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Acquaculture, Agro Universities, Animal Health, Live Stock

The collaboration aims to address critical environmental challenges and improve the quality of aquaculture products by focusing on the production and testing processes of protein-rich fish meals derived from non-fish raw materials

The Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Meridian Biotech, a leading industrial biotechnology company based in Texas. The collaboration aims to address critical environmental challenges and improve the quality of aquaculture products by focusing on the production and testing processes of protein-rich fish meals derived from non-fish raw materials.

Meridian Biotech specialises in the production of high-value single-cell proteins for the pet food and aquaculture markets, and together with KUFOS, they plan to implement industrial production of fish meals based on single-cell proteins. This will make them available at affordable costs to aqua farmers and overcome the unsustainable practice of juvenile fish catch. By reducing the rejection rate of Indian shrimp by the US and the European Union through the availability of protein-rich fish meals, KUFOS Vice-Chancellor T Pradeepkumar sees a positive impact on marine biodiversity.

The collaboration aims to address critical environmental

Agro chems – Chemicals, Agro chems – Pesticides, Agrotech, Company News, North America

Tuque exoGEM fungicide is engineered with new formulation technology from Syngenta for enhanced turf protection.

This fall, golf course superintendents will have an additional tool to help prevent snow mold with the launch of Tuque™ exoGEM™ fungicide from Syngenta. Developed with an advanced formulation, Tuque exoGEM is designed to quickly protect turf and last through winter weather extremes.

“Snow mold can delay spring opening if not properly prevented, so we’re excited for the reliable control Tuque exoGEM will bring superintendents,” said Stephanie Schwenke, turf market manager for Syngenta. “We have also included it as part of the GreenTrust® 365 Snow Mold Guarantee to give superintendents additional options for confidently preventing snow mold based on the needs of their courses.”

The new exoGEM formulation technology helps protect the active ingredients ― SOLATENOL® technology, an advanced SDHI in FRAC group 7, and fludioxonil, a contact fungicide in FRAC group 12 with translaminar activity ― from unpredictable weather conditions.

“The exoGEM formulation has been proven to increase the uptake, movement and retention of the active ingredients to significantly improve rainfastness and protect the plant quicker,” explained Andrew Coughlin, Ph.D., group leader of formulation and technology for Syngenta. “It also requires very minimal energy to resuspend after storage.”

While Tuque exoGEM provides strong snow mold control as a standalone product, it is also an excellent tank mix partner with other Syngenta fungicides, including Posterity® XT, Daconil WeatherStik® and Banner Maxx® II.

Tuque exoGEM fungicide is engineered with new

Acquaculture, Australia, Company News, Live Stock

MPA Fish Farms operates the only ocean-based barramundi farm in Australia, located at Cone Bay

Tassal has recently acquired MPA Fish Farms and MPA Marketing, which operates the only ocean-based barramundi farm in Australia, located at Cone Bay. Tassal is Australia’s largest seafood grower, processor, marketer, and seller, employing almost 2,000 people across the country.

The company is now part of Cooke Inc, a global aquaculture and seafood family of companies that produce salmon, sea bass, shrimp/prawns, and harvest various wild fisheries species.

Mark Ryan, Tassal’s managing director and CEO, expressed excitement about including Australian ocean-farmed barramundi in their business, adding that they have successfully turned around the salmon and prawn industries in Australia and have the skills to do the same for MPA companies and the wider barramundi industry in Australia.

MPA currently produces around 1,600 tonnes of barramundi annually in Australia. Once operations are consolidated, Tassal plans to explore growth opportunities, creating more job opportunities in Northern WA.

Western Australia’s fisheries minister, Don Punch, has welcomed the acquisition, recognising aquaculture as one of the world’s fastest-growing food production sectors and an important contributor to WA’s food industries, job creation, and economic diversification.

MPA Fish Farms operates the only ocean-based

Agro chems – Chemicals, Agro chems – Fertilizers, Agro chems – Pesticides, Company News, Finance, India, Poultry

Segment results of Crop Protection business improved significantly by 224 per cent in Q1 FY24 as compared to the same period last year.

