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AgroPolicy, India, Sustainability

National Conclave aims to discuss and identify comprehensive support systems for Agri Startups in India that will foster innovation, sustainability, and profitability and make their solutions accessible to farmers

Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare in partnership with FICCI, CII & PHDCCI organised a National Conclave ‘Unleashing the Potential of AgriTech Startups for the Benefit of Farmers.’ Secretary, Manoj Ahuja, Additional Secretary, Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, Joint Secretary (RKVY), Ashish Kumar Srivastav and Joint Secretary (Extn.), Samuel Praveen Kumar along with other senior officers from Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and representatives of FICCI, CII and PHDCII attended the conclave.

The conclave aimed to discuss and identify comprehensive support systems for Agri Startups in India that will foster innovation, sustainability, and profitability and make their solutions accessible to farmers. The conclave also explored strategies to overcome challenges, leverage technology, and capitalize on market opportunities to empower Agri Startups and drive positive impact in the agriculture sector.

FICCI organised two breakout sessions. The theme for session 1 was “The State Government’s Vital Role in Building Enabling Ecosystem for AgriTech in partnership with state governments”. Session 1 brought out the challenges faced by start-ups at the state level and recommendations on how the state governments can help in building an enabling ecosystem to overcome these. The major recommendations include- creating an AgHub: An inclusive agri innovation ecosystem, Agri Data Management Framework (2023), Creating a nodal agency for start-ups within the state governments, developing a start-up portal with a repository of information, knowledge and schemes with a chatbot facility, Start-up India can include an exclusive website with information on agriculture start-ups.

National Conclave aims to discuss and identify

Agri Genomics, Agrotech, Company News, Europe

Collaboration builds on successful initial gene-editing partnership between the two companies that resulted in 27 novel traits being transferred into Bayer’s testing programs.

Pairwise, a food and agriculture company known for bringing the first gene-edited food to the U.S. market, and Bayer announced a new five-year, multi-million Dollar agreement focused on innovations in short-stature corn. This new program leverages Pairwise’s Fulcrum™ platform and builds on the success of the companies’ initial five-year collaboration for corn, soy, wheat, cotton, and canola.

The upcoming collaboration between Pairwise and Bayer will be focused on optimizing and enhancing gene-edited short-stature corn for future use in Bayer’s Preceon™ Smart Corn System. Short-stature corn – with a targeted height of 30 to 40 percent less than traditional corn – is an innovative new approach to growing corn and offers a number of sustainability benefits, including protections from crop loss due to increasingly severe weather events and extreme winds brought about by climate change. Short-stature corn also allows for more precise application of inputs throughout the growing season, sustainably growing more through reduced risk of crop loss.

“Pairwise’s proprietary base editing tools allow for specific changes at virtually any location in the genome, which has the potential to make targeted and much needed improvements in agriculture,” said Bob Reiter, Head of R&D at Bayer’s Crop Science Division. “These kinds of new genomic techniques are extraordinarily focused and produce results much more quickly and precisely than the conventional breeding process, ensuring that we can accelerate the delivery of solutions that growers need.”

The initial five-year collaboration focused on corn, soy, wheat, cotton and canola with the aim of empowering producers to grow more with fewer inputs on the same amount of land. The partnership, which concluded in June 2023, resulted in 27 novel traits being transferred into Bayer’s testing programs. Results of the program demonstrated significant commercial value including edited corn phenotypes with a 20 percent increase in kernel row numbers, which could lead to significantly more yield on the same number of acres. Another outcome has been edited soy that reduces the severity of Asian soybean rust, potentially reducing the need for fungicides to combat the disease and protecting the potential for higher yields.

“We look forward to continuing our work with Bayer, with new emphasis on contributing to their novel smart corn system,” added Tom Adams, Co-founder and CEO at Pairwise. “Working closely with Bayer on furthering this revolution in corn gives us the market reach to enable our technology innovations to more quickly adjust to the biggest challenge of our time: the changing climate.”

