Connect with:
Sunday / September 8. 2024

logo
mobile-logo
Home2023March (Page 9)
Agrotech, India, Industry Reports / Analysis

The plant-based meat market is projected to range from $283 million to $880 million (Rs 2194 crore to Rs 6824 crore). Although the Indian plant-based meat market is currently in its nascent stage, it has already established its position in the market. The market is still small at around Rs 300 crore, but it has the potential to grow 8-10 times and reach Rs 3,500 crore by 2026. Let’s take a closer look at the buoyant plant-based meat space.

The plant-based food sector presents an incredible opportunity to India for the long term by effectively and efficiently utilising natural resources and adding value through processing. It can cater towards the populations living and working in cities as well as those in rural settings, who increasingly have access to cold chains and supermarkets. It can leverage the unique strengths and qualities of its indigenous crops.

The export market for India’s plant-based sector is projected to be significant by 2030, with the plant-based meat market expected to be larger than that of milk, as per a report by the Agricultural and Processed Food Export Development Authority (APEDA). The plant-based meat market is projected to range from $283 million to $880 million (Rs 2194 crore to Rs 6824 crore). Although the Indian plant-based meat market is currently in its nascent stage, it has already established its position in the market. The market is still small at around Rs 300 crore, but it has the potential to grow 8-10 times and reach Rs 3,500 crore by 2026. Let’s take a closer look at the buoyant plant-based meat space.

In September 2022, Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Authority (APEDA) facilitated the export of first consignment of plant-based meat products under vegan food category from Nadiad in Kheda district in Gujarat to California, the United States of America (USA) in a move to boost exports of unique agricultural processed food products. The first shipment has vegan food products like momos, mini samosas, patties, nuggets, spring rolls, burgers, etc. The shipments were exported by Greennest and Wholesome Foods. 

Stressing on exploring new foreign destinations, APEDA Chairman, Dr M Angamuthu said that APEDA is working towards promotion of plant-based meat products in a big way without disturbing the conventional animal-based meat export market. The APEDA has planned to promote a variety of vegan foods products, including pancake, snacks, cheese, etc, to the countries of Australia, Israel, New Zealand and others in coming months.

With the growing popularity of vegan food products in developed countries, the plant-based food products have a huge export potential in the international market due to the high nutrient value of the vegan food products. Due to its rich fiber and lesser cholesterol contents, vegan food products are becoming alternative food products across the globe.

APEDA has taken number of export promotion activities and initiatives, by way of development of virtual portals for organising Virtual Trade Fairs, Farmer Connect Portal, e-office, HortiNet Traceability system, Buyer Seller Meets, Reverse Buyer Seller Meets, product specific campaigns etc. APEDA has been closely working with the state governments for creating infrastructure and promotion of export from the state. APEDA assists in upgradation and strengthening of recognised laboratories for export testing and residue monitoring plans. APEDA also provides assistance under the financial assistance schemes of infrastructure development, quality improvement and market development for boosting export of agricultural products. 

However, the plant-based meat industry in India is facing challenges such as product pricing, lack of awareness among farmers and consumers, research and development in key ingredients and technology and funding. A robust distribution infrastructure is needed to accelerate growth in the sector. Focus on product innovation aimed at improving palatability while optimising costs will help the industry maintain healthy growth.

As a major stockholder in the plant-based meat industry value chain, the agriculture sector can grow along with the plant-based meat industry with the help of government initiatives such as public procurement that can provide assurance to farmers and manufacturers participating in a new market. Increasing access and exposure to plant-based foods and fostering access to the market for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) can also help.  Additionally, subsidies for key ingredient crops can bolster production of the strategic ingredients for plant-based foods.

Incentivising farmers and manufacturers, expanding access, and ensuring smaller businesses can participate in the sector will accelerate growth and innovation in the near-term and strengthen the sector in the long-term. Soy flour, concentrates and isolates, along with other ingredients like gram flour, mung bean protein and spices, are almost always locally sourced from within the country. New research is ongoing on incorporating ingredients like millets, rice, chickpeas, mushroom and jackfruit into plant-based meats. Thus plant-based meat is adding value to the processing of Indian agricultural produce.

