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Sustainability

The Minister also mentioned the recent initiatives taken by the Ministry of Agriculture for increasing the use of digital technologies in agriculture

The 12th BRICS Agriculture Ministers Meeting was recently held virtually on June 9, 2022. The meeting was attended by the Ministers for Agriculture of China, South Africa, Brazil, Russia and India.

The Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Shobha Karandlaje, participated in the meeting.  The Minister highlighted various steps and initiatives undertaken by the Government of India in the field of agriculture and for welfare of the farmers viz. PM KISAN, PM FASAL BIMA YOJANA, Soil Health Cards, Natural Farming, formation and promotion of FPOs etc. 

Shobha Karandlaje emphasised on India’s resolve to fulfill the Sustainable Development Goals of ending hunger and step up production and productivity of agriculture through sustainable use of natural resources.

The Minister mentioned the recent initiatives taken by the Ministry of Agriculture for increasing the use of digital technologies in agriculture like Agri-stack and India Digital Ecosystem for Agriculture (IDEA).

The Minister highlighted the National Mission on Food & Nutrition with focus on development of nutri-cereals and bio-fortified varieties of crops and also highlighted importance of millets in food and nutrition security and climate resilience.

The Minister also mentioned the recent initiatives

Agrotech

Cambodian farmers have rapidly expanded their planting areas and started applying XAG’s agricultural drones for productivity boom

XAG has recently introduced drone technology in Cambodia’s cassava cultivations to help small-scale farmers earn better yield while bringing down the costs of farm input. Cassava is the most important agro-industrial crop in Cambodia that provides employment and livelihood to thousands of rural workers. XAG delivers new energy to this sector with its agricultural drones that can use less water and chemical and ease the workload on farm. 

To meet the growing demand of cassava-based products including food, flour, paper and alcohol, Cambodian farmers have rapidly expanded their planting areas and started applying XAG’s agricultural drones for productivity boom.

Chhay Thi is an early adopter of spray drone who owns 20 hectares of land in Varin District, Siem Reap Province of Cambodia. This May, he ordered services from XAG local partner Red Sparrow Cambodia and had the XAG Agricultural Drone to demonstrate autonomous weeding on his 10-hectare cassava field.

“If I have an XAG drone in busy seasons to help me with crop protection, I can save $8-10 per hectare that is formerly spent on manual spraying. Drone operation also reduces the use of chemical by 10-30 per cent, so the resources and money saved can be reallocated to the other crop cultivation,” said Chhay Thi who witnessed the whole process of drone spraying demonstration.

Cambodian farmers have rapidly expanded their planting

Dairy

Bovalta BMR hybrids help deliver new levels of performance, agronomics and profit for producers

Corteva Agriscience has announced the introduction of Bovalta BMR (brown mid rib) corn silage, its newest silage product designed to meet the highest standards for yield and milk production.

Corteva’s new Bovalta BMR hybrids provide the highest levels of fiber digestibility and increased starch content compared to non-BMR corn silage hybrids – helping farmers reduce supplemental feed costs and improve dry matter intake. Developed with Corteva’s industry-leading corn genetics and breeding programs, Bovalta BMR hybrids help deliver new levels of performance, agronomics and profit for producers.

“The launch of Bovalta BMR hybrids reflect Corteva’s commitment to serving dairy producers with the innovative products they need to effectively and efficiently feed their herds and help grow their operations,” said Judd O’Connor, President, US Commercial, Corteva Agriscience. “Drawing on Corteva’s leading R&D, these new hybrids offer a combination of outstanding genetics and agronomics from Corteva as expected from leaders in the high value corn silage market.”

New Bovalta BMR hybrids are available for the 2023 growing season.

Bovalta BMR hybrids help deliver new levels

AgroPolicy, Interaction

The two countries agreed to expeditiously finalise a new MoU for agricultural cooperation so that rapid progress can be made on various bilateral agricultural issues

The visiting Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development of Nepal, Mahendra Rai Yadav, held a meeting with the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar on June 8, 2022. During the meeting, Tomar assured all possible cooperation from India’s side to Nepal. Also, the two countries agreed to expeditiously finalise a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for agricultural cooperation so that rapid progress can be made on various bilateral agricultural issues.

