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Home2023July (Page 9)
Agrotech, Finance, Horticulture, India, Interaction, Schemes - Govt, Schemes - NABARD

Vilas Shinde, Chairman and Managing Director of Sahyadri Farms Post Harvest Care Limited

Founded in 2010, Sahyadri Farms Post Harvest Care Limited, based in Nashik, has emerged as the largest exporter of grapes in India. Remarkably, Sahyadri accounts for nearly 17 per cent of all grapes exported from the country. In 2022, the company clocked a revenue of nearly Rs 800 crore. To further strengthen its operations, it recently raised Rs 310 crore in growth capital from a group of impact-focused investors including Incofin, Korys, FMO and Proparco. Besides, Sahyadri Farms, India’s largest integrated value chain owned by small and marginal farmers, announced the introduction of Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOPs) worth Rs 45 crore for its employees in 2023. This forms part of the total ESOPs pool amounting to Rs 70 crore. Vilas Shinde, Chairman and Managing Director of Sahyadri Farms Post Harvest Care Limited expressed his insights on the horticulture value chain in India during an interview with AgroSpectrum. Edited excerpts;

How is Sahyadri Farms contributing to the horticulture value chain in India?

As the horticulture market in India is worth Rs 1 lakh crore, there is a significant opportunity for small and marginal farmers to increase their per-acre production and income. Sahyadri Farms has developed an ecosystem focused on the horticulture sector in Maharashtra.

At Sahyadri Farms, we have had a clear focus on horticulture crops, from the beginning. In the first phase, we concentrated on a single crop – grapes and gradually developed an ecosystem for grapes that includes all stakeholders from seed to last-mile delivery. Today, Sahyadri Farms has become a leading exporter and producer of grapes in the international market. After grapes, we shifted our attention to eight other horticulture crops, including tomatoes, pomegranates, mangoes, sweet lime, oranges, bananas, sweet corn and cashews. For each of these crops, we are developing an ecosystem using the cluster farming approach and connecting small-scale farmers through the Farmer Producer Company (FPC) model. Additionally, we are one of the largest producers and processors of tomatoes, contributing to almost 50 per cent of all Kissan tomato ketchup, a brand owned by Unilever.

What is the role of the FPC model in the horticulture value chain?

The FPC model is basically a collective process. The FPC model plays a crucial role, especially for small-holder horticulture growers who may struggle to manage various aspects of the horticulture value chain at a small scale, such as new farm practices for increasing yield, marketing, post-harvest supply chain infrastructure, and logistics.

The FPC model is ideal for the horticulture value chain as it provides support to farmers at every step, starting from providing high-quality inputs at reasonable rates to connecting farmers to market linkages.

By ensuring that farmers own all aspects of the horticulture value chain, the FPC model allows profits to be directly shared with farmers. This model is based on collective efforts by the farmers, ensuring fair prices for their produce in the export market.

What major changes have you observed in the horticulture supply chain since the COVID-19 pandemic?

The horticulture sector has witnessed significant changes in its supply chain, distribution networks, Direct to Consumer model (D2C) models, and new digital platforms aiming to connect all stakeholders of the horticulture industry under one roof.

Actually, the horticulture supply chain in India is currently in an experimental phase. Many startups are working on providing high-quality and residue-free produce through better cold storage and logistics options. These startups are leveraging digital technology and innovations to offer best-in- class services. Although many supply chain startups may not be generating substantial profits at present, the horticulture sector is expected to reap the benefits of digital technology and innovations in the next 5-10 years.

Another significant change is observed in market linkages. Previously, farmers would often receive lower prices for their produce in traditional mandis/ markets. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, many farmers started selling their produce directly to consumers through various platforms. The direct access to the consumers has made farmers more aware of consumer expectations, and market preferences, as well as demand for specific crops. Consequently, traditional farming methods, crop patterns, and adherence to standard food safety protocols have undergone changes, which was missing earlier, as farmers strive to meet consumer expectations.

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

Vilas Shinde, Chairman and Managing Director of

Agrotech, India, Opinions, Poultry

By Ankit Alok Bagaria, Co-founder, Loopworm

Global meat consumption is growing exponentially because of rapid urbanisation and population growth. This surge is driven not only by increasing numbers but also by changing lifestyles, particularly in developing countries. Poultry birds known for their white meat, contribute significantly to the overall meat supply. To meet the escalating demand for meat and its products, the advent of the biotechnology revolution presents a multitude of opportunities in the poultry industry. Biotechnology is no longer limited to merely enhancing farming practices; it now encompasses a broad range of transformative impacts on poultry production and the food systems that support it.