Pairwise has already demonstrated the successful use of CRISPR and other emerging technologies to accelerate the delivery of new products to markets, and recently launched its first product, Conscious™ Greens into the U.S. foodservice channel. Through the leading use of cutting-edge technologies, and due to the efficiency of the company’s Fulcrum Platform, the product was advanced from concept to commercialization in just four years.

Collaboration builds on successful initial gene-editing partnership

Company News, Finance, India, Trade

This is Omnivore’s third exit in just over one year. In August 2022, Omnivore exited Eruvaka to Netherlands-based Nutreco, and earlier this year, Omnivore exited MITRA to Mahindra.

Agritech venture capital firm Omnivore announced its exit from Barrix Agro Sciences. Omnivore has signed a definitive agreement to sell its stake to Sumitomo Chemical India Limited (SCIL), a subsidiary of Sumitomo Chemical in Japan. This is Omnivore’s third exit in just over one year. In August 2022, Omnivore exited Eruvaka to Netherlands-based Nutreco, and earlier this year, Omnivore exited MITRA to Mahindra.

Founded in 2011 by Lokesh Makam, Bangalore-based Barrix was an early innovator of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and integrated Plant Nutrition Management (IPNM) products. Barrix’s cutting-edge R&D has supported launches of several eco-friendly crop protection and nutrition products, including pheromone dispersion technologies to monitor and trap agricultural pests.

Barrix was one of the earliest entrants in India’s then-nascent agritech startup ecosystem. Omnivore, which pioneered agritech investing in India, became Barrix’s first institutional investor in 2013 alongside IIM Ahmedabad’s CIIE. For this exit, EY was the exclusive financial advisor to Barrix and its shareholders.

Jinesh Shah, Managing Partner at Omnivore, said, “Before Barrix, Indian farmers had limited access to effective, affordable, and eco-friendly crop protection products. Over the years, the startup has proven the efficacy of their innovations in minimizing crop damage and labor costs. We are very proud to have been an early believer in Barrix. Sumitomo’s stake in the company ensures that farmers across the globe will have access to these sustainable solutions.”

Lokesh Makam, Managing Director, Barrix Agro Sciences, shared “We are very pleased and excited to join forces with SCIL. Our journey to this point has been exciting, and I am thankful for Omnivore’s support through the early years.”

Chetan Shah, Managing Director of SCIL stated, “Together, with SCIL’s vast network and Barrix’s proven innovative products, we can serve the farmers through the complete value chain with traditional and additional complementary solutions to crop protection. The acquisition shall create greater synergies, deliver maximum value for our shareholders and a wider product portfolio for our customers.”

This is Omnivore's third exit in just

Agrotech, Biostimulants, Company News, R&D, World

Through this partnership, Exacta will use Ginkgo’s fermentation and formulation optimisation services to reduce the cost of goods to make its FitoRoot technology more competitive

Exacta Bioscience, a biotech company and Ginkgo Bioworks, which is building the leading platform for cell programming and biosecurity announced that Exacta is leveraging Ginkgo’s end-to-end agricultural R&D services to run a fermentation optimisation and scale-up program to enhance one of its crop protection products, FitoRoot, paving the way for large-scale commercialisation.

FitoRoot, a biostimulant product composed of three Bacillus strains, is designed to help crops better absorb water and nutrients and strengthen their defences against abiotic stress. This can lead to overall better crop health, improved yield and increased resistance to stress conditions such as drought or extreme temperatures. Through this partnership, Exacta will use Ginkgo’s fermentation and formulation optimisation services to reduce the cost of goods to make its FitoRoot technology more competitive. Accordingly, FitoRoot is currently marketed in Chile and is expected to expand to other Latin American markets, with a planned launch in 2023 by Adama Chile, which is driving biological adoption in the region. Adama Ltd. is one of the world’s leading crop protection companies.

