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Agrotech, India, Sustainability

The orientation programme was organised as a part of collaboration between IRRI & the ‘Jeetega Kisan’ project

IRRI South Asia Regional Center (ISARC), Varanasi conducted a one-day capacity development orientation programme for farmers and extension workers of Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh as a part of collaboration between IRRI and the ‘Jeetega Kisan’ project.

The aim of the programme was to help stakeholders adopt best management practices for the rice-wheat based system and introduce them to IRRI’s digital tools that can help escalate the sustainable rice production systems.

This programme, which includes a mix of in-class session, lab tour and field demonstration, gave farmers and extension workers a platform to hone their skills on managing soil health in rice ecosystems, agronomic management for rice-wheat based system under conservation agriculture systems, low-cost insect and pest management options in rice-wheat based cropping systems, and site-specific nutrient management. It also gave them an opportunity to familiarise themselves on how to effectively employ the Rice Crop Manager (RCM) application for getting customised on-farm recommendations.

As part of the program, the participants were encouraged to speak on their on-field concerns, sharing farm insights from the region of Sonbhadra and getting them addressed by subject matter experts. Moreover, the visit to the ISARC lab, farms and fields got the participants interest piqued in rice-value addition, solar bubble dryer, IRRI Super Bag & the cost-effective post – harvest management practices/techniques. To ensure the sustainability of the program, IRRI will continue providing support to these stakeholders through pursuing more capacity development activities that centre around digital tools and sustainable rice production.

The opening ceremony was attended by notable guests including Vikram Patil, Scientist-ISARC, Ajay Kumar Mishra, Associate Scientist -Soil Science, ISARC and Gaurav Jaiswal, Ed Tech Specialist, IRRI Education, ISARC.

The program was implemented by IRRI Education, the capacity development, knowledge dissemination unit of ISARC. It has been playing a pivotal role in bolstering the rice based agri-food systems by developing the capacities of the ecosystem stakeholders through education, capacity development & knowledge dissemination activities. The unit regularly collaborates with institutes seeking interventions in the areas of capacity development on climate resilient practices, climate change mitigation, climate adaption & sustainable agri-practices.

With its strategic position in Varanasi, in close vicinity of institutes like Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR), these customised programs provide a nurturing environment where knowledge is shared and participation is encouraged.

DCM Shriram Foundation’s Flagship program “Jeetega Kisaan” focuses on the confluence of Water Conservation and Agri- Skilling.  It was launched to help farming communities get  “More Crop Per crop” from the conserved water. The program is layered on water conservation and aims at an  increase in irrigated area, cultivable area, and adoption of advanced agriculture.This program strives to achieve the targets of SGD2 – Zero Hunger. It aims to help small & marginal farmers increase their productivity and income by providing them training on better packages of practices. A Sustainable Paddy/Wheat Program under Jeetega Kisaan program was launched in 2021 for 2000 farmers in 46 villages of Chopan & Robertsganj block of Sonbhadra District of Uttar Pradesh with International Finance Corporation (IFC) & IRRI as the knowledge partners and Indian Society of agribusiness professionals (ISAP) as the implementation partner.

The orientation programme was organised as a

Agrotech

Aditya Sekhri, Associate Director, Strategy & Business Development, Fratelli Wines

The post-pandemic sale of wine has soared and companies are also making the best of it by rolling out new and improved promotional events to rope in newer client bases.  To learn more about the market realities of the Indian wine industry and its business roadmap for the future, AgroSpectrum had an exclusive one-on-one with Aditya Sekhri, Associate Director, Strategy& Business Development, Fratelli Wines Pvt Ltd. Edited excerpts;

What changes would you single out when drawing parallels between the history of India’s wine exports and the present day?

Since it was first established, the export of Indian wines has been a fruitful channel that has successfully brought us into the world arena. Despite the fact that the volume of Indian wine exports is still relatively low in comparison to the sales of domestic wines or imported wines in India, the category has been growing steadily post-COVID and will continue to be a major focus area for all domestic wine producers to make the brands recognised globally. In India, sales of domestic wines or imported wines make up the majority of the market.

Do you feel that the increased focus toward wellness is helping the domestic alcoholic beverages market?

The consumers of today, across all segments of the liquor industry, are a lot more health conscious than they were probably 10 years ago. Given that wine is perceived as a drink that has certain positive effects on one’s health, I believe that the consumption of wine in India should only continue to rise. It is important to educate new wine consumers, despite the fact that this particular factor is only projected to play a supporting role in the anticipated expansion of the wine business.