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

The plant-based meat market is projected to

Agrotech, Australia, China, Industry Reports / Analysis, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand

The global plant-based seafood market is projected to reach $1.3 billion by 2031, growing at a 42.3 per cent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) from 2022 to 2031. The market size for plant-based seafood was valued at 42.1 million in 2021, accounting for 62.7 per cent market share.  The seafood segment is expected to remain dominant during the estimated period, with products like burgers, fillets, cutlets and tenders in high demand.  As the numbers and outlook for the future are looking optimistic for the industry, let’s examine this growing Alt-food source.

Plant-based meat was first developed in Asia and now, plant-based seafood is in demand in the region. According to a recent report by the Good Food Institute APAC, consumers in Asia are increasingly changing their dietary habits to include plant-based seafood due to concerns about heavy pollution in the ocean.

Plant-based seafood or alternative seafood is emerging as a new source of food in Asia. Plant-based seafood is made from legume proteins, soya protein, wheat protein, rice, vegetables, seaweed and plant oils.

The global plant-based seafood market is projected to reach $1.3 billion by 2031, growing at a 42.3 per cent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) from 2022 to 2031. The market size for plant-based seafood was valued at 42.1 million in 2021, accounting for 62.7 per cent market share.  The seafood segment is expected to remain dominant during the estimated period, with products like burgers, fillets, cutlets and tenders in high demand.  As the numbers and outlook for the future are looking optimistic for the industry, let’s examine this growing Alt-food source.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation’s (FAO) The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture report 2022 states that fisheries and aquaculture production globally has reached 214 million tonnes, including 178 million tonnes of aquatic animals and 36 million tonnes of algae. Since 1961, per capita consumption of seafood has increased by 3 per cent annually.  Although global seafood production is in better condition, environmental concerns, health issues, and overfishing of certain species have led to a surge in demand for alternative seafood or plant-based seafood. 

According to a Good Food Institute survey, seven of the top ten seafood-consuming countries are in Asia, including China, Myanmar, Vietnam, Japan, India, Malaysia and Indonesia. This indicates a significant potential market for plant-based seafood products. Investors are also ready to invest in plant-based seafood products. In 2021 plant-based seafood companies raised $175 million and more than 120 companies are manufacturing and developing plant-based seafood mostly from, East and Southeast Asia. 

The global plant-based seafood market is projected to reach $1.3 billion by 2031, growing at a 42.3 per cent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) from 2022 to 2031. The market size for plant-based seafood was valued at 42.1 million in 2021, accounting for 62.7 per cent market share.  The seafood segment is expected to remain dominant during the estimated period, with products like burgers, fillets, cutlets and tenders in high demand. 

Plant-based seafood or alternative seafood is emerging as a new source of food in Asia. Plant-based seafood is made from legume proteins, soya protein, wheat protein, rice, vegetables, seaweed and plant oils.

Mirte Gosker, Acting Managing Director of the Good Food Institute APAC said, “As with all foods, the taste is the single most impact factor in determining the commercial success of alternative seafood products but it is not the only one. Consumers also want products that can match or exceed the nutritional value, freshness and affordability of the conventional seafood they know and love. Satisfying these demands will require substantially more investment from the public and private stakeholders into open-access research and development aimed at improving the quality and cost of plant-based seafood products. For the sake of achieving Asia’s ambitious food security goals and preserving the richness of our oceans amid a world of surging protein demand, we should all hope that alternative seafood producers can live up to consumers’ high expectations.” 