“We chose Ginkgo because their deep expertise in agricultural product development and optimisation positions us to make one of our key crop protection products, FitoRoot, more accessible,” said José Bustos, CEO at Exacta Bioscience. “We’re proud of the progress Exacta has made, and this partnership marks a vital step toward accelerating our efforts to assure the quality and availability of one of our products and creating a stable and safer ecosystem.”

“Exacta Bioscience’s emphasis on microbial solutions in crop health brings more sustainable and differentiated solutions to farmers throughout the Americas,” said Magalie Guilhabert, Head of Ag Biologicals, Ginkgo Bioworks. “Together, we can continue to push the boundaries of agricultural innovation through biotechnological solutions that promote a more sustainable future for our food systems.”

Through this partnership, Exacta will use Ginkgo's fermentation

Agro chems – Chemicals, Agrotech, Company News, India

This marks a significant stride forward in FMC India’s mission to transform agriculture and address the evolving needs of farmers with biological solutions.

FMC India, a pioneer in agricultural sciences, today announced the launch of its latest product, ENTAZIA TM biofungicide, a revolutionary biological crop protection product formulated with Bacillus subtilis. This cutting-edge solution provides farmers with a powerful and sustainable tool to protect their crops from fungi while maintaining environmental integrity.

ENTAZIATM biofungicide marks a significant stride forward in FMC India’s mission to transform agriculture and address the evolving needs of farmers with biological solutions. This innovative product leverages the natural capabilities of Bacillus subtilis to control bacterial leaf blight, one of the most serious diseases of rice. By activating the crop’s defense system against plant pathogens, ENTAZIATM biofungicide acts to prevent and control bacterial leaf blight, while staying harmless to natural predators and parasites.

The biological product promotes natural pest defense by utilizing the naturally occurring Bacillus subtilis to establish a robust line of defense against bacterial leaf blight. By fostering a healthy plant microbiome, it bolsters plants’ resilience to stress factors and contributes to overall growth and vigor. ENTAZIATM biofungicide can be applied in an integrated pest management program with FMC’s biostimulants and synthetic fungicides for additional plant benefits.

“FMC takes pride in delivering a crop protection solution that embodies our dedication to sustainable agriculture. ENTAZIATM biofungicide exemplifies our resolve to provide farmers with tools that not only ensure their productivity but also contribute to a greener, more balanced agricultural ecosystem,” said Ravi Annavarapu, FMC India President. “FMC India remains steadfast in our pursuit of excellence and innovation, and we are confident that this new product will contribute to the advancement and development of biological solutions within India’s agricultural landscape.”

ENTAZIATM biofungicide’s launch underscores FMC India’s reputation as a thought leader in agricultural sciences, consistently pushing boundaries to address the evolving challenges faced by farmers. The company says it will continue to promote the use of innovative, safe and sustainable solutions which complement its world-class synthetic solutions.

This marks a significant stride forward in

Agrotech, Company News, India, Start ups

IoTechWorld and Pix4D collaboratively orchestrated ‘India’s largest Workshop for Crop Health Monitoring using drones,’ with Cody Sokkappa of Pix4D Japan as the lead instructor

Drone manufacturer IoTechWorld Avigation said it has joined hands with Switzerland-based company Pix4D which specialises in photogrammetry software technology to jointly offer precision farming solutions in the country.

Commenting upon the tie-up between the two companies, Deepak Bhardwaj, Co-Founder and Director, of IoTechWorld Avigation said, “We are witnessing an agri-drone revolution in the country and gradually we are moving towards precision farming. Our association is to foster awareness about drone-enabled crop health monitoring.”

Underlining the objective of the association, Anoop Upadhyay, Co-Founder and Director, of IoTechWorld Avigation said, “Initially our approach involves the creation of awareness among Industry, Researchers, and Academia. Subsequently, we will create awareness among farmers as well.”

