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Agro chems – Chemicals, Company News, India, People

Kapoor has wide national and international experience and success in negotiating and finalising technology tie ups, transfers and joint ventures.

Agrochemical major Hikal Ltd has announced that the board of directors of Hikal Limited at their meeting held on January 11, 2024, has unanimously approved the appointment of Ravi Kapoor as Independent Director of the company for a period of 5 years with effect from January 11, 2024, subject to the approval of the shareholders.

Ravi Kapoor is the promoter Director of Heubach Colour Private Ltd. (“HCPL”), owned by the Heubach family who have a 600 years’ history of business in Europe with the last 200 years in pigments. He is an Alumnus of University of Mumbai and presently resides in Vadodara, Gujarat.

The company was incorporated in 1994 and he was the Joint Managing Director from 1996 and took over as Managing Director in 2001. He has been responsible for steering the company over the last 25 years and under his leadership HCPL recorded its highest profit margin being amongst the most profitable pigment company globally as also creating one of the most sustainable and ecologically responsible companies. He is also the Chairman of Heubach Colorant India Limited, a listed company.

He has wide national and international experience and success in negotiating and finalising technology tie ups, transfers and joint ventures with British (ICI), Swiss (Bartrams), Japanese (Toyo Ink, Mitsui, DNS), Chinese and Indian companies. He has also been a key person in the Heubach Group for the acquisition process across the globe. Under his stewardship the company has won several accolades for environmental protection and preservation including Best Responsible Care company from the Indian Chemical Council (ICC). He has a depth of domestic and international experience in the speciality chemicals field including technology tie ups, joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions globally. He is a director of several of the Heubach subsidiaries in India and overseas, serves as a Board member of the Heubach Group globally.  Currently he is the Chairman at the Indian Chemical Council’s Sustainability & Responsible Care Expert Committee.

Kapoor has wide national and international experience

Agribusiness, Agro Universities, Animal Husbandry, Company News, Dairy, Finance, Funding, Goat farming, India, Live Stock, Start ups

The funds will be utilised to further expand the startup’s reach, enabling it to empower more farmers with its innovative technology solutions like Nutrition Calculator.

eFeed, a pioneering startup revolutionizing precision animal management & feed practices and empowering farmers across the country, has announced a significant milestone with the acquisition of a grant amounting to Rs 25 Lakhs from Indian Council of Agriculture Research, Gov of India. The grant ceremony took place at the ICAR campus in Delhi and witnessed the participation of eminent leaders from ICAR, including joint directors. Founded in December 2020 by Kumar Ranjan, eFeed has swiftly risen to prominence by focusing on the crucial intersection of animal nutrition, animal health, environmental sustainability, and economic development of the cattle industry. The startup is dedicated to highlighting the pivotal role of a nutritional diet in the growth of domesticated animals, with a primary focus on cattle. E-Feed aims to empower farmers with cost-effective solutions specifically tailored to enhance the well-being and productivity of cattle.

As part of eFeed’s commitment to sustainable livestock, the startup actively addresses methane emissions by promoting balanced ration (TMR) & localised feed formulations and implementing practices that contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in the livestock sector.

Kumar Ranjan, Founder and CEO of eFeed, expressed his enthusiasm about the grant, stating, “This grant from ICAR Pusa is a testament to the impactful work we have been doing at eFeed. It is a recognition of our commitment to enhancing the overall well-being of animals, farmers, and the environment. We are excited about the possibilities this grant opens up for us to reach more farmers with our technology solutions and demonstrate tangible increases in milk output.”

The grant, awarded by the prestigious Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) Pusa, is a significant boost to eFeed’s growth plans. The funds will be utilised to further expand the startup’s reach, enabling it to empower more farmers with its innovative technology solutions like Nutrition Calculator. eFeed aims to demonstrate a substantial impact on the increase in milk output, thereby contributing to the overall productivity and sustainability of the livestock and dairy sector.

eFeed’s unique approach involves not only providing farmers with advanced technology solutions but also imparting crucial knowledge about localized animal nutrition. The startup conducts training programs to educate farmers about the dietary requirements of different animal species, organic feed processing, and the preparation of feed using readily available resources at home.