Could you comment on the rising popularity of Indian wines abroad?

It is heartening to observe the growing popularity of Indian wines in other countries. I believe Indian wines are being exported to somewhere around 20 nations, and I see both the overall volume and this number growing at a good rate year over year (YoY). When it comes to Fratelli, the majority of our exports originate from varieties such as Shiraz, Merlot and Chardonnay.

How does India fare in comparison to other global wine producers?

India has already come a long way, and the gap between us and other global powerhouses is getting smaller every year. However, certain factors, such as more uniform taxation policies across the country and technological improvements on the viticulture side, will enable us to reduce the gap even further.

Is the Indian wine industry leveraging technological knowhow to produce high-quality wines, at par with international brands?

The numerous accolades received by local producers in the past 10 years is a validation of many of the efforts made to make Indian wines equivalent in terms of quality to global powerhouses. In light of this, we at Fratelli are making more use of technology and working harder than ever before, both in the vineyards and in the winemaking facilities, to ensure that we continue to advance and establish new standards for ourselves each year.

What are your expectations from the current government?

The nation’s many stated policies need to become more standardised and competitive in their dealings with the country’s various domestic wine producers.

By Nitin Konde

Aditya Sekhri, Associate Director, Strategy & Business

Agrotech, India, Industry Reports / Analysis, Interaction, Opinions

The wine market in India is set to grow to $274 million by 2026 as per the latest market reports. The demand for premium wine brands is increasing among consumers in India and there is also rising consumer preference for smooth, rare, and innovative flavours of wine. The rising demand for premium wine in recent years has led to an increase in the parallel launch of innovative products such as handcrafted or artisanal cheese.

Humans have enjoyed cheese and wine together since fermented foods were first developed some 10,000 years ago. But as generations got by and as new wine tastes were discovered, pairing with new varieties of cheese took an absolute new direction.

Artisan cheese maker, Parshva Kapadia, aka Cheeseman, Co-Creator & Head Cheese Master, Le Pondicherry Cheese, has been making cheese and exploring the market segment for the past seven years now. Before 2015, his cheese world was dominated by big brands like Amul, but a trip to France opened his eyes to the flavour of preservative free real cheese, the unbelievable varieties that existed. After trying a new cheese variety every other day and savouring more than 25 different types, over two months of his stay, Parshva started appreciating natural cheese and instantly an idea in him generated to hone the skill of cheesemaking in India.

Parshva then moved to Auroville in 2016 and started working at an artisanal production unit making different varieties of cheese; where he gathered all the basic knowledge about cheesemaking. “The market at that time was extremely niche with only countable artisan cheese makers in the country. Auroville cheese was already known amongst top end restaurants and resorts in Goa, Mumbai, and Delhi. The market would run high usually during festivities like Christmas and new year’s. Interestingly, post pandemic, Indian consumers began being health-conscious and started looking for alternative healthier ingredients. Dairy has always been a big part of Indian households and natural cheese slowly started getting accepted on platters, dinner parties and as gift hampers. Consumers began reaching out locally for artisanal cheese and the majority of the currently existing cheese brands in India were born then,” shares Parshva.

At present there are over 12 artisanal cheese production units around the country giving the Indian consumer wide varieties to choose from. You can get young or aged, sweet, or sharp, white, or yellow, and many other types of natural cheese these days. So much has evolved in the space of cheese over the last three years. Many want to learn more about the art of cheesemaking, this has also improved the market understanding and consumption of cheese, indicates Parshva.

Anuradha & Namrata, Founders of Käse, a Chennai-based artisanal cheese brand, believe that cheesemaking is in many ways like wine making. The terroir, they say, is a huge influence and that is what makes cheese of every place unique. The duo work with natural flora of the milk and claim that they do not use freeze dried cultures in their cheese making ingredients.

Commenting about the growing interest of consumers in artisan cheese, Anurada says, “There has been an enormous demand for cheese over the last few years, which is driven by consumer awareness. However, it’s predominantly in the processed cheese category and there are bigger players like Amul and Britannia. Off late there is an increase in the number of artisan cheese makers as well. To give a number, there were hardly 5 or 6 artisan brands in 2016 whereas today there are close to 30 artisan brands. However, artisan players are mostly localised and homegrown and cater to the local geography. There are 3 or 4 brands (including ours Kase cheese) which are shipping pan India. But this number is set to grow. If we go to a supermarket, we can find at least a couple of artisan or other local cheese brands.”

