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Company News

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

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

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

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

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

Cargill will offer one-crop-year contracts to producer

Agrotech, Start ups

Bioangels will raise Rs 350 crore investment for startups 

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

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

Bioangels will raise Rs 350 crore investment

Agro chems – Chemicals

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

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

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

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

Cheval is a premium pre-seed and post

Agro chems – Pesticides, India

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

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

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

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

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

The company will soon start manufacturing Tombo

Agrotech, R&D

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The AI Labs will focus on studying

Agro chems – Chemicals, Biofuel industry

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

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

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

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

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

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

The estimated project cost is to the

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dr Singh was speaking at the inauguration

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, IT, R&D, World

The domain experts made a presentation before the Indian delegation on various areas of advanced agricultural research, precision agriculture, remote sensing and post-harvest technology

An Indian delegation led by Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar visited Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Institute of Israeli Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. The domain experts made a presentation before the Indian delegation on various areas of advanced agricultural research, precision agriculture, remote sensing and post-harvest technology. Discussions with the Indian delegation on potential areas of agriculture development were also held during the visit.

The demonstration on the application of Drone technology- advanced techniques and interventions in agriculture operation were also shown to the Indian delegation during their visit by ALTA Precision Agriculture at Ganei Khna’an. At the end of the day, the minister visited Desert Farm at Be’er Milka, owned by an Indian origin farmer growing Indian vegetables in Negev desert area.

The domain experts made a presentation before

Allied Industry, Foodgrains, Schemes - NABARD, Vegetables

Puliyankudi acid lime, Thooyamalli rice and have applied for the tag

Three Tamil Nadu-based products — the Puliyankudi acid lime, Thooyamalli rice and Virudhunagar sambha vathal (Chilly) have applied for a Geographical Indication (GI) tag in Chennai. Details on all these three products were collated and prepared by IPR attorney P. Sanjai Gandhi on behalf of the applicants.

The application for the Puliyankudi acid lime was made by the Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board and Melapuliyankudi Farmers’ Association. The NABARD Madurai Agri Business Incubation Forum was the facilitator.

Puliyankudi, a village in Tenkasi, is famous for acid lime cultivation. Among local people this place is called the lemon city of Tamil Nadu. Kadayam lemon here is popular for its taste and juiciness. Acid lime trees are small and bushy with sharp spines. Leaves are small with narrowly winged petioles. The flowers and fruits are small. The lemon grown in this region weighs about 50g and each tree bears around 950 fruits. It is grown in Puliyankudi, Sankarankovil, Kadayam, Kadayanallur and Kuruvikulam and adjoining areas.

The Virudhunagar Chillies’ Merchants Association, along with Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board, has applied for GI tag for Virudhunagar sambha vathal. In Tamil Nadu, chillies are mainly grown in the districts of Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Sivagangai and Thoothukudi and the major markets for them are also located here.

The Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board is the applicant for Thooyamalli rice and this was facilitated by NABARD Madurai Agri-Business Incubation Forum. The seeds are directly sown and the transplanting system is used for growing this variety.

Puliyankudi acid lime, Thooyamalli rice and have

Agro chems – Pesticides, Agro Universities, Foodgrains

The variety resists the attack of all the 10 presently prevalent pathotypes of bacterial blight pathogen in the state

The State Variety Approval Committee in Punjab has approved ‘PR 130’ variety of parmal rice for cultivation in the state. The Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana has developed ‘PR 130’ variety of rice by crossing the most popular variety PR 121 with HKR 47.

Highlighting its salient characteristics, Dr Gurjit Singh Mangat, Additional Director of Research (Crop Improvement), said, “It is a mid-maturing, lodging tolerant, bacterial blight resistant variety with better milling quality characteristics. It matures in about 105 days after transplanting. It possesses long slender clear translucent grains with high total and head rice recoveries. The variety resists the attack of all the 10 presently prevalent pathotypes of bacterial blight pathogen in Punjab. The average paddy yield of this variety is 30.0 quintals per acre.”

This variety will prove very beneficial to the pea and potato growers on account of its higher paddy yield, shorter maturity period and disease resistance and the traders due to its excellent milling quality characteristics, he observed. The PAU has produced a large quantity of seeds of this variety, which is available at its Research Stations; Seed Farms located at Ladhowal, Naraingarh (Fatehgarh Sahib), Nabha and Kapurthala; Krishi Vigyan Kendras and Farmer Advisory Service Centres of PAU, he informed.

Dr Mangat further stated that those farmers who were growing PR 121 and HKR 47 should opt for PR 130 variety. The ideal time for nursery sowing of PR 130 is May 20 to May 31.

The variety resists the attack of all

Agrotech, Machinery - Pre-harvesting, Machinery – Post-harvesting, Sustainability

The tractor is capable even of a negative footprint when powered with bio-methane generated from liquid manure

New Holland Agriculture, Official Sponsor of the Giro d’Italia 2022, will display a T6 Methane Power tractor along the route of the sporting event, which provides a perfect platform for the brand to spread its message of sustainable agriculture. The tractor is a true game changer, capable even of a negative footprint when powered with bio-methane generated from liquid manure. It has all the features that have made the T6 a favourite among farmers across the world.

The T6 Methane Power will be on display in a livery specially designed for the Giro d’Italia that was first unveiled on a T5.120 Dynamic Command at the Fieragricola show in Verona (March 2022). With this customisation inspired by the ‘Leader’s Jersey’ of the Giro d’Italia, the tractor will be the perfect expression of the dedication to performance and sustainability that the brand shares with the Italian Grand Tour.

