving its goal of revolutionizing the agricultural ecosystem in India.

 J. Satyanarayana – Former IT Secretary, Govt of India said, “I am pleased to be on the advisory board of Ninjacart, a company that is led by the vision of transforming the agriculture value chain.”

Prakash Bakshi – Former Chairman of NABARD said, ‘‘Post production value chain has been the weakest link in Indian agriculture, especially in fruits and vegetables. Ninjacart seeks to bring in efficiencies through improved logistics resulting in better market prices and consequent higher farm gate prices.”

 Anand Sinha – Retd Deputy Governor of RBI said, “Ninjacart has shone in the agritech space brightly and has leveraged technological advancements in the best possible manner”.

 Nandakumar – Former Food & Agriculture Secretary, Govt. of India said, “Ninjacart has been a disruptor in the agri-tech space. Its growth graph has impacted the industry positively. It is an absolute pleasure to be on an advisory board for them, especially now that it has decided to expand globally. With such an expert board being constituted”.

Commenting on forming the advisory board, Kartheeswaran K K, COO & Co-Founder of Ninjacart said, “ We are honoured to have distinguished members in our advisory board who have a deep knowledge of India’s business and agricultural landscape, who will support us in organizing the agri ecosystem and make this vision a reality by believing in our technological expertise and core values”.

 The advisory board will offer guidance leveraging

Company News, India, Machinery – Post-harvesting

The tractor major has also become a pioneer in horticulture mechanisation by recently introducing CODE by Swaraj, a multi-purpose farm machine

Swaraj Tractors, part of Mahindra Group, one of the leading brands in the Indian Tractor industry, rolled out its 20th Lakh tractor from the company’s Plant in Mohali, Punjab on Tuesday. This milestone is a testament to the customers’ trust and confidence in the brand Swaraj.

Harish Chavan, CEO, Swaraj Division, M&M Ltd rolled out the 20th lakh tractor in a special ceremony attended by employees. Speaking on the occasion he said, “This achievement has further cemented brand Swaraj’s reputation of being reliable and one of the fastest growing brands in the domestic tractor market over the past few years. We are thankful to all our customers and stakeholders for their wholehearted support towards the growth of this brand.”

Since its inception in 1974, the first milestone of 10 lakh tractor production was achieved in 2013. Now within a span of just nine years, we have accomplished 20 Lakh tractor production in 2022, which is a testimony of the faster growth of the brand Swaraj. What makes this achievement more remarkable is the fact that this has come when the industry was going through unforeseen challenges due to the pandemic in the last couple of years.

 Hemant Sikka, President, Farm Equipment Sector, M&M Ltd said, “This journey to reach the 20 Lakh production mark today has been challenging and exciting for us. We are happy that over the years Swaraj has been able to make a significant contribution to the lives of Indian farmers. Going ahead we look forward to providing more agri-based solutions and enabling mechanisation. This achievement is another stepping stone towards living our purpose of Transform farming and enriching lives”.

Swaraj manufactures tractors in the range of 15HP to 65HP and provides complete mechanisation solutions. The tractor major has also become a pioneer in horticulture mechanisation by recently introducing CODE by Swaraj, a multi-purpose farm machine. Currently, Swaraj has two fully functional tractor manufacturing plants, its own Foundry & R&D all located in Punjab, while another new manufacturing plant of Swaraj is also coming up in the state.

The tractor major has also become a

Agrotech, India

 

By

Rajesh Aggarwal, Managing Director, Insecticides (India) Limited

Following the liberalisation of drone restrictions in 2021, the industry received a huge boost with the announcement in this year’s Union Budget of Drone Shakti, a new integrated office in the Ministry of Civil Aviation to allow speedier growth, coordination, and approvals for drones. The government is currently supporting a number of drone entrepreneurs in order to increase their use across industries. Kisan Drones are already being utilised for crop assessments, land records, and insecticide spraying, and are projected to usher in a new era of technology in agriculture and farming. Drones with Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and remote sensing capabilities are becoming increasingly popular due to their numerous benefits.  

,

Drones in agriculture

Drone technology has received the greatest attention due to its versatility and is seen as the agrarian sector’s future. Drones not only improve overall performance, but they also help farmers to overcome a variety of other obstacles and get several benefits from precision agriculture. They fill the void left by human mistake and inefficiency in traditional farming practices, with the market for agricultural drones expected to reach $5.7 billion by 2025, growing at a 35.9 percent CAGR.  The goal of implementing drone technology is to eliminate any uncertainty or guesswork and instead focus on accurate and dependable data.