Sharing his view about the growing cheese industry, Harshit Juneja, Director at Dairy Craft India, says that the dairy industry has seen a massive shift in India from immense consumption of milk to increased consumption of Value Added Dairy Products (VADP). VADPs are considered to be high in nutrients, easy to consume, and a good fit in most dishes. And, adoption of western trends and cuisines, a growing population in the age group of 20-40 years, and increased awareness of various varieties of cheeses are some of the common reasons for the increasing demand.

“Over the years, with a portion of consumers focussing on health, we are also seeing increased acceptance and adoption of natural, fresh variants of cheese over processed variants. Feta cheese, Natural cream cheese, Mascarpone cheese, and fresh Buffalo Mozzarella/Bocconcini cheese have seen increased acceptance over the last few years. Although fresh cheeses usually have a lower shelf life, they do not contain any preservatives that are commonly used in the processed variants. The growing health-conscious population savour preservative-free cheese and prefer their children to consume natural cheese,” explains Harshit.

In Anuradha’s view, artisan cheesemaking is still a very nascent, niche category. “It has seen signs of growth only over the past five years, mostly because of a growing segment of millennials. “We as a brand are targeting this audience through non-traditional ways and engaging in a more personal way through social media and other personalised avenues like cheese pairing events, tasting events, cheese platters, etc.”

Although Indians have caught the craze in artisan cheese, a lot of awareness is required to boost its popularity. “Awareness about the benefits of cheese had to be developed. We witnessed the growth in consumers’ mindset, perspective, and palette by educating them with workshops and giving them experiential tasting of cheese in farmers markets. Along with this, a rise in artisanal cheese brands around the country has definitely played a major role in increasing the demand for natural cheese all around India,” says Anuradha.

Similarly, Parshva envisions his company, Le Pondicherry Cheese, to tip the scale from processed cheese over to artisanal cheese in the next five years. “To achieve this, we are not only focusing on wider market size but rather educating and spreading awareness about the health benefits, quality, and production authenticity of artisanal cheese, which is helping us reach our goals. We believe in a collaborative and transparent approach. Always open for factory visits, sharing cheesemaking experience, conducting workshops, working with other gourmet food brands to pair the cheese with. All these practices have contributed to paving our way into the big Indian cheese market,” admits Parshva.

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

The wine market in India is set

Agrotech, Bee keeping, India, Interaction, Opinions

 By Rohan Rehani, Co-founder, Moonshine Meadery

Mead is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting honey.  To draw parallels, just like beer is made by fermenting barley, and wine is made by fermenting  grapes, Mead is made by fermenting honey. 

Mankind has consumed meads for much longer than we’ve consumed beers or wines – predominantly because both barley and grapes require agrarian practices, which would have  been missing from the lives of our hunter-gatherer ancestors. 

Interestingly, meads have existed in every culture independently of each other. Unlike a lot of  ‘technologies’ of the ancient world, the knowledge of honey fermentation was discovered  independently by most civilizations. There have been traces of mead found in ancient Chinese  pottery dating back to 7000 BC and in the tomb of King Tut in Egypt. The ancient Greeks knew it as Ambrosia – the nectar of the gods. The Vikings drank it before battle, and mead (Tej) is still widely consumed in Ethiopia. Circling back to our subcontinent, meads have been mentioned in Rigveda. 

The word Mead itself is a derivative of the Sanskrit word – Madhu. 

Meads in contemporary India 

World over, meads have started to see a resurgence with meaderies being established at a frenetic pace worldwide. In 2017, meads were the fastest-growing craft alcoholic sector in the American markets. 

In India, a change in regulations to the Wine Policy of the state of Maharashtra in 2017 allowed the fermentation of honey (earlier reserved only for fruits and grapes) into mead. In 2018, the first commercial bottled meads were released in India by Moonshine Meadery.

Interestingly, world over, most meads are made like wines – 10- 13% alc, still, and packaged in  a wine bottle. In India, Moonshine made their meads at 6.5% alc, carbonated and packaged in a  quintessential beer bottle, firmly positioning their meads as a competitor to beer, rather than wine. 