Godrej Agrovet Limited (GAVL) has today announced its financial results for the first quarter ended June 30, 2023. The Company reported consolidated revenues from operations of Rs 2,510.2 crore in Q1 FY24, unchanged from the same period last year. FY24 consolidated EBITDA* increased to Rs 206.8 crore from Rs. 169.3 crore in Q1 FY23, a growth of 22 per cent year-on-year. Q1 FY24 Profit before tax* increased to Rs 124.5 crore from Rs 102.8 crore in Q1 FY23, a growth of 21 per cent year-on-year.

Commenting on the performance, B. S. Yadav, Managing Director, Godrej Agrovet Limited, said, Godrej Agrovet started FY24 with a strong growth in profitability and margin expansion in the first quarter ended June 30, 2023. While our topline growth was flat, we achieved 21 per cent  year-on-year growth to clock Profit before tax of Rs. 124.5 Crore in Q1 FY24. The growth in profitability was driven by the strong performance of domestic Crop Protection, Animal Feed and Poultry businesses.

With robust volume growth and improved realizations in HITWEED (in-house herbicide), domestic Crop Protection business achieved a record quarterly topline and profitability in Q1 FY24. Segment results of Crop Protection business improved significantly by 224 per cent in Q1 FY24 as compared to the same period last year. In Feed business, sustained volume growth in cattle-feed and aqua feed was accompanied by notable recovery in margin profile across categories. Our food businesses-maintained volume growth momentum in branded products and delivered margin expansion. In Poultry, revenues from branded products increased by 15% year-on-year led by higher volumes. Lower live bird costs on account of better operational efficiencies boosted profitability as segment EBITDA grew by 50% year-on-year. Dairy business turned EBITDA positive in Q1 FY24. The higher salience of value-added products coupled with reduction in procurement costs contributed to recovery in margin profile.

Astec LifeSciences and Vegetable Oil businesses were adversely impacted by challenging market conditions. The continued demand-supply imbalance and the resultant decline in volumes as well as realizations of key enterprise products led to a sharp drop in Astec’s profitability. Astec’s contract manufacturing business, however, remained on track and its performance was in line with our expectations. Vegetable Oil business suffered from correction in end-product prices more than offsetting higher volumes.

During the quarter, GAVL commissioned its first downstream project in Vegetable oil business of an edible oil refinery in Andhra Pradesh. The refinery has a capacity of 400 MT per day.

Segment results of Crop Protection business improved

Cold Storage, Company News, India, Supply Chain

In the next 2 years, the company plans to open 20 Experience centres in Tier-II cities in India

Rockwell Industries, a leading refrigeration innovator, and cold chain appliance manufacturer announced the opening of its state-of-the-art ‘Rockwell Experience Centre’ in Hyderabad.

The first of its kind in India spread over a 4000 sq ft immersive centre, aims to transform the way consumers and businesses understand the importance and benefits of cold chain and refrigeration technologies.

On the eve of the ‘Rockwell Experience Centre,’ the company unveiled its new line of cold chain products, which includes Domestic & Professional Ice Cube Machines, Confectionary Showcase Coolers, Audio Video Merchandising Visi Coolers including a new line of Electronically Commutated appliances. 

The Experience Centre was formally opened by Soma Bharat Kumar, Chairman of Telangana State Dairy Development Co-operative Federation in the presence of Sunil Reddy, Director, of Dodla Dairy, Sudhir Shah, Managing Director, of Scoops Ice Cream, Sama Murthy Jangam, COO of Heritage Foods and B2B and B2C consumers.

“The commercial refrigeration industry in India lacked a proper experience centre,” said Soma Bharat Kumar, Chairman of Telangana State Dairy Development Co-operative Federation. “There were showrooms, but no place where a person could walk in, engage with different products in different settings, and make a well-informed decision regarding their choices. “Rockwell Experience Center”, fills that void and provides a customer-benefiting experience.”Bharat Kumar added.