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

The global plant-based seafood market is projected

Agrotech, Horticulture, India, Interaction

Sairaj Dhond, the Founder and CEO of Wakao Foods spoke with AgroSpectrum about the current status and opportunities in the plant-based meat industry in India. Edited excerpts;

Wakao Foods is a sustainable company based in Goa that offers plant-based ethically sourced ‘Ready to Cook’ and ‘Ready to Eat’ products to the market. Its first offering is native jackfruit meat. The company is inspired by the rising trend of veganism in India and around the world and focuses on sustainability. Despite launching just before the pandemic hit India in 2020, Wakao has achieved a 25 per cent month-on-month growth since its inception. The jackfruit meat offered by Wakao is hand-picked from farms and manufactured hygienically, with a commitment to ethical sourcing. Additionally, the company donates 1 per cent of every sale to local farmers throughout India who are working to feed our country. The company prioritises indigenous agri-practices, fair prices for farmers, and top-quality natural produce. Sairaj Dhond, the Founder and CEO of Wakao Foods spoke with AgroSpectrum about the current status and opportunities in the plant-based meat industry in India. Edited excerpts;

How is Wakao Foods contributing to the plant-based meat industry in India?

Wakao Foods is contributing in a very big way because we are the first company that started jackfruit meat. Jackfruit is naturally available in abundance in India and no one identified it or tapped into its potential. So, Wakao Foods has brought forward a traditional fruit that is grown a lot in India and has a natural texture, zero preservatives and humongous potential across the globe.

How would you envisage the future of the plant-based meat industry?

The future is very bright, it is an upcoming industry category which will take some time to really flourish into a mass category but we are not just at the tip of popularisation. So much is going to happen in this industry. It will be explored in a big way.

Wakao Foods has received Rs 75 lakh for 21 per cent equity from SUGAR Cosmetics, MamaEarth, and Emcure Pharmaceuticals in the latest round of funding. What are your  expansion plans and strategies in the international market in 2023?

We did receive the funding on the show – Shark Tank India but after coming out unfortunately I did not take that funding because there were negotiations where I thought we needed to get a better valuation and on mutual terms, we decided not to go ahead with that round of funding. We still remain very good friends and I have great respect for the sharks and what that show gave me.

We are working very hard to explore the international market because we believe that there is huge potential for global expansion and a worldwide footprint, for a product like ours. The real market lies in the international arena, because it’s a mature market. That’s where people have been consuming mock meat for the last 10-15 years and they understand what plant-based mock meat is. We are going very strong, so we are looking for and identifying the distributors and importers in different countries. We already have our presence in five countries and are looking to expand to at least 10 more countries over the next 6 to 8 months.

Where does the company procure jackfruit for meat production? How will it help in boosting the agriculture sector in India?

Jackfruit is grown in over 16 states in India. About 1.4 million-ton jackfruit is grown every year. We identified and mapped the various regions where jackfruit is grown and we procured it from across India, but predominantly from south India – mostly from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Goa and also from the Maharashtrian belt. It helps the agricultural sector in a huge way because jackfruit is typically considered useless by most people. Almost 75 per cent of it is wasted every year. That itself shows you the kind of impact we can have on the agriculture sector. We can make use of every single jackfruit in India and if my estimates go well, then, we would require even more than what is available right now.

What are the challenges faced by the plant-based meat industry and what inputs are required for its growth? 

The biggest challenge that we face right now is the pricing of the product. Unless we become a mass product and scale up, we won’t be able to rationalise the pricing. Therefore, we have to work on our prices, and it will only change with an increase in the scale of our products and production. Secondly, we need to educate the masses about veganism and our products. There is very little awareness about the type of products we have, or about plant-based meat. So, we need to spend a lot of time and money on educating our consumers on what exactly we are doing and that is taking up a lot of our time, energy and resources. 

To read more click on: E-Magazine – Agro Spectrum India

Sairaj Dhond, the Founder and CEO of

Agro chems – Chemicals, Agrotech, Company News, India

This market will cater to over 20,000 farmers by providing them safe place to do their business and consumers of over 30 villages and urban areas around this district headquarter.

Global CEO J Erik Fyrwald on Thursday said Syngenta is all geared up to celebrate India’s march to Amrit Kaal and its emergence as the world’s 5th largest economy. Fyrwald termed India’s rapid march on the path of progress as inspirational and transformational and said that this has strengthened Syngenta’s resolve to continue to invest itself in the future of the country’s agriculture. On a 3-day visit to India, Fyrwald was speaking after dedicating one of the country’s biggest rural wayside markets in Wanaparthy district, Telangana, build under Syngenta’s flagship CSR I-CLEAN (Inculcating Cleanliness, Learning, Education, Awareness and New Habits) program. Apart from Telangana, 24 such I-CLEAN projects are running in Bihar (18), Uttar Pradesh (02), Karnataka (04) catering to the needs of rural farmers.