 Farming is influenced by external elements such as weather, soil conditions, and temperature. A farmer can use an agriculture drone to adapt to different settings and make informed decisions. Crop health, crop treatment, crop scouting, irrigation, field soil analysis, and crop damage assessments are all aided by the information obtained. Drone surveys help farmers increase agricultural yields while reducing time and costs.

Role of drones in crop protection and productivity enhancement

 Spraying of agrochemicals

Drones are already being tested for use in the cotton-growing region of the country for spraying pesticides to reduce pests that would otherwise be handled by agricultural labourers, which is very time consuming and is also not uniform. Drones not only lessen the risk of unintended fume inhalation, but also expedite pest management by covering more areas in less time. The primary advantage of using a drone is that it will consume less insecticide and provide greater precision throughout the application process.

 Controlling the Locust Swarm

The majority of countries fighting locust swarms rely heavily on organophosphate insecticides. In India, drones have been stationed in Rajasthan to ensure that the spraying is done efficiently. Drones can spray insecticides across a 2.5-acre area in under 15 minutes. The use of drones to battle locust swarms is a quick, safe, and practical solution.

 Crop Health Surveillance and Monitoring

Tracking the health of the vegetation and spotting bacterial/fungal diseases early on is critical. Plants that reflect various quantities of green light and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) light can be identified by agriculture drones. This information is used to create multispectral images that can be used to track crop health. Crops can be saved if they are monitored closely and any faults are discovered quickly. In the event of crop failure, the farmer can document the losses in order to file proper insurance claims.

 Agricultural drones equipped with multispectral and RGB sensors can also identify weeds, diseases, and pests in farm regions. The exact amounts of chemicals required to combat these infestations are known as a result of this research, which reduces the farmer’s costs.

 Monitoring of Irrigation

Drones with hyperspectral, thermal, or multispectral sensors detect areas that are too dry or require the farmer’s attention. Irrigation monitoring yields calculations of the vegetation index to help realize the health of crops and emitted heat/energy. Drone surveys aid in bettering water usage and uncovering irrigation problems.

Soil Analysis in the Field

Farmers can use the drone survey to learn more about the soil conditions on their land. Multispectral sensors capture data that can be used for seed planting patterns, field soil analysis, irrigation, and nitrogen management. Farmers can thoroughly examine their soil conditions using precise photogrammetry/ 3D mapping.

 Drone-planting systems have already been developed that allow drones to shoot pods, seeds, and essential nutrients into the soil. Not only does this technique cut expenses by over 85 per cent, but it also improves consistency and efficiency. 

Tracking livestock

Farmers can use the drone survey to keep track of not only their crops but also their cattle’s movements. Thermal sensor technology aids in the recovery of missing animals and the detection of injury or illness. Drones are capable of performing this duty well, and this contributes significantly to the development of vegetation.

 ByRajesh Aggarwal, Managing Director, Insecticides (India) LimitedFollowing

Agro chems – Chemicals, Company News, R&D

GSP Crop Science, a leader in the agrochemical business and India’s first company to develop the SE formulation in its R&D centre, has received an exclusive patent for its synergistic suspo-emulsion formulation of Pyriproxifen and Diafenthiuron (branded GSP SLR 525 SE Formulation) by the Office of the Controller General of Patents, Designs & Trademarks, which is a subordinate office under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion.

The patent was granted for an insecticide formulation which would control the deadly effect of whitefly insects in the country. As per the statistics, approximately 1.35 hectare of coconut and oil palm in India are affected by whiteflies. It also seriously impedes the ability of farms to process cotton harvests.

GSP’s new insecticide formulation SLR 525 SE is effective on the plant surface due to its fast and evenly spreading and translaminar action. Being a water-based solution, it eliminates the harmful effects of solvents used in EC formulation on the environment.

On winning this patent, Bhavesh Shah, Managing Director, GSP Crop Science Pvt Ltd, said, “After almost eight years of blood, sweat and tears with the help of our R&D and legal team, GSP has been granted a patent for a combination product that will be of great advantage to the farmers. Our product SLR 525 which helps fight pest attack of whitefly in vegetables and cotton in all stages – is the first of its kind in the Indian market. We project this molecule to generate revenue of almost Rs 400 crore yearly within the next few years. We expect the market for this product to grow even further.”