The Experience Zone also features the first-in-country EC motors (electronically commutated) low-noise, maintenance-free refrigeration systems, which are known for their energy efficiency, further showcasing Rockwell International’s commitment to sustainable and cutting-edge technologies.

Ashok Gupta, Managing Director of Rockwell Industries said, “The Rockwell Experience Center brings together the best industry technologies and products not only from India but also from other countries, showcasing a diverse array of innovations. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore five realistic sets, including a bakery, a Professional Kitchen, a Bar, an Ice Cream Parlor, and a Supermarket, where they can interact with cutting-edge refrigeration solutions.”

“We believe that education is the key to making informed decisions,” Prateek Gupta, Director, Rockwell Industries expressed,“Rockwell Experience Zone enables consumers and businesses to touch, feel, understand, and use cases of a wide range of products, all under one roof. By providing relevant and accurate information, we empower our customers to make informed buying decisions.”

Through this initiative, Rockwell hopes to make a significant impact within the cold chain and refrigeration industry.

As for the future, the company plans to replicate the Experience Zone concept in all Tier 1 cities, further expanding its reach and providing top-notch experiences to customers nationwide.

In the next 2 years, the company

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, Foodgrains, India, Sustainability

The goal is to establish a single and trustworthy source of data on crop cultivation

The Indian government has introduced a Digital Crop Survey (DCS) pilot project in 12 states during this year’s Kharif season. The goal is to establish a single and trustworthy source of data on crop cultivation. The DCS reference application is an open-source, inter-operable public good, and cadastral maps with GIS and GPS technologies ensure accurate farmland positioning. States were chosen based on their readiness for DCS, including geo-referencing of village maps and digitised Record of Right (RoR) with ownership extent.

The project aims to create reliable data on crop sowing, which is useful for accurate crop area estimation and the development of farmers’ centric solutions. The project is significant as India faces wheat and rice shortages despite record production estimates. The Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare also acknowledged climate change’s impact on crop yields, particularly for rainfed rice, wheat, kharif maize, and mustard.

The ICAR’s National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) network project projected a 20-47 per cent reduction in crop yield by 2050-2080 for rain-fed rice. Similarly, the projected reduction in crop yield could be 19.3-40 per cent for wheat and 18-23 per cent for kharif maize. Mustard’s crop yield is expected to decrease by 7.9-15 per cent.

ICAR has identified 109 districts as very high risk and 201 districts as high risk under its NICRA network project. The Minister also provided data on the availability of certified/quality seeds, which was 514.26 lakh quintals, exceeding the requirement of 464.14 lakh quintals for 2022-23.

The goal is to establish a single

Horticulture, India, North America, Supply Chain, Trade

The consignment was air-shipped from the Vashi market in Navi Mumbai to New York as part of a pilot project

In partnership with the National Plant Protection Organisation of India, US-APHIS, the Maharashtra government, and the Agriculture Marketing Board and National Research Centre on Pomegranate, APEDA facilitated the export of the first trial consignment of pomegranate to the US by air route. The shipment, consisting of 150 boxes (450 kg) of the ‘Bhagwa’ variety of pomegranate with high antioxidant content from Maharashtra, was transported by APEDA-registered INI farms, one of the largest exporters of fruits and vegetables in India. Bhagwa, the most popular pomegranate variety in India, has gained significant demand. The consignment was air-shipped from the Vashi market in Navi Mumbai to New York as part of a pilot project.

In 2017-18, the US banned Indian pomegranate due to concerns over fruit fly infestation in the pomegranate seeds. However, after the Indian government’s efforts to address the issue with the US, the ban was lifted in 2022 once quality standards were met.

According to APEDA, Indian pomegranate production is growing at a rate of 20 to 25 per cent annually, with increasing demand both domestically and in the export market. India is a significant player in destinations such as Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and is known for its unique pomegranate varieties. UAE is the largest importer of Indian pomegranates, accounting for approximately 32 per cent of Indian global exports. As India produces pomegranates year-round, its production basket is larger than in other countries.