Spread over 51020 sq feet, this state-of-art market is built at a cost of Rs 3.3 crore in Wanaparthy and will be handed over to the Agriculture Marketing Board for operation and maintenance. This market will cater to over 20,000 farmers by providing them safe place to do their business and consumers of over 30 villages and urban areas around this district headquarter.

“Present in the country for 94 years now, India has always been at the core of our focus for its sheer size, diversity and potential – 40% of workforce in the country is employed in agriculture. We have consistently worked on addressing challenges facing Indian agriculture. Accordingly, our R&D has been geared to providing technology to the farming community for enhancing productivity and also reducing input costs for better returns on investment. We invest and innovate to transform the way crops are grown and protected to bring about positive, lasting change in agriculture. Our ambition is to be the most collaborative and trusted team in agriculture, providing leading seeds and crop protection innovations and digital solutions to enhance the prosperity of farmers, wherever they are,” Fyrwald added.

Susheel Kumar, MD & Country Head, Syngenta India said, “The I-CLEAN project has been a remarkable success. We are glad to be able to contribute to the rural prosperity of Telangana, which has one of the highest rates of agriculture growth at 7.8 per cent. With a slew of impressive programs including Rythu Bandhu Scheme, Mission Bhagiratha and Drone Certification, the state has made rapid strides and it gives us joy to become partners in this journey.”

Syngenta’s I-CLEAN program has brought about significant transformation. According to a social-economic impact assessment, the income of farmers who sell their produce at I-CLEAN markets have gone up by 49% as they are able to spend more time in markets; the improved infrastructure sees increased daily footfall. The facilities like safe drinking water, solar lights and toilets have improved the livelihood opportunities of local farming communities by about 40%.  

Dr KC Ravi, Chief Sustainability Officer, Syngenta India, said, “This state-of-art wayside market is equipped with modern amenities including approach roads from the highway, 78 raised platforms, sheds, lights, parking facility, safe drinking water, toilet blocks for men and women, water harvesting, lush green frontage, waste disposal, and children playing area.”

This market will cater to over 20,000

Acquaculture, India, Interaction

Experts from fisheries discussed the current issues in fisheries and way forward in the session.

“Department of Fisheries will follow up the suggestions which will emerge from Fishtech 23 conference “, said Sudhir Mungantiwar, Forest Minister Maharshtra State. He inaugurated Fishtech 23 Conference through video call organised by Maharashtra Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) at CIDCO Exhibition & Convention Centre in Vashi, Navi Mumbai. As Mungantiwar could not come for the Fishtech 23 conference he shared his thoughts in video message.

In his welcome address, Ravindra Boratkar, President, MEDC informed the audience about current scenario of fisheries in the country, “Maharashtra has 4.35 lakh tonnes of marine fisheries. India’s fisheries production is 8 per cent of world production. India export 13.39 lakh tonnes fish worth Rs 57,000 crore.”

 Dr Ashish Paturkar, Vice-Chancellor, Maharashtra Animal and Fishery Sciences University emphasised the importance of digital technology in fisheries sector.

“New technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Real time data, etc. should be used for improved quality which is important for increasing fisheries export. Value addition is also important for increasing the export,” said Paturkar.

He also added that processing of surplus production of fish is also important as otherwise it can create pollution problem.

Ramsdas Sandhe,Chairman, Maharashtra Rajya Machhimar  Sahakari Sangh, explained the problems faced by fishermen in  Maharashtra state. He said, “One major problem is pollution of plastic, chemicals and sewage in the fisheries. As result 65 per cent fisherman have gone in their profession. Government has imposed restrictions on the strength of diesel engines which created problems for fishermen but this problem is resolved after the instructions from State Department of Fisheries   ”

Meenal Mohadikar, Vice President MEDC proposed the vote of thanks in the last session of inauguration.