Expressing the rationale behind the association, Mitul Arora, Business Development Lead – India & South Asia, Pix4D said, “Everyone needs a customized and one-stop solution. IoTechWorld has drone technology and multi-spectral sensors by the name Sequoia and now they will have our photogrammetry technology too. So, through this association, a one-stop solution will be provided to all, and this will be beneficial for the govt research institutes, crop insurance and other associated specialised tasks.”

India is undergoing a tremendous transformation in the agriculture sector and adoption of technology is happening at an unprecedented level. This opens a huge opportunity and this association is expected to enable faster and deeper integration of technology in various spheres of agriculture.

IoTechWorld is the manufacturer of India’s 1st DGCA Type certified agri-drone ‘AGRIBOT’ and is the pioneer in this segment.

Whereas, Switzerland-headquartered Pix4D is recognized for its Pix4Dfields Software, a cutting-edge solution designed for advanced agricultural mapping. The software processes RGB and multispectral data for aerial crop analysis and digital farming. Pix4D has offices in 7 countries across multiple continents meeting the requirements of these as well as neighboring countries.
IoTechWorld and Pix4D collaboratively orchestrated ‘India’s largest Workshop for Crop Health Monitoring using drones,’ with Cody Sokkappa of Pix4D Japan as the lead instructor. The event drew approximately 70 attendees, predominantly comprised of scientists from governmental institutions. Additionally, a cohort of researchers from esteemed crop protection firms, including Syngenta and BASF, also took part in the workshop.

IoTechWorld and Pix4D collaboratively orchestrated ‘India’s largest

AgroPolicy, Horticulture, India, R&D

The new facilities include Spawn Incubation and Capacity Development Center (Rs 114 lakhs), a Plant Health Clinic (Rs 108 lakhs) equipped to diagnose plant pests and diseases, an Agri-Business Incubation (ABI) Centre (Rs. 12 lakhs) and a Centre of Excellence on Kamalam Fruit (Rs 536.72 lakhs).

The ICAR-Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (ICAR-IIHR), Bengaluru, witnessed the inauguration of several new buildings and facilities. The event was graced by the presence of Dr Himanshu Pathak, Secretary, DARE and DG, ICAR, marking a significant step forward for the horticultural sector in India.

Several key facilities were inaugurated at ICAR-IIHR, including a Post-Graduation Dining Facility (Rs. 42.83 lakhs), a Spawn Incubation and Capacity Development Center (Rs. 114 lakhs), a Plant Health Clinic (Rs. 108 lakhs) equipped to diagnose plant pests and diseases, an Agri-Business Incubation (ABI) Centre (Rs. 12 lakhs) and a Centre of Excellence on Kamalam Fruit (Rs. 536.72 lakhs), and the IIHR Fruit Plant Mall (Nursery). These facilities mark significant strides in advancing horticulture research and practice at ICAR-IIHR.

The inauguration also included the HAL-ICAR-IIHR Seed Production Centre, supported by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) with an investment of Rs. 2.53 crores under corporate social responsibility, as well as the Karnataka Exotic Fruit Farmers Association (KEFA).

During the inauguration, Dr. Sanjay Kumar Singh, the Director of ICAR-IIHR, welcomed the guests and provided a comprehensive account of the institute’s activities and accomplishments. Dr V. B. Patel, ADG – Fruits & Plantation Crops, conveyed his best wishes to ICAR-IIHR, which is set to celebrate its foundation day on 5th September 2023. He wished the institute many more laurels in the future.

During the occasion, Zopui Consultancy in Mizoram and Wealth Capital Services in Hyderabad signed MoUs for the technology transfer of Ready to Serve (RTS) Beverages from Kamalam.

Dr Himanshu Pathak, during his address, highlighted the significance of these facilities. In recognition of his contributions, Dr Himanshu Pathak was felicitated by ICAR-IIHR and by the farmers, reaffirming his pivotal role in advancing horticulture in India. Dr Pathak expressed his gratitude and optimism for the future, emphasising the vital role of research and innovation in agriculture.