Agri-biotechnology, a branch of science that encompasses the application of various biotechnological tools and techniques to the agricultural sector, has emerged as a powerful force in revolutionising farming practices. This field encompasses a wide range of approaches and technologies, including alternative farming techniques, precision agriculture, genetic engineering, molecular markers, system biology, and other biotechnologies.

At its core, agri-biotechnology aims to harness the potential of these tools and techniques to develop crops and animals with improved traits and characteristics. These advancements are designed to address critical challenges faced by farmers and the agricultural industry. Examples of such challenges include combating pests and diseases, increasing crop yields, and enhancing the nutritional value of agricultural products.

Agri-biotechnology has the potential to address many of the challenges faced by modern agriculture, including food security, environmental sustainability, and economic development. It has the potential to revolutionise poultry in numerous ways. It can be used to develop genetically modified crops that can be used as feed for poultry. These crops can be designed to contain high levels of specific nutrients, such as protein, that are important for poultry growth and health. Researchers all across the globe are now working on alternative ingredients and nutrients for poultry too, which is indirectly supported via agri-biotechnology in other organisms. Overall, these alternative protein sources provide an opportunity for poultry producers to diversify their feed sources and reduce their reliance on traditional protein sources.

Alternative protein sources for poultry include  

1. Insects: Insects such as silkworm pupae, black soldier fly larvae, mealworms, and crickets are becoming popular alternative protein sources for poultry feed. They are a sustainable protein source and can be easily raised on organic waste.

2. Algae: Algae is a rich source of protein and can be used as a feed supplement for poultry. It can be grown in large quantities and is a sustainable alternative to traditional protein sources.

3. Single-cell protein: Single-cell protein is produced from microbial fermentation and is a great alternative to traditional protein sources. It is rich in essential amino acids and can be produced quickly and in large quantities.

4. Plant-based protein: Plant-based proteins can be used as an alternative protein source in poultry feed. They are a vegan alternative to animal protein sources.

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

By Ankit Alok Bagaria, Co-founder, LoopwormGlobal meat

Agri Genomics, Agrotech, Foodgrains, Opinions

By Suraj Nair, Lead (TechSprouts), Ankur Capital

Food shortages arise more frequently owing to unpredictable crop yield losses caused by biotic and abiotic stresses. With advances in molecular biology and marker technology, a new era of molecular breeding has emerged that has greatly accelerated the pace of plant breeding. High-throughput genotyping technology and phenotyping platforms have enabled large-scale marker-trait association analysis, such as genome-wide association studies, to precisely dissect the genetic architecture of plant traits. Large-scale mapping of agronomically important quantitative trait loci, gene cloning and characterisation, mining of elite alleles/haplotypes, exploitation of natural variations, and genomic selection have paved the way towards genomics-assisted breeding (GAB). With the availability of more and more informative genomic datasets, GAB would become a promising technique to expedite the breeding cycle for crop improvement.

Agriculture remains the mainstay of human civilisation, providing sustenance and livelihoods across the globe. However, the growing population along with deteriorating climatic conditions have raised serious questions about current agricultural practices. Frequent droughts, heatwaves and floods have resulted in crop losses, lower yields and diminished nutritional quality. Traditional agricultural practices which are highly water-intensive and resource-consuming, have become highly unsustainable. This has created an ever-increasing demand for improved seeds and crop varieties, whether to increase yields for a growing population, enhance climate resilience with the onset of anthropomorphic climate change, or to protect against a plethora of pests.

Conventional plant breeding techniques, although long-standing, have drawbacks. One key disadvantage is the lengthy and expensive process of variety development, which can take over a decade. It involves laborious experiments, field trials, and the analysis of individual traits. This manual process is cumbersome.

Over the past decade, the agricultural industry has exhibited gradual signs of change. One prominent trend in agricultural research and development over the past two decades has been the rapid emergence and adoption of advanced seed breeding tools as well as genetic editing techniques, such as CRISPR. These techniques enable us to sequence a plant’s genome and analyse its growth and behaviour at a more granular level. The advancements in sequencing techniques, bioinformatics, and the ability to manipulate large datasets have led to the advent of a new paradigm: genomics-assisted breeding (GAB).