Fishtech 2023 a “Sustainable Blue Revolution: Nutritional Security and Exports” event which comprises of Exhibition, conference and workshops aims to promote development and leverage of opportunities in the fisheries sector. FISHTECH 2023 evolve around fisheries business opportunities in the different regions of Maharashtra and it is a regional hub nationally as well as internationally.

 Fishtech concentrates on establishing a partnership between states and regions to promote seamless development and leverage of opportunities in the fisheries sector. The objectives of the event are to bring together stakeholders from the different parts of the Maharashtra region, public sector enterprises, and the private sector in the fisheries sector.

Experts from fisheries discussed the current issues

AgroPolicy, Foodgrains, India, SAARC, Sustainability

Sri Lanka’s Minister for Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera appreciated India’s efforts to promote the use and popularisation of millet

In Sri Lanka, the High Commission of India held an interaction on the importance of millets in Colombo. Sri Lanka’s Minister for Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera appreciated India’s efforts to promote the use and popularisation of millet. He said Millets are very helpful, especially for those who are battling illnesses like Cardiovascular disease and diabetes. He added that Sri Lanka can benefit from better varieties of millet from India through collaboration with Indian institutions like Indian Council for Agricultural Research.

Gopal Baglay, High Commissioner said that Millets have been a part of Indian cultural DNA. Recounting India’s journey from food-grain shortage to surplus, Baglay also recounted the shift towards water-intensive and cash crops. He elaborated on the benefits millets would provide to small farmers, especially in crises.

The High Commissioner said that once forgotten, millets have now become popular as smart foods and healthy food. Remembering Sri Lanka’s crisis last year, he said that both India and Sri Lanka acknowledged food security as the first pillar of cooperation. He asserted that today’s interaction on millet can help achieve cooperation on food security.

Representative of the Food and Agriculture Organisation for Sri Lanka and Maldives Vimlendra Sharan welcomed the interaction organised by the Indian Mission. He said that the international year of Millets is timely and a reminder to work towards integrating millets into our production cycle and consumption pattern. Elaborating that millets are climate resilient, he added that in Sri Lanka millet production is restricted to under 7000 hectares as against 8 lakh hectares in the case of rice. He added that this scenario needs a change. He further said that FAO stands with Sri Lanka to bring the best practices and technologies to help Sri Lanka in improving millet cultivation.

Sri Lanka’s Minister for Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera

Company News, Horticulture, India, Start ups

Fasal Fresh simplifies procurement by bringing end-to-end traceability & demand-specific sourcing directly from their precision farm network to buyers.

Bengaluru based Fasal, India’s earliest sustainable horticulture farm network company and the one-stop-shop for horticulturalists, today announced expansion into the farming output business with the launch of ‘Fasal Fresh’. Fasal Fresh removes intermediaries in procurement to ensure fairer prices for farmers while bringing end-consumers export-quality produce that has been grown using Fasal’s proprietary farm-level crop intelligence systems.

Through its patented IoT system called Kranti, Fasal has been making horticulture farming guesswork-free with advanced irrigation alerts, farm level forecasts, and pest/disease forewarnings. Today, Fasal works with Indian farmers over 60,000 acres across 20+ crops, who are leveraging this technology. Fasal Fresh, which has been in the works since last year with a focus on building the horticulture farming network, will directly bring the produce grown via precision farming to the end consumers via retailers/e-tailers, wholesalers and exporters.  Currently, Fasal Fresh is operational in Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad with its Mumbai operations planned for March this year.

Shailendra Tiwari, Founder, Fasal, said, “Procurement of fruits across the country remains fragmented and hindered by several issues in the value chain like lack of any visibility of supply, quality inconsistency, and wastage of produce during transit, among others. But with our progressive horticulture approach through differentiated tech deployed on large acreages combined with the Fasal Fresh network, we are able to solve a lot of these supply chain issues.