Tomar spoke of strengthening cooperation with Nepal in all fields including agriculture and informed that India has made great progress in the field of research and development in agriculture and allied sectors. Tomar said that Nepal can learn from the Indian agricultural system, whenever required.

The Nepalese Minister requested the agriculture minister Tomar to extend cooperation in the field of agriculture technology, Murrah buffalo breed, resolution of quarantine issues at border points and supply of animal vaccines etc. Tomar assured the Nepal delegation of early resolution of the issues raised by them.

The two countries agreed to expeditiously finalise

AgroPolicy

The government has increased the MSP of Kharif Crops for Marketing Season 2022-23, to ensure remunerative prices to the growers for their produce and to encourage crop diversification

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has recently approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all mandated Kharif Crops for Marketing Season 2022-23. 

The government has increased the MSP of Kharif Crops for Marketing Season 2022-23, to ensure remunerative prices to the growers for their produce and to encourage crop diversification.

The increase in MSP for Kharif Crops for Marketing Season 2022-23 is in line with the Union Budget 2018-19 announcement of fixing the MSP at a level of at least 50 per cent over the All-India weighted average Cost of Production, aiming at reasonably fair remuneration for the farmers. It is notable that, return over MSP for bajra, tur, urad sunflower seed, soybean and groundnut is more than 50 per cent over the All-India weighted average Cost of Production at 85 per cent, 60 per cent, 59 per cent, 56 per cent, 53 per cent and 51 per cent respectively.

Concerted efforts have been made over the last few years to realign the MSP in favour of oilseeds, pulses and coarse cereals to encourage farmers to shift larger area under these crops and adopt best technologies and farm practices, to correct demand – supply imbalance. 

The government has increased the MSP of

Agro chems – Pesticides, Company News

Flupyrimin is a novel insecticide with unique biological properties and residual control, effective against major rice pests

UPL Limited, a global provider of sustainable agricultural solutions, has announced that it would launch new insecticides in India containing the patented active ingredient Flupyrimin to target the most damaging rice pests. The launch will coincide with the Kharif crop sowing season, typically starting in June, with rice the most important crop sown at this time. 

Flupyrimin is a novel insecticide with unique biological properties and residual control, effective against major rice pests such as brown plant hopper (BPH) and yellow stem borer (YSB). Extensive demonstration trials have shown that Flupyrimin protect rice yields from YSB & BPH damage and boost crop health, further supporting farmers’ economic resilience and productivity. Flupyrimin is also effective on pest populations resistant to existing insecticides.

Mike Frank, President and COO at UPL, said, “Flupyrimin is a breakthrough technology promising a leap forward in pest management for rice growers. With market access maximised through UPL’s wide-ranging distribution channels and differentiated branding strategy, the introduction of Flupyrimin in India marks another fundamental milestone of our collaboration with MMAG under our OpenAg vision.”

Flupyrimin is a novel insecticide with unique

Agro chems – Chemicals, Company News, Finance

Profit Before Exceptional Items & Tax for the quarter stood at Rs 1,895 million, compared to Rs 735 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

Bayer CropScience Limited has announced its results for the financial year (FY) and quarter ended March 31, 2022. In FY 2021-22, the Company registered Revenue from Operations of Rs 47,344 million, compared to ₹42,613 million in the previous year, registering an overall revenue growth of 11 per cent. Profit Before Exceptional Items & Tax stood at Rs 7,883 million, compared to Rs 7,894 million in the previous year. Profit after Exceptional Items & Tax increased by 31 per cent from Rs 4,931 million to Rs 6,453 million.

In Q4 of FY 2021-22, the Company registered Revenue from Operations of Rs 9,633 million, compared to Rs 7,337 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous year, delivering a strong growth of 31 per cent . Profit Before Exceptional Items & Tax for the quarter stood at Rs 1,895 million, compared to Rs 735 million in the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

Commenting on the quarterly results, Simon-Thorsten Wiebusch, Executive Director, Bayer CropScience Limited said, “New product launches such as Vayego and Dekalb 9208 and overall strong crop sentiments were key drivers for our sales growth in Q4. This has been achieved overcoming some supply constraints faced during the quarter and partially offsetting inflationary pressure with price increases.”