The new facilities include Spawn Incubation and

Agro Universities, Agrotech, Climate, India, R&D

This project will engage IRRI, DA&FE and Odisha State Disaster Management Agency in a triangular partnership to support the overall drought mitigation strategy in the state.

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment (DA & FE), Government of Odisha signed a bilateral Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on 29 August 2023 in Bhubaneswar to understand the dynamics of drought in Odisha and its impact and identify the mitigation options for smallholder farmers through a new pilot project launched.

The agreement was signed between Prem Charan Chaudhary, Director, Agriculture and Food Production, Odisha on behalf of the DA & FE and Dr Swati Nayak, Scientist and South Asia Lead – Seed Systems and Principal Investigator of this initiative, on behalf of Director General, IRRI.

Bolangir, Kalahandi, and Mayurbhanj are among the drought-prone districts in Odisha as identified by the Odisha State Disaster Management Authority (OSDMA). The project will be piloted in these three districts. If successful, the model(s) employed for drought mitigation in the three districts can be a template for the deployment of the model across Odisha as well as in other states that share similar sociological and agro-ecological environments.

IRRI has been associated with the Government of Odisha through multiple path- breaking initiatives in the past decade and continues to do so. “Supporting the government’s vision to promote, scale climate resilient varieties and a resilient agricultural system in the state has been one of our key approaches. Participatory planning, brainstorming with leading policy makers, agriculture functionaries, think tanks and researchers in state has been IRRI’s way of work all these years.  The successful engagements with the state are envisaged to reach a new milestone with this new project focused on small and marginal farmers in drought prone and drought affected districts in Odisha,” said Nayak.

This project will engage IRRI, DA&FE and Odisha State Disaster Management Agency in a triangular partnership to support the overall drought mitigation strategy in the state. Through this project, a comprehensive research and pilot experiments will be conducted to introduce, evaluate and scale drought-resilient germplasm/varieties in the state through robust community-led models and public-private partnership in seed chain. In addition, comprehensive targeting and evaluation will be done with piloted drought-resilient village clusters by integrating varietal interventions and other climate smart technologies.

After signing the MoA, Director Agriculture, Prem Charan Chaudhary while congratulating the team, stated that the new project begins a new era focusing exclusively on the state’s priority for drought mitigation and IRRI will be first among several partners to initiate this effort on ground.

This project will engage IRRI, DA&FE and

Acquaculture, AgroPolicy, India

The Sagar Parikrama Phase VIII Yatra will proceed across coastal regions of Tamil Nadu and cover 4 coastal districts of Kanniyakumari.

Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Parshottam Rupala led the Sagar Parikrama Phase VIII along with Minister of State, Dr L Murugan in the presence of Secretary, DoF, Dr Abhilaksh Likhi, Joint Secretary, Neetu Kumari Prasad and Chief Executive, National Fisheries Development Board, Dr. L.N Murthy.

Sagar Parikrama Phase VIII program began with a warm welcome of Parshottam Rupala by fishermen and women and moved forward to Muthalapozhy fishing Harbour and Vizhinjam Fishing Harbour of Thiruvananthapuram district. Parshottam Rupala interacted with fishermen to gain insights into their way of life and livelihood. This interaction involved open conversations where the fishermen shared their experiences, challenges, and aspirations such as expansion of Harbour at Vizhinjam Fishing Harbour as the number of boats has increased. Union Minister (FAHD) discussed about the Muthalapozhy breakwater structure, and deliberated on design which is being re-evaluated to implement necessary corrective measures under PMMSY initiative. Rupala shared that the primary goal of such interactions is to bridge the gap between policymakers and the people directly affected by those policies. Approximately 200 fishermen participated at Muthalapozhy fishing Harbour and 150 fishermen participated at Vizhinjam Fishing Harbour.

Further, Parshottam Rupala along with Dr L Murugan visited and inspected the production units for Silver Pompano at CMFRI. Rupala advised to put up big production units to maximize the outputs.