We can completely revamp the entire value chain by providing a consistent supply of high-quality produce to buyers and significantly better compensation to the farmers. The network is built to bring a higher level of predictability and traceability to the horticulture supply chain via tech at a scale which was not possible before. “To drive the business vertical, a veteran horticulture supply chain expert, Manoj Kumar, has joined as Director, Fasal Fresh. “Through Fasal Fresh, we are excited to directly connect farmers growing high-quality produce using Fasal’s IoT systems and advisories with exporters, modern retailers, and end consumers. The aim is to have assured availability of precisely grown, high quality and sustainable fruits with competitive pricing for the end-consumers while ensuring transparency in deals and timely payments for the farmers – all using Fasal’s end-to-end platform,” added Manoj Kumar, Director, Fasal Fresh.

Our predictability in supply allows consistent availability of high-quality sorted, graded, and packed produce enabling buyers to plan well in advance and minimize transit loss. Fasal Fresh aims to be a system that dramatically simplifies the lives of farmers, sellers, retailers as well as end-consumers in gaining access to safer and healthier fruits as well as vegetables at fair prices. Right from making conscious decisions to use only required levels of pesticides to eco-friendly packaging, Fasal Fresh comes with the promise of access to safer, precise and sustainably grown fruits and vegetables.

Fasal Fresh simplifies procurement by bringing end-to-end

Agrotech, Animal Health, Company News, India, Live Stock

It aims to improve the genetic potential of livestock, enhance productivity, and provide better livelihood opportunities for livestock.

Asia’s largest emergency medical service provider company Ziqitza Healthcare Limited after having achieved major milestones in the country by providing ambulances and medical helplines in multiple states of India is now all set to step into veterinary services with its latest government contract of running mobile veterinary units in Uttar Pradesh. The service area assigned to Ziqitza covers 14 districts in the western part of the state. A total of 92 MVUs will offer medical care to domestic and street animals, birds and reptiles in Uttar Pradesh, as a part of the Animal Husbandry Department’s unique initiative. This is the first time Ziqitza Limited has ventured into Mobile Veterinary Units as there is a growing demand for this service as this aims to improve the genetic potential of livestock, enhance productivity, and provide better livelihood opportunities for livestock.

Speaking about the achievement, ZHL’s Head of Government Business, Jitendra Sharma said, “We are quite thrilled to start a new journey in Uttar Pradesh where we are already operating the ALS Ambulances. This new project will add a feather in our caps and renew our commitment to serve all life not just limited to human life. We are deeply grateful to the Animal Husbandry Department and the Uttar Pradesh government for giving us this opportunity to serve a unique set of patients.”

The MVUs which will be specially deployed for treating animals will be fully equipped with all life saving apparatus and will also have a team of three members- veterinarian, a para veterinarian and a helper. 50 per cent of MVUs will operate on a fixed route and attend to any diseased or injured animal on the way. Remaining MVUs will be linked to the call center and will reach the location on demand. For this, a toll-free number 1962 is being set up in Lucknow. The ambulances will treat the animals on the location itself.

Highlighting details about the contract, Project Head (Uttar Pradesh) at Ziqitza Healthcare Limited Deepak Kharbanda said, “We have been given the contract for three years. The entire state has been divided in 5 clusters and ZHL has been awarded a contract for the western cluster of the state which comprises 14 districts. We will begin our operations in west UP soon.”

Ziqitza Limited currently runs 250 ALS ambulances in the state which are used to transfer in-treatment patients from one hospital to another. The company has so far served 153675 beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh.

It aims to improve the genetic potential

Agrotech, Dairy, India, Live Stock, Poultry, Start ups, Sustainability

This event brought together entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts to share their ideas, network

The Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Govt. of India organised a grand start-up Conclave in order to promote the existing and emerging startups in the livestock, dairy and animal husbandry sectors at the Marriott Convention Centre, Hyderabad in close collaboration with the National Dairy Development Board, Startup India, CII and the Animal Husbandry Department of Telangana.

Parshottam Rupala, Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India graced the event with his presence as Chief Guest in the august presence of Dr Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, Minister of State of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Dr L. Murugan, Minister of State of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and T. Srinivas Yadav, Minister for Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Cinematography of Telangana.

This event brought together entrepreneurs, investors, and industry experts to share their ideas, network, and learn from each other. It provided an excellent opportunity to showcase innovative ideas and products and network with fellow entrepreneurs and stakeholders. The event featured keynote speeches by prominent industry leaders, interactive sessions, panel discussions, and presentations by successful start-ups.