GSP Crop Science Pvt Ltd – is amongst the leading manufacturers of agrochemicals in India and produces a wide range of “technical” and “formulations” of insecticides, fungicides, herbicides (crop protection solutions) and plant regulators for Indian agriculture and farmers’ community.

With a financial turnover of Rs 1200 crore annually and four manufacturing units in Gujarat and Jammu & Kashmir, the company comprises more than 70 branded products – which gets marketed through a network of 5,000 distributors, over 30,000 dealers and 34 depots in India and exports to 25 countries.

GSP Crop Science, a leader in the

Agrotech, Horticulture, Vegetables

Addressing the seventh International Exhibition and Conference EIMA Agrimach India 2022 in Bengaluru, Shobha Karandlaje, Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare said that with India becoming a food surplus country, the Indian farmer needs affordable machinery and technologies to expand production and come up with value-added products with export potential,

The three-day conference cum exhibition was inaugurated by Karandlaje, Murugesh R Nirani, minister of large and medium industries, and Muniratna Naidu, minister for horticulture and planning & statistics, Government of Karnataka.

Speaking on the occasion, Karandlije noted that the country’s robust cereals, fruits and vegetable production are at 314 and 334 million metric ton respectively. However, she said, “What the country needs now is affordable and quality food processing, agri-marketing and agri-export avenues.”

Karandlaje encouraged equipment manufacturers and technology developers to manufacture food processing machinery to check the rampant wastage of agriculture and horticulture produce in the absence of value addition. She said that instead of wasting, the food could be exported to nations with limited food production avenues.

During the event, Nirani highlighted that increased efforts were needed for technology improvement, adoption, and exports. In addition, the minister encouraged foreign industry participants to introduce affordable mechanised farming, given the small land holdings in the state. 

The other dignitaries who spoke during the conference included K Ullas Kamath, chairman, FICCI Karnataka State Council; TR Kesavan, chairman, FICCI National Agriculture Committee; Alessandro Malavolti, president, FederUnacoma; Shivayogi C Kalasad, secretary to government, agriculture department, Government of Karnataka; Dr S Rajendra Prasad, vice-chancellor, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, and Ravindra Agrawal, chairman, Agriculture Sub-Committee, FICCI Karnataka State Council.

EIMA Agrimach India 2022 has registered participants from more than 40 countries and is expected to witness the presence of over 10000 farmers, industry and foreign delegates, investors, agriculture researchers, and students.

Addressing the seventh International Exhibition and Conference

India, Middle East countries, Organic

The Government of Manipur and the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) recently organised an in-store export promotion programme in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) for harnessing the export potential of naturally grown, organic certified fresh pineapples of North-Eastern Region (NER).

The ‘in-store promotion show’ of organic certified fibre rich Kwe variety of pineapples from Manipur, was organised at the Lulu hyper market, Dubai’s largest supermarket in association with Manipur Organic Mission Agency (MOMA) of Government of Manipur. The event is a part of the government’s strategy to promote locally produced agricultural products in the international markets.

MOMA has supported the sourcing of pineapples directly from the farmers of Manipur. They are procured from Thayong Organic Producer Company Ltd in Imphal East district, Manipur. On the occasion, APEDA chairman Dr M Angamuthu stressed on promoting processed form of value-added pineapple to sustain in the global export market for a longer time period.

“We need to focus on promoting pineapple sourced from farmers in processed form in the Gulf countries through Lulu Group. It will help farmers in better price realisation of their produce,” elaborated Dr Angamuthu. The event was also graced by P Vaiphel, additional Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur. With a production of 134.82 metric tonne (MT) in 2020-21, Manipur ranks sixth in pineapple production having a share of 7.46 per cent in total production in India.

The Government of Manipur and the Agricultural

Agro chems – Pesticides, Horticulture, India, Seeds

Dr Abhilaksh Likhi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, visited the Indo-Dutch, Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Vegetables at Baramati, District Pune, Maharashtra and interacted with the farmers. The main objective of setting of the CoE is to establish a demonstration hub for vegetable production and transfer of technologies to the extension workers and farmers in the region through their training and capacity building. These techniques include protected cultivation, hydroponics, improved seeds and quality planting material, fertigation, Integrated Nutrient Management (INM), Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), etc.