Speaking on the FY results, Simon Britsch, Chief Financial Officer, Bayer CropScience Limited said, “Effective demand generation, scaling up of alternate business models and new product launches, enabled us to post strong growth of 11 per cent in Revenue from Operations. Our operating costs increases were driven by our continuing investments into strategic initiatives to expand Bayer’s farmer reach of our portfolio and normalization of business activities as travel restrictions eased. During the year, the Company had an exceptional income of Rs 585 million arising from the sale of part of the seed distribution business viz. mustard, cotton, millet and sorghum seeds.

Sharing an outlook for the future, D. Narain, MD & CEO, Bayer CropScience Limited, said, “We continue to focus our efforts to bring innovations across the entire agricultural value chain to drive business growth. To this effect, we have rolled out multiple initiatives some of which have already started showing growth potential.”

Profit Before Exceptional Items & Tax for

Company News, Machinery - Pre-harvesting, Uncategorized

Mahindra Yuvo Tech+ is designed and developed at Mahindra’s Research Valley (MRV) in Chennai with world class standards

Mahindra Tractors’, part of Mahindra’s Farm Equipment Sector, the world’s largest tractor manufacturer by volume, has unveiled six new tractor models under the recently launched Yuvo Tech+ brand, further bolstering the tractor platform that the company introduced last year.

Mahindra Yuvo Tech+ is designed and developed at Mahindra’s Research Valley (MRV) in Chennai with world class standards, with the new tractors are powered by Mahindra Tractors’ new m-ZIP 3-cylinder and ELS 4-cylinder engine, delivering best-in-class power, torque and mileage.

Expanding the Yuvo Tech+ range, the six new models are launched in the 37 – 50 HP (27.6 – 36.7 kW) power band and come with key features such as 4-wheel drive, Dual Clutch, SLIPTO, Auxiliary Valve and 2-speed PTO which making it suitable for more than 30 agri applications.

The Yuvo Tech + range comes with 12F (forward) + 3R (reverse) transmission technology, with Dual Clutch and 4WD, with a 3-speed option (H-M-L) for optimal performance based on different soil types and agri applications. With high precision control valves, and best-in-class lift capacity of up to 1700 kg, the new range can handle heavy implements with ease & precision. The SLIPTO feature enables easy of operations for implements like balers.

Mahindra Tractors launched the 275 Yuvo Tech+, 405 Yuvo Tech+ & 415 Yuvo Tech+ with the 3-cylinder m-ZIP engine, and the 475 Yuvo Tech+, 575 Yuvo Tech+ & 585 Yuvo Tech+ with the 4 Cylinder ELS engine.

Speaking about the launch, Hemant Sikka, President – Farm Equipment Sector, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, “The Yuvo Tech+ delivers on its brand promise of Technology Mein No.1, Har Kam Mein No. 1 resonating well with Mahindra Farm Equipment Sector’s purpose of Transform Farming and Enriching lives. With the farmer embracing newer technologies to drive speed and efficiency, the Yuvo Tech+, is the most advanced and versatile tractor offering in its segment and is developed to deliver a winning formula of productivity, comfort and savings for better earnings for the Indian farmer. With this launch, we are confident that these products from the Yuvo Tech+ series will further cement our leadership position in the tractor market.”

Mahindra Yuvo Tech+ is designed and developed

Environment

The company plans increase the initiative to 100,000 acres of spring Maize

Gram Unnati, India’s first integrated agri-tech solutions company, worked closely with multiple stakeholders to help farmers in Udham Singh Nagar district of Uttarakhand save 4,000 liters per acre by bringing climate-compatible agriculture to over 5,000 acres of farmland.

In what may become a lesson in climate compatible agriculture to millions of Indian farmers, Gram Unnati worked closely with the local district administration, local maize processors, input companies, and lead farmers in a short span of 18 months prompting 2,000 farmers to switch to climate-compatible crops that are commercially viable as well. 

Commenting on the success of the project, Aneesh Jain, CEO and Founder, Gram Unnati, said, “The success of the project comes at a time when we are dealing with acute water shortage across the world. According to the United Nations, by 2050 more than five billion people could be affected by water scarcity. India, which constitutes 16 per cent of the total world population, has access to a meagre 4 per cent of the world’s water resources. The success of our pilot project in Uttarakhand will impact other farmers to shift towards climate compatible crops without having an impact on yield and returns.” 