Since its inception, eFeed has rapidly gained traction, collaborating with over 1.2 lakh farmers across the country. The startup’s commitment to empowering farmers with the right techniques and practices for animal feed production has garnered widespread acclaim.

In addition to its focus on animal nutrition, eFeed emphasizes the integration of sustainable animal culture with the food security value chain. This holistic approach aligns with the broader goal of ensuring a secure and sustainable food supply for the growing population.

eFeed’s collaboration with ICAR Pusa marks a significant step forward in its journey to make a lasting impact on agriculture, animal welfare, and food security. The startup remains dedicated to its mission of transforming the lives of farmers and contributing to a healthier and more sustainable future.

The funds will be utilised to further

Company News, Sustainability, World

KK Strategies revealed its multi-asset strategic approach which includes short, medium and long-term products is aimed at consistently producing monthly income throughout the life of the project

KK Strategies is excited to announce the launch of its new agricultural project based in the province of Phetchaburi in Thailand near Hua Hin. The project comprises a mixture of different products with varying harvest time frames to maximize the project’s yield generation. KK Strategies have kept specific details on the mixture of products confidential but did confirm that durian, pineapples and kynam will be included at varying degrees amongst other products.

KK Strategies revealed its multi-asset strategic approach which includes short, medium and long-term products is aimed at consistently producing monthly income throughout the life of the project, beginning as early as the first 6 months. This is in contrast to traditional agricultural projects which tend to generate no income for the first couple of years and at best only produce income once a year.

Thailand was undoubtedly the most ideal location for our project. It is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of agricultural and forestry products, enjoys advantageous trade agreements and has extremely established processing and distribution networks. Additionally, some of the products within the project portfolio due to Thailand’s specific policies are incapable of being grown profitably elsewhere.

KK Strategies revealed its multi-asset strategic approach

Acquaculture, AgroPolicy, India

The total fish production in the North- Eastern States increased from 4.03 lakh tonnes in 2014-15 to highest production of 6.04 lakh tonnes during FY 2022-23.

The Inland fish production in North- Eastern States recorded an average annual growth rate of 5.38 per cent during last nine years i.e. from 2014-15 to 2022-23. The total fish production in the North- Eastern States increased from 4.03 lakh tonnes in 2014-15 to highest production of 6.04 lakh tonnes during FY 2022-23.

Department of Fisheries, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying implemented Blue Revolution, Centrally Sponsored Scheme from 2015-16 to 2019-20 for development of fisheries and aquaculture in the country and the project worth Rs 391.95 crore were sanctioned for North- Eastern States. To consolidates the success and achievements of Blue Revolution, in the year 2020-21, the Government of India launched another flagship schemes namely Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) with an investment of Rs 20,050 crores for a period of 5 years with effect from Financial Year 2020-21 to 2024-25 for holistic development of fisheries and aquaculture.

 PMMSY aims to enhance the fish production through establishment of new freshwater finfish hatcheries, construction of rearing ponds, grow-out ponds with inputs, biofloc ponds, Re-circulatory Aquaculture System (RAS), ornamental fish rearing unit, providing boats and nets for traditional fishermen etc. Minimum 10 per cent of the annual allocation under the scheme has been earmarked for North Eastern Region.

Under PMMSY, total projects with outlay of Rs 1391.62 crore have been approved for NER States during 2020-21 to 2023-24 (till date).

Besides, to promote easy access to credit for aqua-culture farmers, fish farms and fishing activities the Government of India in 2018-19 extended the facility of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to fisher and fish farmers to help them meet their working capital needs. So far, a total of 1, 70, 674 KCC with a loan amount of Rs. 1893.43 crore have been issued including 16,870 KCC in NER.

This information was given by Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying in a written reply in Lok Sabha

The total fish production in the North-

Agro Universities, India, Sustainability

The program is categorised into different themes covering case studies, conceptual frameworks, group discussions, collaborative activities, and experiential knowledge exchange

IIM Sambalpur, one of the premier management institutions, conducted a Faculty Development Programme (FDP) for executives of Bhubaneswar-based Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT), at its campus. The residential program was conducted for as many as 36 mid-career faculty members in two separate batches, with a focus on their professional growth and development in the ever-changing field of management education in the realm of agriculture.