The CoE facilitates the training of various level of officers, NGOs, private entrepreneurs and paves a way to develop value chain, promote employment generation and market intelligence to maximise income of farmers.

A total of seven Centres of Excellence (CoEs) of Indo-Dutch collaboration have been approved so far in four states.  Out of them, two are completed in the state of Maharashtra and five are at various stages of completion. Beside these seven CoEs, there are three private centres as well.  All these centres are operational in the states of Maharashtra, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala and Karnataka with a specific focus on horticulture crops, fruits, vegetables, potatoes and flowers.

Dr Likhi also visited the Dutch Green house at CoE, KVK Baramati which aims to maximise the crop production from less resources like water, pesticides, manpower etc., which not only adds value to the entrepreneurs but also increases the quality of the produce being residue free. The main focus of this green-house is on demonstrating technologies under protected cultivation. The additional secretary also reviewed the activities of the centre at Baramati wherein detailed presentations were made by the ten centres and agri start-ups working in the region. It focused on innovations and technologies being used by them to cut down the transaction costs and create better market linkages for farmers growing fruits and vegetables. Dr. Likhi directed all the stakeholders to ensure that the technological demonstrations being practiced in the seven CoEs should be widely disseminated in the villages surrounding the centres to extend its benefits to the small and marginal farmers for practicing profitable agriculture

Dr Abhilaksh Likhi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of

Agrotech, Company News

Syngenta Group, a leading provider of agricultural science and technology has announced strong financial results for the second quarter and first half of 2022. The group’s Q2 sales increased 24 per cent to $9.2 billion, up $1.8 billion year-on-year. Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation (EBITDA) for the same period increased 39 percent to $1.7 billion, driven by launches of innovative products and services, increased productivity and prices that offset higher costs.

The company’s H1 sales stood at $18.1 billion, up $3.7 billion, 25 percent year-on-year. EBITDA for the same period was recorded as $3.5 billion, 32 percent higher year-on-year.

Syngenta Group’s double-digit sales growth in the second quarter and the first half of 2022 was backed up by strong demand for the company’s products and services that help farmers successfully grow crops to address global food security and mitigate the effects of climate change by providing healthy, nutritious, and affordable food.

The Switzerland-based company continued to promote the transition to a regenerative food production system, playing its part by accelerating innovation to nurture and restore soil health, biodiversity, climate and water systems, while enhancing productivity and farmer economics. Further, Syngenta Group is working with other companies in the agriculture value chain, including food companies and retailers, to progress regenerative agriculture.

Syngenta Group China delivered strong growth with a total sales of $5.3 billion in H1 2022. The sales of Modern Agriculture Platform (MAP) nearly doubled to $1.8 billion, thus surpassing its sales for the year 2021. During the same period, the group’s China arm opened 48 new MAP centers, expanding the company’s capabilities to serve farmers. The average sales per center of the 540 MAP centers across China were up 38 per cent year-on-year, helping farmers increase their crop quality and yield while lowering environmental impact.

The EBITDA margin of Syngenta Group improved by 1.1 percentage points from a year earlier to 19.5 percent in H1 2022. Synergy-driven sales in the first six months more than doubled to $0.7 billion, with a profit contribution that increased to $0.3 billion.

Syngenta Group, a leading provider of agricultural

Agrotech, Company News, India, Transportation

New Holland Agriculture, a brand of CNH Industrial, has launched Blue Series SIMBA and its entry in the sub 30HP compact tractor segment in India, at the 7th EIMA Agrimach Expo 2022 in Bengaluru. Introduced as a part of the brand’s Blue Series range, the tractor is designed for specialty applications such as spraying, rotavation and inter-row cultivation in vineyards, orchards, sugarcane and cotton fields etc. The first lot of 21 tractors was handed over to customers at the launch.

Speaking at the occasion, Raunak Varma, MD and country head, CNH Industrial – India & SAARC, said, “As a company, we want to offer a full spectrum of farm equipment and mechanisation solutions for our customers. With the Blue Series SIMBA, we are now providing our customers with a range of compact tractors for specialty applications.”

Powered by a three-cylinder 29HP Mitsubishi Engine, the Blue Series SIMBA 30 is focused on higher power and fuel efficiency in the segment. It also offers the benefit of a narrow track and features nine forward and three reverse gears along with side shift transmission modes, oil-immersed brakes, a 750 kg hydraulic lift capacity and automatic depth and draft control (ADDC).