“Gram Unnati intends to scale up this intervention to 100,000 acres of Spring Maize in the next five years. Not only would this reduce dependency on groundwater resources, but it will also help in making agriculture more remunerative for the farmers and more sustainable for the environment,” Jain added. 

The company plans increase the initiative to

Supply Chain

Superplum employs science and technology to increase the shelf life of litchis through a proprietary multi-faceted approach

Superplum, an Indian Agritech company, has built the country’s first modern supply chain to deliver fresh litchis from farms in Muzzafarpur to all over the country. For the first time in India, litchis are being chilled, trimmed, cleaned and packed at the farm level to retain freshness. They are then transported using Superplum’s Fresherator, a proprietary IoT-based transport system that keeps the fruits fresh in an environment that can be remotely monitored and controlled.   

In the past, some litchis would go through a sulphitation process to increase their shelf life but this process made the fruit unfit to consume, due to which it has been banned in several countries. With a promise to deliver safe-to-eat fruits, Superplum employs science and technology to increase the shelf life of litchis through a proprietary multi-faceted approach. 

While these Muzzafarpur Litchis are currently being delivered to stores and homes in Delhi, Gurgaon, Noida and Bengaluru, the company plans to expand their delivery across the country and the world.

Superplum employs science and technology to increase

Agro chems – Chemicals, Company News

Profit After Tax (PAT) for the Quarter ended March 31, 2022 stood at Rs 42.77 Cr and Rs 21.02 Cr respectively compared to Rs 35.21 Cr and ₹ 17.14 Cr in the corresponding period of previous year.

Indian agrochemical company NACL Industries Limited recorded remarkable growth numbers for both Q4 and FY 22.Total income for the Quarter ended March 31, 2022 is Rs 475.61 Cr, registering a growth of 41 per cent; Earnings Before Interest, Depreciation and Tax (EBIDT) and Profit After Tax (PAT) for the Quarter ended March 31, 2022 stood at Rs 42.77 Cr and Rs 21.02 Cr respectively compared to Rs 35.21 Cr and ₹ 17.14 Cr in the corresponding period of previous year.

Total income for the year ended March 31, 2022 is ₹ 1,656.56 Cr, registering a growth of 37 per cent; Earnings Before Interest, Depreciation and Tax (EBIDT) and Profit After Tax (PAT) for the year ended March 31, 2022 stood at ₹ 157.25 Cr and Rs 76.04 Cr respectively compared to Rs 128.06 Cr and Rs 50.29 Cr in the corresponding period of previous year.

Key Updates on Q4 2021-22

Exports grew significantly in Q4, with 85 per cent growth over the previous corresponding quarter. Overall business for the FY’ 2021-22 saw a YOY growth of 82 per cent. Strong relationships with MNCs, commercialization of new formulation registrations, and a focus on trading opportunities have contributed to this performance, despite the challenges posed due to disrupted supply schedules, raw material price volatility and logistic issues. The outlook for FY’23 looks promising, with both the existing products and commercialization of new registrations

Domestic retail business witnessed a growth of 37 per cent over the corresponding quarter of last year. This was mainly on account of significant growth in herbicides and introduction of new products in the market.  There was an overall growth of 20 per cent over the previous year in our domestic retail business facilitated by growth in volume and higher price realization, despite the challenging market conditions, on account of un-seasonal rains, exotic pests and changes in cropping patterns

While commenting on financial results, M. Pavan Kumar, MD & CEO, NACL said, “ We are delighted to share the heartening results achieved by NACL in Q4 2022, culminating in another record year for the Company. Despite significant macro level challenges such as supply chain disruptions and raw material price volatility, NACL remained resolute in its pursuit of desired outcomes. Thanks to the resolve of our team, we have been able to adapt, innovate and persevere.

This year is an important inflection point for the company, as we are poised to cross many new milestones on our growth journey. We continue to make substantial investments in our manufacturing capabilities, new products and processes, and pursuing several promising growth opportunities. As we embark on the next phase of our growth we reaffirm our commitment to customer centricity, productivity and sustainability, which have been the core principles in our quest to meet and exceed the expectations of our stakeholders.