GAB relies on genomic data, which has been extensively accumulated since the sequencing of rice in 2006. The availability of this data has significantly improved gene-mapping strategies, particularly in our ability to correlate genomic data with phenomic performance. This understanding has expedited the process of trait discovery, making it possible to breed plants with specific traits in mind. For example, it is now feasible to develop a new rice variety with enhanced amylose content through targeted breeding efforts.

GAB can take one of two broad forms: the first is a highly advanced form of conventional varietal creation achieved through controlled crosses between specific parent plants, and the second is through direct genetic modification of plants with the aim of introducing desirable traits. Both approaches offer great versatility, allowing for the breeding of novel traits in crops, even without genetic engineering. An example of this is HarvestPlus, an international research programme that has developed hybrid corn varieties with reduced vitamin A deficiency.

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

By Suraj Nair, Lead (TechSprouts), Ankur CapitalFood

Agro chems – Fertilizers, Agrotech, India, Opinions

 By Rajesh Kumar Mediratta, MD and CEO, IGX (Indian Gas Exchange)

Gas Exchanges provide an alternate avenue for buyers from the fertiliser sector and sellers to meet their natural gas demand and facilitate transparent price discovery. This inherent quality of Gas Exchanges has led to consistently lower price discovery as gas accounts for 70-80 per cent of the cost of fertiliser production.

Out of India’s annual natural gas consumption of ~156 MMSCMD (Million Metric Standard Cubic Meters per Day), nearly 52 MMSCMD is consumed by its fertiliser (urea) industry. Limited domestic gas production from nominated fields, coupled with the restrained allocation of domestic gas to the sector, has led the fertiliser industry to meet almost 80 per cent of its gas requirement through imported LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas). As per the allocation policy, fertiliser consumers are accorded priority after City Gas Distribution entities. Hence, incremental consumption of gas by the fertiliser sector is satiated from Re-gasified Natural Gas (R-LNG).

However, just about 60-70 per cent of such R-LNG procurement by the fertiliser industry is through long-term/mid-term purchase agreements, and the remainder volumes are sourced through Empowered Pool Management Committed (EPMC) on a spot basis. Domestic gas is pooled with R-LNG to provide natural gas at a uniform delivered price to all the fertiliser plants connected to the Gas Grid.

Bearing the brunt of rising international gas prices

The increasing use of imported gas by the fertiliser sector while the international gas prices are at a record-high, is a cause for worry. Gas accounts for 70-80 per cent of the cost of production, depending on feedstock prices and the energy efficiency of the fertiliser plant. Alternate avenues for procurement, such as a technology-enabled marketplace providing flexibility, efficiency and competitive price discovery, may help in lowering the expenditure of the fertiliser industry.

Subsidies provided by the Government of India cover 100 per cent of the gas procurement costs for urea production. The difference between the delivered cost of urea at the farm gate and net market realisation by the urea units is given as a subsidy to the urea manufacturer/ importer. The present subsidy outgo is around Rs 2,400 per bag (as the market price is about Rs 2,700 per bag). Further, subsidy rates of P&K fertilisers are notified under the Nutrient Based Subsidy scheme.

Considering the huge increase in the prices of fertilisers in the global market, the government has doubled the fertiliser subsidy for this Rabi season. The total fertiliser subsidy outgo for FY 2022-23 would be about Rs 2.25 lakh crore, compared to Rs 1.65 lakh crore last year. These costs have been primarily absorbed by the government to ensure food security as well as safeguard the farmers in our country.

A considerable portion of R-LNG is being sourced by fertiliser units on a spot basis (~30 per cent of total R-LNG procurement) which currently must be routed for an entire quarter through a Pool Operator (GAIL India Ltd) who then proceeds to carry out a plant-wise auction for the procurement of the spot R-LNG volumes on a delivered basis. Due to very high prices being discovered in the quarterly auctions with the entire off-take being on a reasonable endeavour (RE) basis, the pool operator has recently commenced monthly auctions with 40 per cent guaranteed off-take for each plant.

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

 By Rajesh Kumar Mediratta, MD and CEO,

Company News, North America, Seeds, Trade, Vegetables

This acquisition will provide Syngenta an expanded portfolio to continue providing the best overall offering to serve growers of every type around the world.