Over the last few years, other meaderies – Cerana, NoLabel, and Stump, have also launched their offerings with similar packaging and alcohol content, further establishing meads in India as uniquely different from the wine-like meads the rest of the world currently consumes.

While Cerana and Hill Zill wines have both launched higher alcohol by volume (ABV) meads in recent years – Yule  Spice and Arka respectively – packaged in a wine bottle, more than 99 per cent of all meads sold in India are competing with the beer and Ready To Drink segments. 

The reasons for this are quite clear – the consumption of wines in India is a fraction of the  consumption of beer. Adding to this fact is that the taxation structure on meads in the initial days was very different, and a lot more than the taxation on grape and fruit wines, making  competing in that category further difficult. Furthermore, the Indian subcontinent has warm and tropical climes. Chilled and carbonated beverages which can quench the thirst of heat will always do very well. One can further see this trend in the increase in wine cooler sales in India. 

Positioned as it is against beers, Meads in India is a rapidly growing market, taking volume  away from commercial beers. 

For decades, the commercial beer industry has done a disservice to Indian consumers by  offering only 1 style of beer. Each brand innovated within very narrow confines of what is  possible to brew, and generation after generation of Indians have ‘acquired’ the taste for a  bitter, rather flavorless beverage. 

Contrast that to what are the non-alcoholic beverages we’ve consumed over the decades – from  sherbets whose ingredients change from region to region, nimbu paani with chaat masala, and  more recently carbonated colas. 

There’s one common trend that emerges – we like flavourful beverages.  And yet, when it came to beers, we were told – ‘aadat lag jayegi – it’s an acquired taste. 

Which is why when the Craft Beer revolution came to India in the early 2010’s, it changed the  perception of beer for a lot of us. I personally went from disliking beer, to enjoying the occasional Belgian wit and even some of the previously unapproachable styles like IPAs. 

Today, the consumption patterns in a microbrewery speak volumes. 

~35 per cent of the production and consumption are wheat beers, which are slightly sweeter, more  flavourful and are less bitter. The next ~35 per cent are ciders and meads, and the balance ~30 per cent comprises all the other styles of beers. 

Once again, non-bitter and flavourful beverages rule the roost. 

Consumer markets are filled with examples of brands that shook up the status quo by  innovating for a market that’s been ready for innovation.

Bira is a great example of this – back in 2014, in a world full of bitter lagers, Bira’s wheat beers made quite a splash!

This is why in 2019, when Kingfisher launched its first wheat beer, some of us further rejoiced.  It’s a sign of positive change for the consumers when the largest player in the industry releases something new to capture market share they’re losing to craft players. 

All of this bodes well for the mead industry – we’re all producing meads which are flavourful,  gluten-free and made with natural ingredients. 

The consumer’s choices are evolving in response to what’s available to the consumer, and meads are well positioned to be the beverage of choice for a large number of consumers who want to have a flavourful beverage, without feeling bloated. 

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

 By Rohan Rehani, Co-founder, Moonshine MeaderyMead is

Agrotech, Foodgrains, Horticulture, Industry Reports / Analysis, Opinions

Beer accounts for a third of the Indian alcoholic beverages market, in volume terms. Euromonitor projects the total volume of beer will increase at a 6 per cent CAGR to reach 2.9 billion litres in 2025 and in that craft, beer holds a significant volume. AgroSpectrum dives deep to find out growth drivers of craft beer market in India

Beer accounts for a third of the Indian alcoholic beverages market, in volume terms. Reports say that there is a rapidly expanding market of beer drinkers emerging in India’s densely populated urban centres who are craving the fresh, all-natural, hand-crafted, locally brewed, world-class beer that until the past couple of years had been unavailable to them.

Iconic Australian Beer brand Coopers Brewery, in the last quarter of 2022, forayed the Indian beer market. Its foray was enabled through India’s popular alcohol distributor VBev. Coopers Brewery, which has a long rich history of over 150 years in beer making, has been brewing their signature Craft Pale Ales for six generations. The brewery produces a range of Ales, Stouts and Lagers. Coopers’ apparently uses only natural ingredients including malt, hops, sugar, water, and a special yeast strain that’s over 90 years old.

So, the question is what made Coopers foray into India and why now? Did Coopers sense that Indians have a growing liking for craft beers? Answer is yes!