The tractor offers a semi-flat platform, floor mat and heat shield with optimised operator seat height. It also features a neutral safety switch and differential lock that helps to manoeuvre the tractor safely and easily in any condition and on all surfaces. Blue Series SIMBA 30 features a four-wheel drive front axle and is equipped with an adjustable rim tyre option to reduce the overall width of the machine. For easy maintenance purposes, the tractor features a dry type air cleaner with clogging sensor that warns the operator when the air filter is clogged.

The all-new Blue Series SIMBA 30 is currently available in Maharashtra and Karnataka at New Holland Agriculture dealerships and would soon be made available in other markets.

New Holland Agriculture, a brand of CNH

Company News, India, R&D

India’s premier research institute IIT-Kanpur has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Niche Agriculture & Pharmaceuticals Limited (NAPL), a company engaged in agricultural activities and formulation of advanced medicines, for research on cultivation of ‘Cannabis’ and its usage in pharma and bioengineering. The collaboration will focus on research, development, and consultancy studies in the fields of mutual interest.

By partnering together, the two organisations are setting the groundwork for reorganising the indigenous cannabis plant and creating new hemp cultivars that adhere to international regulations. The development of new hemp-based treatments will help doctors address the rising rates of cancer, epilepsy, migraine, chronic pain, arthritis, and insomnia in India.

The MoU was signed by Professor Abhay Karandikar, Director, IIT Kanpur and Harisharan Devgan, Chairman of Niche Group of Companies, in the presence of senior professors, researchers, and other faculty members. Speaking on the partnership, Karandikar said that it will lay the foundation for better research and development in the biotech industry. “Cannabis has been widely accepted in Indian culture through the ages, yet we have limited knowledge about this holy plant,” he further added.

Elaborating on the MoU, Devgan said, “This collaboration will not only grant access to a whole new range of medicinal formulations, but it will also offer people affordable medical treatment for chronic health problems. We are focusing on improving cooperation in the field of hemp cultivation and bioengineering and implementing technologies like tissue culture with IIT-Kanpur for research and development, and exchanging academic materials and publications for the formulation of hemp-based and other medicines for chronic diseases.”

India’s premier research institute IIT-Kanpur has inked

Agrotech, India, R&D, Vegetables

Researchers at IIT Guwahati, led by Prof Vimal Katiyar, Department of Chemical Engineering and Centre for Excellence in Sustainable Polymers (CoE-SusPol), have developed an edible coating to extend the shelf-life of fruits and vegetables. This coating material, which prevents wastage, is tested on vegetables such as potato, tomato, green chili and strawberries, Khasi Mandarin, Apples, pineapples, Kiwifruits and were found to keep these vegetables fresh for nearly two months.
The researchers believe that their development can help the country meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 12.3 that is aimed at reducing food losses along the production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses.
Highlighting the need for such research, Prof Vimal Katiyar, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Guwahati, and CuSPol, IIT Guwahati, spoke, “According to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, between 4.6 and 15.9 per cent of fruits and vegetables go waste post-harvest, partly due to poor storage conditions. In fact, post-harvest loss in certain produce items like potato, onion and tomato could be as high as 19 per cent, which results in high prices for this highly consumed commodity.”
Speaking about the developed biodegradable coating, Prof. Vimal Katiyar, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Guwahati, “The newly-developed coatings can be mass-produced and are unique. They are very stable to light, heat and temperature up to 40oC, edible and can be safely eaten as part of the product formulation and do not add unfavorable properties to it. They retain the texture, color, appearance, flavor, nutritional value and microbial safety of the fruit or vegetable that has been coated, thereby enhancing their shelf life to several weeks to months”.

Researchers at IIT Guwahati, led by Prof

Agro chems – Pesticides, Company News, India, World

UPL Corporation, the flagship company of UPL Ltd for global operations, has appointed Mike Frank as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of UPL’s Global Crop Protection (CP) business which manages all CP assets outside of India. Mike will be a member of the UPL Crop Protection Board of Directors.

He joined UPL in early 2022 as President and Chief Operating Officer of UPL’s Crop Protection business based out of its London headquarters and plays a significant role in driving sustainable solutions in global food value chain networks to advance its OpenAg® purpose.