In subsequent interactions at the coastal villages’ fishermen urged the Ministers on various demands such as Marine Ambulance, rescue facility for fishermen by helicopter, increasing insurance for fishermen to Rs.10 lakh and improvement of infrastructure for fishing including provision of Radio phones and communication centres. Various scheme beneficiaries, fishermen, fisherwomen, fish farmers and boat owners shared their on-ground experiences and life stories with the delegation. Fishermen also expressed happiness on tremendous contribution of various government schemes like PMMSY and KCC on their livelihoods.

Union Minister Rupala assured that the demands of the fishermen will be considered and appropriate action will be taken on each one of them. He thanked fishermen for discussing the challenges and informed that study will be conducted for improvement in fisheries related parameters. Further he informed that due to high demand of fishermen from all over the country to support them in improving their livelihood, Prime Minister established separate department of fisheries. The investment in fisheries sector has been made for the development of fisheries sector by understanding the ground realities.  Rupala also appreciated the contribution of the villagers in the fisheries sector and talked in detail about eliminating the critical gaps in the value chain of fisheries.

In addition, Parshottam Rupala requested the beneficiaries to come forward and use the benefits of KCC for fish farmers and allied activities. He also requested volunteers to help in creating awareness of the schemes such as PMMSY, KCC so that the beneficiaries can take benefit of the same.

The Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Government of India, and National Fisheries Development Board along with the Department of Fisheries, Government of Kerala, Government of Tamil Nadu, Indian Coast Guard, and fishermen representatives are organizing as well as actively participating in the Sagar Parikrama Phase VIII which started on 30th Aug 2023 from Vizhinjam, Kerala. In Vizhinjam, the parikrama covered Muthalapozhy Fishing Harbour, Vizhinjam Fishing Harbour and CMFRI Centre and moved along the coast to Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu. The Sagar Parikrama Phase VIII Yatra will proceed across coastal regions of Tamil Nadu covering Thengapattanam, Thoothoor, Valavalli, Karumpanai, Vaniyakudi, Colachel, Muttom, Uvari, Periathalai, Veerpandiyan Pattinam, Tharuvaikulam, Mookaiyur, Rameshwaram, Mandapam and Valamavur villages, covering 4 coastal districts of Kanniyakumari, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram. Other coastal districts like Thiruvallur, Chennai, Kancheepuram, Villupuram, Cuddalore, Thiruvarur, Karaikal and Puducherry Union Territory shall also be covered in upcoming sub-phases of Sagar Parikrama.

The Sagar Parikrama Phase VIII Yatra will

Company News, Dairy, India, Live Stock

This decision will not impact the cost of other variants and cow milk offered by the company.

Sid’s Farm, a premium D2C dairy brand based in Telangana, announced a marginal increase in the retail price of its A2 Buffalo Milk. The revised price of Rs 60 per 500 ml pouches will come into effect on 31st August 2023 on the company’s app and other channels for the supplies of 1st September. This decision will not impact the cost of other variants and cow milk offered by the company.

The A2 Buffalo milk prices have been under pressure for quite some time due to the insufficient supply of buffalo milk, with no immediate signs of relief in sight. Sid’s Farm has observed a steep upsurge in raw buffalo milk costs, additionally due to the stringent quality standards adhered to by the company during milk procurement and processing stages. Despite the notable increase in procurement expense, Sid’s Farm is dedicated to containing the price elevation at a minimum level for its valued customers.

Dr. Kishore Indukuri, Founder of Sid’s Farm, acknowledged the prevailing inflationary challenges faced by the dairy industry this year. He said,” While we empathize fully with our customers considering the little additional financial burden, we are certain that our quality conscious customers would understand our predicament and continue to support us in our continued efforts to supply only real unadulterated antibiotic-free milk to them. It may not be one of the best times for the industry considering the continued surges in raw milk prices, but we will certainly keep our standards intact with the several thousand tests that we conduct every day on our milk.”