Prof. Mahadeo Jaiswal, Director, IIM Sambalpur, stated, “The primary objective of the FDP was to enhance the professional growth and development of faculty members working in OUAT focused on management education. The program provides thorough training in the basic principles of general management, pedagogical techniques especially case methods, cutting-edge research methodologies, and advanced topics within specific domains.”

Prof. Jaiswal further said, “Professional development based on the practical guiding principles of education to generate and develop knowledge for every organisation is the need of the hour. FDP training included a charge for such development, implementation issues, and concerns. Moreover, the emergence of digital technologies presents novel approaches to transform procedures. The program is categorised into different themes covering case studies, conceptual frameworks, group discussions, collaborative activities, and experiential knowledge exchange.”

Prof. Anand Hindolia and Prof. Merlin Nandy led the FDP ensuring a rich learning experience for participants while Dr Rama Chandra Dash served as the corresponding resource person.

The program is categorised into different themes

Company News, People, World

Malu Nachreiner to become new commercial lead for Asia Pacific, both effective March 1, 2024.

Bayer is applying several key changes to the Executive Leadership Team of its Crop Science Division. The new setup will support the company to shape agriculture for farmers, consumers, and the planet, and to deliver against the ambition of becoming the leader in regenerative agriculture.

Brian Naber will assume the position as commercial lead for the region North America from Jackie Applegate who will be retiring from Bayer after 31 years with the company. Consequently, Malu Nachreiner, currently serving as Senior Bayer Representative and Country Division Head for Crop Science in Brazil, is going to succeed Brian Naber as commercial lead for the region Asia Pacific. Both changes will become effective as of March 1, 2024. As of February 1, Oliver Rittgen will serve as the division’s new Chief Financial Officer following Kelly Gast who retired after almost 30 years with the company. Oliver’s current assignment is Chief Financial Officer for Bayer’s Consumer Health Division.

Further changes have become effective with the beginning of 2024: Sascha Israel has been appointed as Head of Product Supply succeeding Dirk Backhaus who retired after 27 years with Bayer. Amanda McClerren, former Head of Crop Science R&D Digital Transformation and Information Technology is going to take over Sascha’s former role as Chief Information Officer, Head of Digital Transformation and Information Technology. Finally, Jessica Christiansen assumes the position as Head of Crop Science Communications after having led the division’s Sustainability and Business Stewardship Team. She is taking over from Tom Armitage who decided to pursue further career opportunities outside of Bayer.

“With the new setup of the Crop Science Executive Leadership Team, we are perfectly positioned to further drive our vision of regenerative agriculture and to deliver much needed innovations to farmers,” said Rodrigo Santos, member of the Board of Bayer AG and president of the company’s Crop Science division. “I am looking forward to working together with this team to tackle some of the most important topics of our time: achieving food security and fighting climate change at the same time. To this end, we will continue to support our customers to produce more while restoring more. I would like to thank Jackie, Kelly, Dirk, and Tom for their dedicated service to Bayer and their outstanding achievements over the last years. They all will leave a lasting legacy, in particular for the Crop Science division.”

Malu Nachreiner to become new commercial lead

Acquaculture, Agribusiness, Company News, India, Start ups

The collaboration aims to foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the state to strengthen the fisheries value chain.

Chennai based Aquaconnect, an aquaculture technology platform has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with StartupTN to promote blue economy initiatives in the state. Through this, Aquaconnect aims to foster innovation and support the growth of new age startups in the aquaculture sector in the state.

In line with this, Aquaconnect in collaboration with StartupTN, backed by the Tamil Nadu government and Sathyabama University – Technology Business Incubator (Incubation Partner), launched ‘The Fish Tank’-India’s Grand Aquaculture Innovation Challenge, at the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet on January 07,2024.

The Fish Tank aims to promote innovation in the Indian aquaculture sector by providing a unique platform for early-stage startups and college students (UG/PG/Ph.D.) to showcase their next-generation ideas to the world and scale for impact. The program will cover broader aspects of the aquaculture value chain in both pre & post-harvest value chain wherein applicants can propose ideas related to affordable IoT/Software based solutions to monitor water quality, daily feeding, animal health, biotechnological advancements to improve production efficiency, seafood processing, preservation, and value addition amongst others.