“As we continue to realign our businesses and strengthen our advancement to lead the pureplay crop protection market, we have been taking a more focused approach to our structure. Mike Frank is the natural choice to lead this transition, bringing extensive experience leading global agriculture companies, deep knowledge of innovative and digital technologies, and a proven track record of superior value creation for all stakeholders. He demonstrates an impressive leadership style, entrepreneurial mindset and a strong commitment to strengthening organisational culture”. Said Jai Shroff, Group CEO of UPL and Chairman of UPL Corporation.

UPL Corporation, the flagship company of UPL

Agrotech, Bee keeping, India

To harness the export potential of honey in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a ‘Sweet Revolution’ through promotion of beekeeping and allied activities, the Indian government along with honey producing farmers and private companies is taking huge strides forward to enhance honey production and revenue generation.

The rising prevalence of chronic medical ailments, such as diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, represents one of the key factors positively influencing the honey market in India. In addition, the escalating demand for immunity-boosting and health-improving products is offering lucrative growth opportunities to honey manufacturers. The rising utilisation of honey in home remedies is also increasing the sales of honey in the country. Apart from this, scientific validation of the medicinal properties of honey and its rising usage in formulating medicines for the treatment of cough and acute throat infection on account of its antiviral, antifungal, and antibacterial properties is augmenting the market growth. Additionally, leading players are focusing on launching different product variants, which is propelling the market growth. Along with this, the Government of India is introducing various training programmes and mentoring services to educate farmers on the latest beekeeping practices. Furthermore, the expansion of organised distribution channels, such as supermarkets, hypermarkets, convenience stores, and general stores, along with the thriving e-commerce industry, is stimulating the market growth. Moreover, increasing investments by key players in research and development (R&D) activities to improve extraction processes are anticipated to drive the market further.

The Indian apiculture market reached a value of Rs 20,480 million in 2021. It is all geared up to reach a benchmark figure of Rs 40,161 million by 2027, with a CAGR of 11.73 per cent during 2022-2027, according to IMARC, a global research company with its headquarters located in Noida.

India is a major honey exporting nation. As per the data shared by the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, India exported 74,413 metric tonnes (MT) of natural honey worth Rs 1,221 crore during 2021-22, with the United States taking a major share at 59,262 MT. The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Nepal and Morocco were the other top destinations for Indian honey. When it comes to producing and exporting honey, India came in at 8th and 9th, respectively. The main producing hubs for natural honey in the nation are Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Policy Impetus for Apiculture

Exports of honey have enormous potential, particularly post the COVID-19 pandemic, given the rise in its intake as a potent immune booster and a healthier option than sugar. To further enhance honey production and to make this sector more profitable, last year, the Government of India approved an allocation of Rs 500 crore for the National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) for three years (2020-21 to 2022-23). The mission was announced as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative in February 2021.

To harness the export potential of honey in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a ‘Sweet Revolution’ through promotion of beekeeping and allied activities, the Indian government along with honey producing farmers and private companies is taking huge strides forward to enhance honey production and revenue generation. Keeping in view the importance of beekeeping as part of the Integrated Farming System in the country, the NBHM is promoting holistic growth of the beekeeping industry for income and employment generation for farm and non-farm households. Some of the focus areas include, enhancement of  agriculture/ horticulture production, development of  infrastructural facilities –  including setting up of Integrated Beekeeping Development Centre (IBDC)s/Centre of Excellences (CoEs), honey testing labs, bee disease diagnostic labs, custom hiring centres, Api-therapy centres, nucleus stock, bee breeders, and empowerment of women through beekeeping.

Under NBHM, 11 projects totaling Rs 25.60 crore have been approved to increase both knowledge and skill in scientific beekeeping; empower women through beekeeping; and showcase the positive effect that honeybees can have on crop yields and quality. It also seeks to educate farmers about the availability of specialised beekeeping equipment for the manufacture of valuable commodities across the honey value chain. Products such as royal jelly, bee venom, and comb honey, as well as upcoming research into the potential of High Altitude Honey, unique honey production in the Kannauj and Hathrus districts of Uttar Pradesh, and the potential of mustard honey to treat colon cancer in 2020-21 are some of the major sub-elements associated with this project.