Syngenta Vegetable Seeds announced that it has completed the acquisition of Feltrin Sementes, a leading Brazilian vegetable seed company serving smallholder growers and home gardeners in 40+ countries. With the growing global vegetable seeds market, the addition of Feltrin Sementes will provide Syngenta an expanded portfolio to continue providing the best overall offering to serve growers of every type around the world.

“We’re thrilled to welcome the Feltrin Sementes team to our growing vegetable seeds business,” said Matthew Johnston, Global Head of Vegetable Seeds and Flowers at Syngenta. “Their diverse customer base and special connection to growers across Latin America makes them a natural fit with our business focus on placing growers at the heart of everything we do. We look forward to helping Feltrin Sementes continue bringing innovation and value to growers.”

The Feltrin Sementes brand will remain in use, maintaining a brand that is familiar and respected by growers. Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Rio Grande do Sul in southern Brazil, Feltrin Sementes serves growers with a portfolio spanning 50+ crop segments and 500+ varieties, including coriander, pepper, lettuce and okra.

“Combining the people and portfolios of Syngenta and Feltrin Sementes is a tremendous opportunity,” said Edimilson Luiz Bagattini, Chief Executive Officer of Feltrin Sementes. “We’re excited to join Syngenta Vegetable Seeds and offer an expanded portfolio and expertise to our customers from one of the world’s leading agricultural innovation and technology companies.”

One of the first companies to breed vegetable seed varieties, Syngenta’s history in vegetable seeds dates back more than 150 years. Today, Syngenta Vegetable Seeds operates in more than 50 countries and delivers vegetable seeds to growers in 124 countries, offering nearly 2,500 commercial varieties across 30 crops. Syngenta is committed to serving growers of all sizes to help ensure access to safe, nutritious and sufficient food for people around the world, year-round.

This acquisition will provide Syngenta an expanded

E-commerce, India, Sustainability

This year’s rubber expo will be the largest rubber trade show ever held in the Asia-Pacific region

The 11th India Rubber Expo (IRE) will be held in Mumbai from March 20 to 23, 2024, and it will be organised by the All India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA).

According to reports, this year’s rubber expo will be the largest rubber trade show ever held in the Asia-Pacific region.

The rubber expo aims to present the most recent technological developments in the rubber industry, bring together rubber traders under one roof, increase the number of exhibitors, and evaluate the state of the market at the moment.

More than 450 exhibitors, including homegrown and global players from more than 30 nations, are supposed to take part in the exhibition. Roadshows will be held in major cities like Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad to promote this expo.

“We are well aware that rubber, as an essential component in most sectors, has immense growth potential in India,” stated Vishnu Bhimrajka, Chief Convener of IRE 2024. Keeping this in mind, an event of this magnitude will provide the ideal occasion to investigate novel products, technologies, and innovations that may contribute to the industry’s expansion.

Ramesh Kejriwal, Leader of AIRIA and Co-Convener of Fury 2024, said, “Similar to each year, this time as well, we are expecting interest from probably the greatest elastic merchants from across Asia. This is an opportunity for newcomers to connect with established players, promote their brand, and exchange ideas. IRE’s ultimate objective is to “pave the way for collective action to achieve ambitious goals by facilitating collaboration between entities and facilitating collaboration.”

Due to its highly diversified application in industries like automobiles, railways, defence, energy and infrastructure, mining, transportation, agriculture and food products, textiles, paper and printing, construction, machinery and equipment, and healthcare, the rubber industry, which generates approximately Rs12,000 crore in revenue, is poised for rapid expansion.

This year's rubber expo will be the

Company News, Dairy, Live Stock, World

105-year-old Farmer-owned Co-op Looks to the Global Trading Platform as a Tool to Support International Growth

Darigold, the Seattle-based farmer-owned dairy co-op, has joined the Global Dairy Trade (GDT) platform and has completed its first product offering through GDT Events. Through the offering, initiated on July 4 as part of GDT Trading Event 335, Darigold offered two skim milk powder products and one buttermilk powder product.

One of the largest dairy producers in the United States processing nearly 10 billion pounds of milk annually, Darigold is looking to leverage its proximity to global shipping infrastructure and building a new production facility in Central Washington to support its global growth ambitions. Working with GDT expands the co-op’s reach into new markets and provides access to more customers, making GDT an important strategic partner in Darigold’s global transformation.