A2 Buffalo milk is rich in A2 beta-casein protein and free from A1 beta-casein protein, which enhances its nutritional value. Sid’s Farm’s A2 Buffalo Milk contains higher levels of protein, fat, nutrients and lactose. This leads to a feeling of fullness and helps in weight management and body fat control.

Since 2016, Sid’s Farm has been at the forefront of championing pure and healthy milk and dairy products. The company’s stringent regulations and rigorous testing protocols ensure the production of milk and dairy items of the highest quality. To counteract potential micro-level adulteration, Sid’s Farm conducts detailed assessments for urea, sugar, glucose, starch, peroxide, baking soda, caustic soda, formalin, melamine, and three classes of antibiotics at each container/can level. The company ensures rigorous monitoring of milk’s fat and solids-not-fat (SNF) content, employing the Methylene Blue Dye Reduction Test, the gold standard for evaluating raw milk quality.

This decision will not impact the cost

AgroPolicy, Foodgrains, Supply Chain, Trade

According to reports from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), exports of 143,000 tonnes of non-basmati white rice have been permitted to Bhutan, Mauritius, and Singapore

India has exempted Singapore from the ban on rice exports due to their close strategic partnership, according to the Union Ministry of External Affairs.

According to reports from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT), exports of 143,000 tonnes of non-basmati white rice have been permitted to Bhutan, Mauritius, and Singapore. This adds two more countries to the exemption list. The breakdown is as follows: 79,000 tonnes to Bhutan, 14,000 tonnes to Mauritius, and 50,000 tonnes to Singapore.

Reports indicate that more than 40 nations rely on India for more than half of their rice imports. Countries in certain regions of Africa and South Asia import over 80% of their rice from India.

This is the first exemption to the rice export ban announced by the MEA..

Singapore is one of India’s closest allies in Southeast Asia, with trade ties that exceed $30 billion.

Singapore maintains strong ties with China, its largest investor and trade partner.

According to reports from the Directorate General

Award, Company News, World

The substrate offers high sensitivity, ranging from the nanogram down to the picogram level

Neogen Corporation announced that its K-Blue Luminescent ONE has won the 2023 Best Innovative Luminol-Based Substrate award at the International Life Sciences Awards 2023.

K-Blue Luminescent ONE, which was released in the U.S. and Canada in 2022, is an innovative, one-bottle chemiluminescent substrate designed to create a simpler workflow while minimising mixing errors and reducing plastic waste. The substrate offers high sensitivity, ranging from the nanogram down to the picogram level, and is optimised to emit light at 430 nanometers. It is now available in 35 countries worldwide.

“We are honoured to have received this award and demonstrate our unwavering commitment to providing innovative and high-quality substrates to diagnostic kit manufacturers,” said John Adent, Neogen’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “Neogen’s certified quality management system, which oversees all aspects of the development and manufacturing processes, has helped K-Blue Luminescent ONE earn a reputation for providing consistent, high-quality results. We are proud to provide novel solutions that our customers can trust.”

The International Life Science Awards is an annual recognition event organised by Global Health & Pharma Magazine. These awards highlight and celebrate organisations and individuals who have made significant contributions to the field of life sciences on an international level. The awards typically cover various categories within the life sciences sector, including biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical research, healthcare solutions, and more.

With over 30 years of experience developing and manufacturing ELISA test kits, substrates, and reagents, Neogen provides the support and products that enable dependable and reliable results, including an extensive line of forensic and research ELISA test kits, substrates, and reagents for immunoassay applications, testing equipment packages, and experienced technical support.

The substrate offers high sensitivity, ranging from

Award, Company News, Sustainability

The BIG Sustainability Awards honour those people, teams and organisations who have made sustainability an integral part of their business practice

The Business Intelligence Group (BIG) named Cargill the recipient of the Sustainability Leadership Award and Sustainability Service of the Year in its 2023 Sustainability Awards program. The BIG Sustainability Awards honour those people, teams and organisations who have made sustainability an integral part of their business practice or overall mission.