Elaborating further on the subject, Dr Tanu Sethi, Senior Associate, NITI Aayog stated, “The Sweet Revolution is an ambitious initiative of the Government of India, which is aimed at promoting apiculture, popularly known as ‘beekeeping’, for accelerating the production of quality honey and other related products. Beekeeping is a low investment and highly skilled enterprise model, in which technology application has emerged as a great enabler for socio-economic growth. The demand for good quality honey has grown over the years as it is considered a naturally nutritious product. Other apiculture products such as royal jelly, beeswax, and pollens are also used extensively in different sectors like pharmaceuticals, food, beverage, beauty, and others.”

Echoing similar thoughts, Anand Jakkulwar, CEO, Anand Bee Farm Enterprises said, “Recently, the beekeeping sector has attained new heights owing to the Central Government’s initiative ‘Sweet Revolution’. This initiative has attracted many young entrepreneurs to get associated with this business and has resulted in enhancing the production of honey in India. If everything falls into place, India has the potential to become a leading honey producer in the world.”

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

To harness the export potential of honey

Agrotech, Bee keeping, India

In addition to honey, the activities of the magical insect lead to a variety of in-demand products and valuable benefits to agriculture including increase in crop production.

Beekeeping is one of the oldest agri-allied industries in India. Besides honey, it includes the production of propolis, beeswax, bee venom, pollen, and royal jelly.  Honeybees also present an uncommon opportunity for diversification in agriculture.

The honeybee also contributes to sustainable agriculture by increasing farm yield through pollination and helping in environment-friendly disease and pest management. Production of crops such as blueberry, strawberry, tomato, sunflower, apple, canola and pulses have increased in the US and Europe because of bee pollination.

According to the latest Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) report, the honeybee can be used as an effective tool for increasing production and income of farmers. Apis cerana was used in the past, but Apis mellifera, when  introduced and domesticated, provides better pollination and yields going up to 40 to 50 kg honey per box. Various products, such as beeswax, bee venom, and royal jelly are also obtained.

At present, there are about one million colonies of honeybees in India and the National Commission on Agriculture has estimated that given the existing vegetational wealth, 150 million bee colonies can be sustained which would be capable of producing 1.5 lakh tonnes of honey. At the same time, this would generate employment for 15 million rural and tribal families besides phenomenal improvement in crop productivity and higher returns from unit area.

Hive bees

India has an array of honey bees i.e. Apis cerana indica (native Indian hive bee), A. mellifera (European bee), A. dorsata (rock bee), A. florea (small Indian bee) and Trigona iridipennis (dammer bee). All these are useful as plant pollinators. But they are restricted in distribution and numbers and are not available when required for pollination. All these other insects are therefore unreliable as efficient pollinators. As against these, the hive bees live in colonies throughout the year and can be taken for crop pollination purposes whenever and wherever required. Their number can be made adequate by simple addition of colonies. In view of these and other advantages, honeybees are used in many advanced countries for pollination of a number of agricultural and horticultural crops.

It has been proved that such use of bee colonies for pollination, results in manifold increase in crop yields. The data on bee pollination experiments conducted by various workers in countries like the USA, the UK or erstwhile the USSR, have shown that temperate fruits like apples or pears yielded many times more fruit when bees were provided than when self-pollinated. Legume crops like beans, clovers, berseem and Lucerne showed spectacular increase in yield due to bees helping in pollination. Here, the yield increases had been over 33,000 per cent over self-pollination. Such an increase is the result of self-sterility, i.e. the flowers can never be fertilised by their own pollen. If bees or other pollinators are not available, they cannot and do not set seed or fruits.

Expert pollinators

Honeybees as pollinators are known to enhance productivity of cross-pollinated crops. Natural pollination through wild honeybees normally occurs in crop fields. However, pollination activity through apiculture enhances both quality and productivity of various crops. India introduced Apis mellifera in the north Indian states in the early seventies to enhance crop production in apple, kinnow, orange, and vegetables such as cucurbits. In eastern India, this species is extensively used in enhancing litchi production. Standardisation of colony requirements for these crops has enabled commercial beekeeping and custom hiring of bee colonies in various states.

In other parts of the country, the dominant commercial exploitation is by using Apis cerana indica. The pollination induced through this species of honeybees helps in early setting of seeds, resulting in early and more uniform crop yield. It is estimated that about 5 per cent to 25 per cent increase in yields of various crops is due to pollination by honeybees, and in crops like apple in the absence of bees, no yield is expected. The most important crops where substantial increases in yields can be obtained are litchi, almond, citrus, grape, cucurbits, plum, pear, cashew, papaya and cardamom.

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

In addition to honey, the activities of