“The Darigold brand is beloved in the Northwest where our farmer-owners are raising cows and our teams have been producing high-quality dairy products for more than 100 years,” said Joe Coote, CEO at Darigold. “But the growth opportunities in dairy are more robust in global markets, and our co-op is uniquely positioned to leverage this opportunity. While we’re already a top-tier dairy producer in the United States, there’s an opportunity for us to transform Darigold into a global leader in the category as well. That’s one of the ways we are continuing to build value for our farmer-owners, our co-op, and our customers.”

Under its own brand and through a number of private label partnerships, Darigold produces and sells a variety of dairy products – including fluid milk, butter, cheese, sour cream, and cottage cheese – throughout the Northwestern United States, where its 300 member farms and 11 production facilities operate. Globally, it offers a variety of dairy products, including butter, cheese, and powdered products, all produced in a region that is ideally suited for producing top-quality dairy.

Darigold’s global advantage is tied to its producing milk in a geographic region that is ideally suited for top-quality dairy production, coupled with its proximity to shipping infrastructure to efficiently transport its products worldwide. With all of its farms and production operations in the Northwestern United States, the co-op enjoys ready access to maritime ports, railways, and interstate highways.

Eric Hansen, CEO of Global Diary Trade, said, “Our three-year strategic plan includes a focus on improving the global supply of dairy products. In line with this, we are actively looking to attract new sellers from all global milk pools to offer our bidders more choice and enable GDT to publish credible reference prices for more products across more regions. US exporters play a significant role in our model, and we are thrilled to have a top-tier producer like Darigold join GDT.”

Darigold produced more than 450 million pounds of milk powders in its last fiscal year (ending March 31, 2023), with a growing share of that for customers in global markets. It also exports butter, cheese, and fluid milk products to some 30 countries worldwide.

105-year-old Farmer-owned Co-op Looks to the Global

Agrotech, Company News, World

Prairie Pulse’s operations in Vanscoy – which include origination, 12,000 MT of bulk storage, cleaning, milling, sorting, sizing and bagging – will double ADM’s pulse footprint in the region

ADM announced the acquisition of Prairie Pulse Inc., owners of a pulse crop cleaning, milling and packaging facility in Vanscoy, Saskatchewan, Canada.

“Everything at ADM starts with the farmer,” said Aaron Brown ADM commercial manager. “Their success is our success, and we’re excited to strengthen our relationships with Canadian pulse growers through the acquisition of Prairie Pulse. We’ll be reaching out to producers about ADM’s unique array of tools and resources to help them manage and grow their businesses – including our access to global markets, our work to create value for sustainable farming practices, and our technology partnerships.”

“This addition also expands our capabilities to meet the needs of our downstream customers, who are increasingly looking at pulses as protein sources for both human and animal nutrition products,” Brown added. “The enduring global trends of sustainability and food security are powering growth in alternative proteins, and ADM is continuing to invest to ensure we’re at the forefront of meeting those needs. We look forward to working with farmers and the great team at Prairie Pulse to expand employment opportunities in Vanscoy and enhance our capability to supply the growing demand for pulse products.“

Prairie Pulse’s operations in Vanscoy – which include origination, 12,000 MT of bulk storage, cleaning, milling, sorting, sizing and bagging – will double ADM’s pulse footprint in the region. The pulse dehulling and splitting facility transforms lentils, chickpeas and peas into shelf- and food-ready products for domestic and international consumption. 

”This is an exciting opportunity for Prairie Pulse, our staff, and customers,“ said Allan Wagner Prairie Pulse President and CEO. ”ADM is a global leader in agribusiness, transportation and processing, as well as the fast-growing alternative protein sector that our products serve.

Prairie Pulse’s operations in Vanscoy – which

Foodgrains, Sustainability, World

Production growth to slow in step with population, while geopolitical tensions, climate change, animal and plant diseases and price volatility pose long-term uncertainty

Global agricultural and food production is projected to continue to increase over the next ten years but at a slower pace of growth than the previous decade due to demographic trends, according to a report released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

The OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2023-2032 is the critical global reference for medium-term prospects for agricultural commodity markets. While uncertainty has risen due to geopolitical tensions, adverse climate trends, animal and plant diseases and increased price volatility for key agrarian inputs, global production of crops, livestock products and fish are projected to grow at an average annual rate of 1.1 per cent during the period, half the pace recorded in the decade ending in 2015. Total food consumption is expected to rise by 1.3 per cent per annum to 2032, indicating an increase in the share of agricultural commodities used as food.