The consignment was air-shipped from the Vashi

AgroPolicy, SAARC, Supply Chain, Trade

The government has approved exports of 14,184 tonnes of wheat grain, 5,326 tonnes of wheat flour, and 15,226 tonnes of maida to Bhutan during this period

The Indian government is offering exporters the opportunity to apply for a quota to export wheat, ‘atta’, and ‘maida’ to Bhutan in 2023-24. The allocation of this quota will be based on humanitarian and food security grounds, in accordance with requests made by Bhutan.

The government has approved exports of 14,184 tonnes of wheat grain, 5,326 tonnes of wheat flour, and 15,226 tonnes of maida to Bhutan during this period. Exporters are invited to apply for a quota, with a minimum threshold of 100 tonnes for land transport to the neighbouring country.

Applications will only be accepted for quantities greater than this minimum threshold. In addition, the DGFT has issued a notification prohibiting the export of de-oiled rice bran until November 30, 2023. This amendment to the export policy has been put in place with immediate effect.

The government has approved exports of 14,184

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, India, Sustainability

The meeting between Shobha Karandlaje MoS (Agriculture) and Vladimir Bolea Deputy PM and Minister for Agriculture & Food Industries of Moldova held in Delhi

A meeting between Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, and Vladimir Bolea, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture & Food Industries of Moldova was held at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi.

Both Ministers emphasised the potential for increasing bilateral trade in agricultural commodities and for strengthening bilateral agricultural cooperation through the exchange of knowledge and technology.

Vladimir Bolea congratulated India on becoming the 5th largest economy and also for India’s G20 Presidency. He proposed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation between the two countries in the field of Agriculture which would provide an institutional mechanism for cooperation between the two countries.

Bolea also expressed Moldova’s interest in exporting vegetable oils to India and importing fertilisers and pesticides from India. He expressed Moldova’s support to India for its membership of the UN Security Council in 2027 and informed that Moldova is a candidate to become an EU member and follows the EU standards and therefore their products are safe to consume.  He highlighted the Moldovan culture of producing wine and apples as a way of life and expressed their interest in exporting these products to India.

MoS agreed to the proposal of the signing of an MoU and proposed that India will soon share a draft MoU with them. She also requested the Moldovan side to send a proposal for cooperation in exchange for technology.

The meeting between Shobha Karandlaje MoS (Agriculture)

Animal Health, Company News, Europe

IUNGO is the first EFFPA member from a country of the 2004 EU Enlargement

The European Former Foodstuff Processors Association (EFFPA) has announced its new member IUNGO, which manufactures, stores and trades feed materials and compound feed based in Poland.

EFFPA has accepted IUNGO, a former foodstuff processor, as a new Observer Member to its association as of 1st of July 2023. IUNGO was established as a result of joining forces with several companies in fields, such as trade, transport, by-products, and feed materials that are generated in the food sector. The company, involved in many sectors, also manufactures, stores and trades feed materials and compound feed. Since this year, IUNGO has started to operationalise its former foodstuff processing activities, aiming to serve customers in the compound feed manufacturing sector. IUNGO is the first EFFPA member from a country of the 2004 EU Enlargement.

“I am very pleased EFFPA is able to welcome a member from a part of Europe where there is so much potential for former foodstuff processing to contribute to food waste prevention and sustainable feed production,” said Valentina Massa, President of EFFPA. “Through membership to EFFPA, IUNGO can learn from the experiences gained in other countries, while in turn their membership reinforces EFFPA as the representative of the European former foodstuff processing sector.”

Wilfried de Moor, President of IUNGO, commented, “Joining the EFFPA organisation is undoubtedly a milestone in the history of IUNGO. We are extremely happy that we have become part of the EFFPA organization. We hope that by working together and following the same ideas, having representatives in Brussels, we will be able to work together to prevent food waste and to use food production residues as feed materials. Thanks to the exchange of experience and meeting new partners from the industry around the world, we are sure that we will build our capital for the future, for the good of our planet.”

IUNGO is the first EFFPA member from