Addressing the Conclave, Parshottam Rupala stated that Agriculture diversification through animal husbandry is one of the primary drivers of growth in rural incomes and higher public investment in the Livestock Sector is the need of the hour. The Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (MoAHD) stands committed to working with all stakeholders to further boost growth in the livestock sector and thereby making animal husbandry more remunerative to farmers and entrepreneurs engaged in the Livestock Sector.

Dr Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, Minister of State of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying also addressed the gathering and highlighted the importance of the livestock sector and Major Challenges of the Livestock Sector in India viz. lower productivity and emerging diseases. The Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying is dovetailing and synergising efforts with other Ministries and stakeholders in order to overcome all these challenges and promote entrepreneurship, technology interventions, digitalisation, innovative ideas etc.

This event brought together entrepreneurs, investors, and

Agrotech, Company News, Machinery – Post-harvesting, North America, Sustainability

Sabanto’s autonomous technology was recently installed on the supported Kubota M5 tractor platform

Sabanto announced the delivery of two autonomous tractor units to the 45th Civil Engineer Squadron at Patrick Space Force Base, Florida. These units will aid the ground maintenance measures around the base. This technology allows one operator to supervise multiple tractors, addressing labour shortages and helping to alleviate a backlog of tasks.

“We are excited to provide our technology not only to the United States Air Force but also to the United States Space Force,” said Eddie Brown, Sabanto’s Vice President of Government Products & Services. “Expanding our market within the Department of Defense represents a big step for Sabanto.”

Sabanto’s autonomous technology was recently installed on the supported Kubota M5 tractor platform and is being used to automate airfield mowing operations using Sabanto’s state-of-the-art path planning technology.

“Automating our mowers will allow for the reallocation of labour hours to tackle other base priorities,” said Andrew C. Johnson, Captain, USAF. “By maximising our labour hours, we will be able to complete more tasks in-house to support the space launch mission, our mission partners, and the base populace.”

“Sabanto is thankful for the opportunity to serve Patrick Space Force Base. We are looking forward to opportunities to advance Sabanto’s technology to better support our military partners,” said Cory Spaetti, Sabanto’s Vice President of Products.

Sabanto has proven, through extensive field testing, its ability to automate a variety of field operations over significant acres, leveraging a fleet of smaller 60 and 90-horsepower tractors. The company’s advanced software has also been pivotal in deploying multiple systems for multiple days of non-stop operation.

Sabanto's autonomous technology was recently installed on

Agrotech, Europe, Sustainability

The WBF and PGPR’s shared interests in advancing sustainable agriculture led them to enter an engagement whereby the two parties will work together for mutual benefits.

The World BioProtection Forum (WBF) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Asian PGPR Society for Sustainable Agriculture, under which both parties have committed to working together to help advance knowledge in biologicals for sustainable agriculture.

The MOU is consistent with the WBF’s focus on Innovation through Collaboration. The organisation is founded on the principle that collaboration between the biocontrol industry and academia in the agriculture will connect different stakeholders who can work together to ensure the successful development and commercialisation of biocontrol products.

Biological agriculture for the management of pests, diseases and plant health is a fast-growing segment of Agriculture, and biological solutions offer safe and sustainable alternatives to chemical pesticides. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are root-colonising bacteria that exert beneficial traits on plant growth and development. In addition to plant growth promotion, PGPR are also used for controlling several plant pathogens, enhancement of nutrient up-take, and in rhizomediation. Therefore, they can act as biofertilisers, biostimulants and biofungicides, playing a range of important roles in sustainable agriculture.

The Asian PGPR Society for Sustainable Agriculture is an academic organisation engaged in encouraging research, education, and the dissemination of knowledge on the importance of PGPR. Its international and regional association meetings provide an opportunity for PGPR researchers to meet and discuss common interests.

The WBF is engaged in encouraging collaboration between the biocontrol industry and academia, while working to secure a regulatory framework that supports sustainable agriculture. The organisation’s annual event helps to connect different stakeholders who can work together to ensure the successful development and commercialisation of biocontrol products.