The collaboration, which aligns squarely with The Government of Tamil Nadu’s ambitious goal of developing a $1 trillion dollar economy, further aims to nurture emerging talent and offer support to startups in Tamil Nadu to strengthen the fisheries value chain.

Sivarajah Ramanathan, Mission Director & CEO of StartupTN, “StartupTN’s Blue economy forum is first of its kind professional network to promote collaborative efforts between government initiatives, academia, and industry players which will drive a transformative growth, for making Tamil Nadu a hub for seafood-focused startups. I invite all aspiring entrepreneurs, early-stage startups to solve the challenges of “Fish Tank” and contribute to the blue economy of the state.”

Speaking on the development, Rajamanohar Somasundaram, Founder & CEO, Aquaconnect said, “The collaboration with StartupTN underscores our commitment to accelerating blue economy initiatives in Tamil Nadu. We are excited to witness how this will unfold and impact the sector on a large scale. Being the second largest producer globally, India’s aquaculture sector holds enormous potential, and it needs wider participation from forward-thinking individuals. I believe FishTank will be a pivotal step in fostering young entrepreneurship and unlocking the doors for incredible talent in Tamil Nadu.”

The collaboration aims to foster innovation and

Company News, Fungicides, World

UPL to acquire Corteva Agriscience’s global mancozeb fungicide business outside of China, Japan, South Korea and EU member countries

UPL Ltd. the global provider of sustainable agricultural solutions, announces the planned acquisition of Corteva Agriscience’s solo mancozeb global fungicide business outside of China, Japan, South Korea, and EU member countries.

The acquisition will give UPL ownership of Dithane, the original global mancozeb brand which has provided farmers with a reliable disease management solution, as well as access to Rainshield technology which enables crop protection in wet weather conditions.

Mancozeb is a highly effective protective fungicide used to prevent plant diseases across a range of crops, including rice, soybean, wheat, onions, potatoes, and other vegetables and fruits. Across the crop protection industry, mancozeb is also an increasingly important tool in managing fungicide resistance. UPL, the market leader in this technology, was instrumental in introducing mancozeb for soybean production in 2014, where it proved effective in controlling fungal diseases and boosting growth and yield.

Christina Coen, Chief Marketing Officer of UPL Corporation Ltd. said: “This acquisition is a meaningful milestone for UPL and for farmers, it strengthens our portfolio of solutions and leadership in the multisite fungicide market. We are committed to expanding our offering for plant disease management, and supporting farmers globally to achieve sustainable crop yields and enhanced food security outcomes.”

The acquisition is limited to Corteva’s solo formulations of mancozeb, with Corteva retaining ownership of premix formulations. The transaction is subject to customary approvals and is expected to conclude Q1 of FY24-25. This acquisition includes all data, registrations, trademarks for Corteva’s solo mancozeb products, and a license to the Rainshield technology but excludes manufacturing and formulation facilities.

UPL to acquire Corteva Agriscience's global mancozeb

Agro chems – Chemicals, Company News, Finance, India, Investments

The investment is expected to create employment opportunities of about 400 jobs.

Hikal Ltd and the Government of Gujarat have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) as part of the investment initiative associated with the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit 2024.

According to the MoU, Hikal will inject Rs 500 crores into the existing fine chemical plant located at Panoli, Gujarat. The Panoli plant is distinctive as the only Hikal site that encompasses all three business verticals—Pharma, Crop Protection, and Animal Health.

In reciprocation, the Government of Gujarat commits to assisting Hikal in obtaining the necessary permissions, registrations, approvals, and clearances from the relevant state departments. The investment is expected to create employment opportunities of about 400 jobs, it added. On the Government’s part, it would facilitate the necessary permissions, registrations, approvals, and clearances from the concerned departments of the State, the company mentioned.

The investment is expected to create employment

Agro chems – Chemicals, Company News, World

This expansion marks another milestone in Nouryon’s commitment to meeting market demand and supporting customer growth

Nouryon, a global speciality chemicals leader, announced that it has completed a production capacity expansion of nearly 50 per cent for its Levasil colloidal silica products at its manufacturing facility in Green Bay, Wisconsin, US. The increase addresses the rising demand for colloidal silica, particularly in North America, and strategically expands the Company’s global colloidal silica manufacturing footprint to serve regional and global customers.