Profit After Tax (PAT) for the Quarter

R&D

The Minister highlighted the importance of soil survey-based land use planning and its outreach to the farmers of the country

Kailash Choudhary, Union Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare has laid the foundation stone of the New Building of ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Regional Centre, Delhi on June 6, 2022.

Delivering his address, the Minister highlighted the importance of soil survey-based land use planning and its outreach to the farmers of the country. Choudhary emphasised that 25 per cent of research should be allocated under the natural farming. He urged the Scientists to focus on realising the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s vision to popularise the natural farming across the country.

Dr Suresh Kumar Chaudhari, Deputy Director General (Natural Resource Management), ICAR highlighted the importance of the soil survey and land use planning for the developmental activities. He stressed that the data generated is of immense importance for the policy makers, planners, administrators and different stakeholders for the implementation of the Government of India’s various schemes.

The Minister highlighted the importance of soil

Agro chems – Pesticides

Advion MicroFlow effectively controls target pests like ants, cockroaches, crickets, pantry pests and more without impacting non-target organisms

Syngenta has recently announced the launch of Advion MicroFlow insect bait, a dry flowable bait that can help control pests.

This dry flowable bait can help control pests like ants and cockroaches in hard-to-reach areas. Advion MicroFlow features the same active ingredient, indoxacarb, and targeted MetaActive effect found in other Advion products. With a highly attractive bait matrix, it effectively controls target pests like ants, cockroaches, crickets, pantry pests and more without impacting non-target organisms.

It’s also milled to a fine particle size, allowing it to reach deep within cracks, crevices and hard-to-reach areas inaccessible to gel baits or liquids.

“We’re excited to add this dry flowable bait to our pest control portfolio,” said Marshall Gaster, head of marketing for Professional Pest Management (PPM) at Syngenta. “Because it can reach deep harborages and voids with flexible use rates, Advion MicroFlow will be a complementary tool for cleanout and maintenance treatment protocols.”

Advion MicroFlow features a powerful secondary transfer effect, which allows target insects to pass the active ingredient along to nestmates.

Advion MicroFlow effectively controls target pests like ants,

Bee keeping, Company News, North America

The growers with BVT managed acres in the Pacific Northwest in 2022 represent approximately a third of the 25,000 blueberry, blackberry and raspberry acres(1) in the region

Bee Vectoring Technologies International Inc.  has announced that it has accelerated sales commitments through a tripling of acres managed by its natural precision agriculture system in the US Pacific Northwest in FY2022 compared to the previous year. BVT is now working with 11 berry customers in Oregon and Washington on a total of 360 acres, including five paying customers and six growers conducting demonstration trials. These customers grow on more than 8,500 total acres in the region. Additionally, the Company is pursuing opportunities with growers who grow late-blooming varieties of berries.

“Last year, BVT recorded sales in the Pacific Northwest for the first time and a year later we are pleased to announce significant acceleration into the region,” said Ian Collinson, Sales Manager BVT. “We continue to successfully penetrate and grow our presence in this major berry market. This region has growers with large-scale operations, making our progress here a key milestone for BVT’s future growth. As the market becomes more consolidated, BVT will be able to scale its growth exponentially to meet the demands from these large producers in the future. Based on prior experiences with growers, once they are able to see the benefits of the BVT system through the trials, they will efficiently integrate the technology into their entire operation.”

The growers with BVT managed acres in the Pacific Northwest in 2022 represent approximately a third of the 25,000 blueberry, blackberry and raspberry acres(1) in the region. “We expect growers to add BVT to their additional acreage over the coming two to three seasons after successful trials. Additionally, new customer acquisition can be accelerated as other growers will notice the benefits from these large operations, translating to rapid growth for BVT in the future,” added Collinson.

The Pacific Northwest blueberry bloom period began in May, with blackberry and raspberry bloom set to start in mid-June. Growers are using BVT’s proprietary Vectorite with CR-7 (Clonostachys rosea CR-7) biological fungicide and natural precision agriculture system for disease control and improving yield on both conventional and organic acres.

The growers with BVT managed acres in