The WBF and PGPR’s shared interests in advancing sustainable agriculture led them to enter an engagement whereby the two parties will work together for mutual benefits, including the support of each other’s annual conferences, and the joint organisation of future training programmes and meetings related to activities of mutual interest.

The MOU was signed during a closed meeting in Auburn, Alabama, USA, on 23rd February 2023, between Dr Minshad Ansari, Founder and Chairman of the WBF, and Professor MS Reddy, Founder Chairman of the Asian PGPR Society for Sustainable Agriculture.

“In the context of increasing international concern for food and environmental quality, the use of PGPR for reducing chemical inputs in agriculture has important potential,” said Professor MS Reddy. “There is an active and growing group of researchers working on fundamental and applied aspects of PGPR. The challenge lies in applying and commercialising these bacteria for sustainable agriculture.”

Dr Minshad Ansari added “Industry, academia, policy makers and other stakeholders are all interested in finding alternatives that enable sustainable agriculture. We try to connect those people and encourage them to work together for the successful development and commercialisation of novel biological products – we encourage them to Collaborate to Innovate.”

The WBF and PGPR’s shared interests in

Agrotech, Finance, India, Start ups

The partnership enables the companies to provide smart risk-cover solutions for farmers to ensure financial safety and resilience against weather irregularities.

Bengaluru based nurture.farm, India’s leading agri-tech organization, has scaled its weather protection cover offering by partnering with SWAL Corporation Ltd. The product offering is a part of nurture.farm’s flagship resilience program ‘Kavach’.

Weather Kavach is a risk cover offering for farmers to protect them against weather irregularities. It is a flexible cover option where farmers can opt-in for any sum assured value, and claims are disbursed in the event of excessive rain, heat waves or rain deficit. The advantages of the Weather Kavach product offering includes an index-based trigger, shorter disbursal window, and direct transfer of the claim amount to the farmer’s bank account. Since its launch, nurture.farm has successfully offered Weather Kavach to more than 100,000 farmers and sold more than 1 Million Weather Kavach in less than 12 months.

Through this partnership, SWAL Corporation Ltd is offering Weather Kavach, at no additional cost, to all its farmers who purchase Wuxal & Delma products. While Wuxal provides nutrients to the crop, Delma protects it from various diseases that can be triggered due to wild fluctuations in temperature during critical growth stages. With the likely possibility of higher temperatures predicted for February & March and the harvest window for Rabi crops around the corner, the partnership couldn’t have come at a better time. To avail of Weather Kavach, the farmers must download the nurture.farm app, scan Wuxal and Delma products on the app, and avail it at no additional cost.

Dhruv Sawhney, COO & Business Head at nurture.farm said, “Globally, 2022 was the fifth warmest year on record. As per reports, scientists have warned that 2023 could be a comeback year for El Nino, pushing temperatures by over 1.5 degrees celsius compared to the average temperature a century ago. As per the reports published in the US scientific journal “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences” (PNAS), each degree Celsius increase in global temperature can on average reduce global yields of wheat by 6 per cent, rice by 3.2 per cent, maize by 7.4 per cent, and soybean by 3.1 per cent . Furthermore, the global rise in temperature increases the risks of floods, drought, extreme heat waves, and water shortages, and could possibly push millions into poverty. Despite knowing the pitfalls, and suffering agricultural losses every year, less than 20 per cent of farmers opt-in for risk-cover products owing to the lack of trust, education, and high premium costs.”

nurture.farm is partnering with SWAL Corporation Ltd., an organisation that is paving the way for other many organisations to follow by helping us drive change, increase adoption, build for farmer resilience, and truly make agriculture sustainable, viable, and climate-smart. 

Pramod Tiwari, Head of Marketing at SWAL Corporation Ltd, said, “For over 10 decades, SWAL has been committed to its farmers by offering them quality agri-solutions that are efficient, improve yield quality & quantity for ensuring better farm profitability. Our teams have been working with the farmers, helping them select the right inputs, imparting technical know-how, educating them about innovative farming practices, and delivering access to technology and advisory throughout the cultivation windows”.

The partnership enables the companies to provide