“The T6 Methane Power tractor is the culmination of New Holland’s pioneering work in the development of methane technology and one of the many tangible outcomes of our Clean Energy Leader strategy,” stated Carlo Lambro, New Holland Brand President. “At New Holland we are passionate about enabling and promoting sustainable, efficient and profitable farming through advanced technologies, extended connectivity and reliable powertrain technology. The T6 Methane Power tractor, now in production and available to our customers, is a vital link in our Energy Independent Farm’s virtual cycle that delivers carbon neutral production.”

New Holland will further spread its message of sustainability by participating in the Giro-E 2022, the pedal-powered Giro d’Italia built on technology, ecology and sustainable mobility. The brand will compete with a team made up of company employees, dealers and customers. The only stage event in the world dedicated to pedal-assisted bicycles, it takes place at the same time as the Giro d’Italia and on the same route, covering the final sections of its 18 stages a few hours before the professional riders.

The tractor is capable even of a

Agro chems – Chemicals, Agro chems – Fertilizers, Agro chems – Pesticides, Finance

Bayer’s sales grew by double-digit percentages in all regions and achieved particularly strong growth at Herbicides (Fx & portfolio adj. 59.8 per cent) and Fungicides (Fx & portfolio adj. 18.6 per cent)

The Bayer Group had a very successful start to 2022. “We achieved outstanding sales and earnings growth, with particularly substantial gains for our agriculture business,” said Werner Baumann, Chairman of the Board of Management, on Tuesday as he presented the quarterly statement for the first quarter of 2022.

In the agricultural business (Crop Science), sales rose by 21.6 per cent (Fx & portfolio adj.) to 8.447 billion euros thanks to substantial price and volume growth. Bayer’s sales grew by double-digit percentages in all regions and achieved particularly strong growth at Herbicides (Fx & portfolio adj. 59.8 per cent) and Fungicides (Fx & portfolio adj. 18.6 per cent). While there was particularly strong growth for Herbicides in North America, Fungicides generated double-digit percentage sales growth in all regions. Corn Seed & Traits posted sales gains, primarily due to price increases in all regions. Here, Bayer also benefited from volume gains in the Europe/Middle East/Africa, Latin America, and Asia/Pacific regions. Sales at Soybean Seed & Traits were level with the prior-year period (Fx & portfolio adj. up 0.8 percent), and were higher in North America due to price increases but lower in Latin America due to lower volumes.

EBITDA before special items at Crop Science advanced by 49.9 per cent to 3.669 billion euros, driven mainly by higher prices. Bayer also benefited from higher volumes and ongoing efficiency programs. By contrast, earnings were diminished by an increase in costs, particularly in the cost of goods sold, that was mainly due to high inflation. There was a positive currency effect of 98 million euros (Q1 2021: minus 252 million euros). The EBITDA margin before special items increased significantly by 6.6 per cent points to an all-time high of 43.4 percent; currency effects had a dilutive effect of 0.8 percentage points.

Bayer’s sales grew by double-digit percentages in

Company News, Finance

For the quarter ended on March 31, 2022, the company has registered PBT at Rs 1,785.1 million

BASF India registered sales of Rs 130,997.3 million for the financial year ended March 31, 2022, as compared to Rs 95,583.4 million in the previous year, representing an increase of 37 per cent.

The company reported Profit before tax (before exceptional items) of Rs 7,473.6 million as compared to Profit before tax (before exceptional items) of Rs. 4,378.7 million in the previous year.

For the quarter ended on March 31, 2022, the company registered sales of Rs 33,895.6 million, as compared to Rs 28,055.8 million for the corresponding period of the previous year, an increase of 21 per cent. Profit before tax (before exceptional items) stood at Rs 1,785.1 million for the quarter that ended on March 31, 2022, compared to Profit before tax (before exceptional items) of Rs 1,706.1 million for the corresponding period of the previous year.

“BASF India Limited registered a robust March quarter with sales and profits before exceptional items exceeding the previous quarter and the corresponding previous year quarter,” said Narayan Krishnamohan, Managing Director, BASF India.

“Despite the challenges posed by the second wave of COVID-19, an erratic monsoon, supply chain disruptions and intense cost pressure from commodity pricing, the company delivered record sales and profit before exceptional items for FY22, driven by volume and margin growth, Stringent working capital and cash management enabled the Company to end the financial year with zero debt,” he added.

The Board of Directors of the company have recommended a dividend of Rs 6 per equity share i.e. 60 per cent for the financial year ended March 31, 2022. This is subject to the approval of the shareholders at the forthcoming Annual General Meeting.

For the quarter ended on March 31,

Company News

This initiative was conducted through Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC)

BL Agro Industries Limited, India’s one of the fastest growing FMCG companies organised a medical camp at its corporate office in Bareilly. This initiative was conducted through Employee State Insurance Corporation (ESIC), a corporation of Central and State government, under its 100 days’ of Karya Yoyojona.

The medical camp was organised in the presence of Dr Tauqeettarut Hassan (Chief Medical Officer), Dr Renu Bala, K C Chaudhury, (Pharmacist), Devendra Kumar, (Pharmacist), and Santosh Kr Aggrawal.

Ajay Bhatt, General Manager-HR, BL Agro said, “We conducted this special medical checkup for our entire workforce, who have always contributed to our company’s growth and taking care of their well-being is our foremost responsibility.”

This initiative was conducted through Employee State