These projections assume a fast recovery from recent inflationary pressures, normal weather conditions, no major policy changes and on-trend evolution in consumer preferences. The possibility is that persistent inflationary pressures pose downside risks to global food demand and production.

In a special assessment of key farming input prices, which have risen significantly in the past two years, Outlook calculates that every 10 per cent increase in fertiliser prices leads to a 2 per cent increase in food costs, with the burden falling hardest on the poor, who spend a larger share of their budget on food. The Outlook highlights the importance of policies to ensure greater efficiency and resilience.

“The broad trends outlined in this report are heading in the right direction but need to be accelerated,” QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General said. “Promoting a faster shift to sustainable agrifood systems will bring many benefits and help usher in better lives for all, leaving no one behind.”


“Surges in agricultural input prices experienced over the last two years have raised concerns about global food security,” Mathias Cormann, OECD Secretary-General said. “Investments in innovation, further productivity gains and reductions in the carbon intensity of production are needed to lay the foundation for long-term food security, affordability and sustainability.”


The Outlook offers decadal projections for cereals, vegetable oils, dairy products, meat, sugar, and fish, as well as cotton, tropical fruits, pulses and agricultural output used for biofuels. It also includes projections for expected regional trends in greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture and incorporates first-time preliminary analyses of the role of food loss and waste.  

Production growth to slow in step with

AgroPolicy, Foodgrains, Sustainability

The logo and official website of the India-Africa International Millet Conference unveiled during the event

To celebrate the International Year of Millets, the Ministry of Agriculture and Famers Welfare, Government of India and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Government of Kenya will be co-hosting the ‘India-Africa International Millet Conference’ in Kenya with support of the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). The international conference scheduled for 30-31 August 2023, will witness participation from government leaders, researchers, farmers, entrepreneurs and industry associations etc, from around the globe.

The official curtain raiser for the ‘India-Africa International Millet Conference’ was held in Nairobi, Kenya, giving the audience a glimpse of what to expect.

The event was graced by the High Commissioner of India to Kenya, Joint Secretary (Crops), Government of India, Principal Secretary, Government of Kenya and Director General, ICRISAT. Officials from the agricultural sector of Kenya, members of the diplomatic community, international agricultural research leaders, farmers and representatives from the private sector also attended.

Through the international conference, the Governments of India and Kenya aim to raise public awareness about millet as the ‘world’s emerging smart food. Additionally, the global event would also help highlight the South-South exchange and collaboration opportunities within the realm of millets.

With high levels of minerals such as iron, calcium, zinc and other vital nutrients, Millets are a treasure trove of health benefits. Additionally, they are also drought-resistant, pest-resilient, climate-friendly crops that can boost income opportunities and livelihoods of smallholder farmers, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

One of the key highlights of the Curtain Raiser event was the unveiling of the logo and website of the India-Africa International Millet Conference. The website will enable participants to register for the conference and learn more about the global event and Millets in general.

The Curtain Raiser event commenced with Dr Jacqueline Hughes, DG ICRISAT, briefing the audience about the agenda of the event. While enumerating the multiple benefits of millets, she spoke about the growing discourse around mechanization, seed systems, digital agriculture and value addition in millets. “We need to strengthen the value chains of millets to ensure consumer demand which will then assure farmers of profitable markets”, Dr Hughes noted.

The logo and official website of the

Agro chems – Pesticides, Agrotech, Company News, Europe

Essen’ciel will be distributed within the portfolio of BioSolutions by BASF in Spain and Italy.

BASF and Vivagro, an innovative French company focused on agroecological solutions, signed a distribution agreement for the product Essen’ciel for the Italian and Spanish market. Essen’ciel is a natural fungicide, insecticide and acaricide based on sweet orange essential oil. It is approved for organic uses, including vine grapes, vegetable crops, berries, ornamental crops, industrial crops and arboriculture. Especially for pip fruits such as apples, pears, and quinces, Essen’ciel represents an alternative biocontrol product in light of scarcity of insecticide solutions.

Essen’ciel will be distributed within the portfolio of BioSolutions by BASF in Spain and Italy. “Biological crop protection is an important step forward to further support sustainable agriculture,” said Marco Moorfeld, Vice President Market Management Europe at BASF Agricultural Solutions. “New partnerships are crucial to meet the growing demand for biologicals, driven by the need to reduce the impact of farming on the environment and benefit from R&D advances in biology and production. Our collaboration with Vivagro strengthens our biological portfolio for farmers.”