Census 2011 says India is home to around 440 million millennials. A considerable proportion of this demographic population’s lifestyle changes and affordability is driving an increase in beer sales. Beer accounts for a third of the Indian alcoholic beverages market, in volume terms. Euromonitor projects the total volume of beer will increase at a 6 per cent CAGR to reach 2.9 billion litres in 2025 and in that craft beer holds a significant volume. Reports say that there is a rapidly expanding market of beer drinkers emerging in India’s densely populated urban centres who are craving the fresh, all-natural, hand-crafted, locally-brewed, world-class beer that until the past couple of years had been unavailable to them.

Among the millennials, there is a sudden frenzy to keep experimenting, innovating, and exploring something new. Craft beers offer distinctive flavours and its variety appeal to many modern, adventurous consumers. Others value the artisanal approach to brewing that many brewers use. Whatever the cause, the demand for craft brews is unquestionably rising. The popularity of microbreweries and craft brewers is one of the key factors driving the increased interest in the craft beer market.

Well on one side is the adventurous crowd seeking for variety in beer, other side is the health-conscious consumers who prefer lighter brews with different flavours (from fruits). And, a section of the health-conscious population preferring organic ingredient-based beers is seen. Establishing microbreweries, hence, is seen as a revolution in beer making and since bottled beer contains preservatives and craft beers don’t, beer brewed in the microbreweries taste more unique, precise, and is viewed as a healthier option.

India gravitates to specialised beers

Homegrown premium beer company Bira 91 spearheaded the bottled craft beer movement in India by targeting urban millennials. Recently, Bira 91 raised $70 million in Series D funding, led by leading Japanese beer firm Kirin Holdings. The funds are to be deployed in the company’s production capacity by commissioning new breweries and expanding its existing facilities. This development alone testifies India’s growing appetite for craft beers. Bira 91’s offering of a bottled craft beer with lower alcohol content (ABV) and more focus on flavour captured the attention of Indian youth who were seeking something different from the mass-produced beers that dominated the market.

Teja Chekuri, Managing Partner, Ironhill India, says with a rising awareness, knowledge and maturity in the market, consumers will evolve and gravitate to more specialised beers. “This is synonymous with the evolution of the wine and coffee segments that took place in the country in the last decade. Both these categories have seen rapid adoption of specialised products within the category. The craft beer growth is expected to follow the same trajectory. While beers have been in the country for a long time, there has been rapid growth in the awareness levels of specialised beers especially craft beers. We are seeing consumers who can differentiate the finer nuances in terms of flavours and appreciate them. Globalisation of media and international travel have also piqued the interest of the Indian consumers in craft beer.”

According to the Indian Beer Market report, the Indian beer industry has stood at a value of nearly Rs 371 billion in 2020. The industry is further expected to reach approximately Rs 622 billion by 2026, exhibiting an estimated CAGR of about 9.2 per cent during 2023-2028. In this, there has been a significant increase in the demand for craft beer over traditional beers. Beer drinkers have evolved over the period. Also, Indian brewers are creating a niche in the local and seasonal market by introducing new buzzwords in the food and beverage industry.

“Over the past decade, the commercial and craft beer brewing sector grew substantially creating business for microbreweries. Today, India has over 250-300 microbreweries that are operational in Gurugram, Mumbai, Goa, Pune, Bangalore, and Hyderabad. We see a rise in uber-luxe brewery lounges that are constantly innovating as per the industry trends. Few beer trends that the brewery business is seeing include- emergence of compact microbrewing, contactless taprooms, innovation of beer making using hops as a key ingredient which would enhance the taste and aroma, and creatively introducing low-carb beers. These factors are a great positive sign for the craft beer market to grow in coming years,” shares Suman Bharti, Founder of Reflex BAR Brewery and Dining.

Sharing another interesting market trend, Suman Bharti reveals that the pandemic completely flipped the brewery and bar world. The overall hospitality industry, he says, has witnessed a significant change in the post-pandemic world. “We can see a huge shift in the consumer habits in the post COVID era with all the restrictions lifted. The craft beer and brewery industry are witnessing a sharp growth in the post-pandemic world and there is no looking back. Few reasons like the growing spending power of today’s consumers and their flair for luxury ambience, top quality service with world class F&B is giving the pubs, bars, bistros, lounge market a great push. Another factor driving the market is the rising trend of night-life and mid-week parties among the working population,” indicates Suman.

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

Beer accounts for a third of the