Cargill knows agriculture plays a vital role in addressing global challenges like climate change and food insecurity. However, that is only possible when sustainable solutions are economically viable for the producers who work hard every day to feed the world. Cargill brings together farmers, industry, academics, NGOs, and policymakers to create a sustainable agricultural sector. Through concrete actions, use of technology and innovation, and meaningful investments Cargill is able to deliver impact at scale globally.

The company received awards and recognition in several of the 2023 BIG Sustainability Awards categories: 

Sustainability Leadership Award – Winner for its overall organisational impact 

Service of the Year – Winner, specifically recognising Cargill RegenConnect

Initiative of the Year – Finalist for its work supporting farmer livelihoods

“We are honoured to receive this recognition from BIG,” said Pilar Cruz, Cargill’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “When it comes to urgent challenges facing people and the planet, Cargill’s connections across the food system give us the opportunity – and responsibility – to deliver meaningful solutions. The problem-solving potential of agriculture is essential to nourishing people, supporting the livelihoods of farmers and food workers, and unlocking a more resilient and sustainable food system for generations to come.”

“We are proud to reward and recognise Cargill for their sustainability efforts,” said Maria Jimenez, Chief Nominations Officer, Business Intelligence Group. “It was clear to our judges that their vision and strategy will continue to deliver results toward a cleaner, more sustainable world.

The BIG Sustainability Awards honour those people, teams

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, India, Machinery – Post-harvesting, R&D

 As per new guidelines, manufacturer shall confirm that the tractor model has been submitted for tests and the test report on the same shall be submitted to DA&FW within 6 months.

In a major step towards encouraging ease of doing business and promote trust-based governance, the Government has simplified the process of testing of tractors for performance evaluation on 28th August 2023. Tractor manufacturers shall now be allowed to participate in the subsidy scheme on the basis of CMVR/Conformity of Production (COP) certificates and a self-declaration to be given by the company that the tractor proposed for inclusion under subsidy conforms to the benchmark specifications given by Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare.  Simultaneously, the manufacturer shall also confirm that the tractor model has been submitted for tests and the test report on the same shall be submitted to DA&FW within 6 months. The manufacturers shall give a minimum of three years warranty on the tractor to be supplied under subsidy.

The following process will henceforth be followed for the 4 (four) mandatory tests: 

Drawbar Performance Test: The drawbar performance test through the use of load car may be done at Central Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institute Budni or at Mahindra Research Valley (MRV), Chennai. The manufacturers shall also have an option to get it done from any other Government authorized institute or at their own facilities provided that adequate infrastructure is available to conduct this test. In case of the test done at the manufacturers facilities, the test data as may be provided by the manufacturers shall be included in the test reports released by the CFMTTI Budni or the chosen government authorized institution, with the remarks that the tests have not been carried out by the institute and performance results are self-certified by the manufacturer.

PTO Performance and Hydraulic Performance Test: Manufacturers shall have the option to conduct this test at their facilities and the test data may be provided to the CFMTTI, Budni  or the chosen Government authorized institution for generation of the test report with a self-certification that this test has been carried out as per applicable BIS Codes.  The test data as may be provided by the manufacturers shall be included in the test reports released by the CFMTTI Budni or the chosen government authorized institution, with the remarks that the tests have not been carried out by the institute and performance results are self-certified by the manufacturers. The manufacturers shall also have the option of getting it done either at CFMTTI, Budni or at any other Government authorized institutes/facilities having adequate infrastructure to conduct this test.       

Brake Performance: This test shall be done as per the requirements under CMVR. The test already done under CMVR at the authorized institutions shall not be repeated at CFMTTI Budni or any other Government authorized institutes and the same data shall be incorporated in the test reports.

The detailed guideline also provides for the process to be followed by for testing of tractors at CFMTTI, Budni.

 As per new guidelines, manufacturer shall confirm