Essen’ciel is one of Vivagro’s core products. It is a contact curative treatment with a unique mode of action: it desiccates soft-bodied insects and the aerial organs of pathological fungi. Furthermore, it is a fundamental tool for integrated pest management (IPM), to complete spray programs as it takes into account waste management without neglecting efficiency. “We are proud of our biological innovations. Bringing these to the market with the support of BASF is an important milestone to further expand our business, and meet the expectations of farmers and agricultural industries”, explained Alain Petersen, Export Manager from Vivagro.

BASF and Vivagro foresee a growing market development and expect to further expand their partnership in the future.

Essen’ciel will be distributed within the portfolio

Agrotech, Biostimulants, Company News, World

Biovert has a wide arrangement of great items including green growth removes, an area of vital interest for our business, and broad information in the biostimulant area

Biovert, which operates under the Manvert brand and specialises in biostimulants, biocontrol, and plant nutrition, has been acquired by Sustainable Agro Solutions (SAS).

Eduard Vallverd Vidal, CEO of SAS, stated in a LinkedIn statement that the acquisition had been completed and that Biovert was a company that was culturally and geographically close to SAS. Spain is home to both businesses.

“Biovert has a wide arrangement of great items including green growth removes, an area of vital interest for our business, and broad information in the biostimulant area,” proceeded Vallverdú Vidal.

Additionally, they are at the forefront of organic solutions. Biovert has a strong management team with a lot of experience, a clear strategic vision, and a work environment that values innovation and excellence.

Biovert has a wide arrangement of great

Animal Health, Company News, World

Joining hands with Dr Amit Das, A-Systems aims for Allix to be one of the most used formulation software in the area in the coming years.

A-Systems, a market-leading provider of animal nutrition software, announced its partnership with Dr Amit Das to strengthen its position in South Asia (India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka).

For the last 20 years, A-Systems has developed the Allix feed formulation software, KAllix quality control software and Ruminix Ruminant Ration Balancer. These solutions are some of the most used solutions in some parts of the world. So by joining hands with Dr Amit Das, A-Systems aims for Allix to be one of the most used formulation software in the area in the coming years.

Dr Amit Das is a well-known reference in the animal nutrition industry. He started his career in V.H Group (Uttara Feeds) as Animal Nutritionist and then worked as Head of Animal Nutrition and R&D at ACI-Godrej Agrovet and Business Head at Amrit Global BD Ltd. In addition, for many years, he has been providing consultancy to key players in India, Bangladesh, Nepal & some countries in Africa.  Dr Das has a deep knowledge of the existing feed formulation software market available in India. He is very confident in Allix3 formulation software, and he feels that this software will add a lot of value to the feed industry. This is a very powerful formulation tool and is very user-friendly.

“I have been very impressed by the quality of the solutions and services provided by A-Systems’; having more than 20 years of experience in feed formulation, I have never experienced such great software. I am truly confident Allix3 users have a lot to gain from this modern solution,” said Dr Amit Das.

This new partnership enables A-Systems to rely on a local and trusted consultant providing high-quality advice and support. “A-Systems is very excited to start marketing in this key market collaborating with Dr Das. His long experience in the animal nutrition industry and his choice to collaborate with A-Systems to provide a better service to his customers in the South Asia market gives a good reason to South Asian feed mills to give it a try Allix3,” said Benoit Chesnais in charge of the Asian development of A-Systems.

Joining hands with Dr Amit Das, A-Systems

India, Supply Chain, Trade, Vegetables

Six trucks carrying 10 tonnes of green chilli each entered the land port

After a five-day Eid-ul-Azha break, trade between India and Bangladesh resumed through the land port of Bhomra in Satkhira with the arrival of 60 tonnes of green chilli, according to local media of Bangladesh.

Six trucks carrying 10 tonnes of green chilli each entered the land port. The import would reduce the cost of green chilli on the local market.

A number of trucks carrying green chilli from India are currently travelling to Bangladesh and will arrive at the land port.

The government authorised the importation of 36,830 tonnes of green chilli, which resulted in the arrival of approximately 93 tons of the essential kitchen ingredient in Bangladesh within a week.

Bangladesh has already received over 138,000 tonnes of onion, despite the government’s authorisation to import 918,000 tonnes.

The Bangladesh Ministry of Agriculture granted permission for the importation of green chilli as a result of the rising cost of green chilli in the local market.

Six trucks carrying 10 tonnes of green