“Growing demand for Levasil colloidal silica, particularly in North America, is the driver of the expansion at our production facility,” said Patrick Wilhelm, Vice President of Inorganic Specialties at Nouryon. “New factories for batteries, electric vehicles, and semiconductors in artificial intelligence applications are driving the rising customer demand. This latest capacity increase will enable us to serve global customers with our high-quality solutions.” 

Nouryon’s Levasil colloidal silica, derived from two natural ingredients – sand and water – exhibits exceptional versatility and serves a variety of end markets. They are used as a “high-tech” abrasive in electronics applications for shaping, smoothing, and polishing silicon, metals, sapphire, and other precision substrate materials. In building and construction applications, they are used by admixture companies to increase the durability and strength of concrete.  

As a leading global producer of high-performance silica, Nouryon leverages over 60 years of experience in manufacturing Levasil colloidal silica and operates eight Levasil production facilities worldwide. This expansion marks another milestone in Nouryon’s commitment to meeting market demand and supporting customer growth.

This expansion marks another milestone in Nouryon’s

Acquaculture, Agro Universities, India, IT, R&D

The Mobile app aims to empower fish farmers with a convenient and efficient platform to report diseases on their farms.

In order to bolster India’s aquaculture industry, the National Surveillance Programme for Aquatic Animal Diseases (NSPAAD) project, under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, has recently launched the ‘Report Fish Disease-App’ on the Google Play Store. This innovative mobile application aims to empower fish farmers with a convenient and efficient platform to report diseases on their farms, said ICAR-CIFT (Central Institute of Fisheries Technology) in a statement.

Its intuitive and user-friendly interface enables easy accessibility for fish farmers. Another feature this app offers is its easy disease reporting format, where farmers can easily report disease outbreaks by providing essential information such as location, species affected, symptoms observed, and images.

This data is crucial for a rapid response and an accurate diagnosis. Geo-tagging is a technology to pinpoint the exact location of the farm and facilitate swift responses from authorities and the receivers get real-time updates on the status of their reported cases, ensuring transparency and accountability in the disease management process.

The Mobile app aims to empower fish

Agribusiness, Horticulture, India

Mango Banganapalli emerged as the undisputed champion of fruits according to report.

Madras Mandi, a fresh produce brand, has unveiled a report spotlighting fruits and vegetables that were popular amongst Chennaites throughout 2023. The report also anticipates trends for 2024. Based on the data collected from the sale of vegetables and fruits at its stores and online platform, Madras Mandi yearly veggie wrap stated Medavakkam, followed by Madipakkam, as the healthiest locale with the largest number of orders for fresh fruits and vegetables.

The platform serviced 158 pin codes across the city, wherein Mango Banganapalli was the top choice while watermelon and papaya secured a close second place in the list of most-loved fruits. Areas like Medavakkam and Thiruvanmiyur consumed the most mangoes. Amongst bananas, Chennaites preferred Yelakki, with an impressive sale of 67,000 pieces. Overall, Anna Nagar consumed the most fruits whereas Tirukalikundram ordered the least.

The city dwellers also loved lemons as Madras Mandi sold 1 lakh pieces. The fresh produce brand sold over 55,788 Kg of potatoes, 75,000 Kg of tomatoes and 87,000 kg of onions. In the garnishing items category, Madras Mandi sold 66,000 bunches of coriander, 1,104 kgs of curry leaves, 37,663 bunches of mint and 7,916 kgs of green chillies.

Some fruits and vegetables that registered a significant increase in demand included imported apples as their sales increased by 109 per cent. Button mushrooms registered a 197 per cent increase in orders, chow chow demand increased by 192 per cent, lettuce sales increased by 150per cent and colocasia taro gained popularity with a 117 per cent increase in sales. Zucchini is on the decline with a 5 per cent decrease in orders. Medavakkam, Kilpauk, Madipakkam and Velacheri consumed the most exotics.

Prashant Vasan, CEO and Founder at Madras Mandi said, “We are glad to have serviced our customers across Chennai with fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the year. Based on these sales in 2023, our trends reports highlight the customer preferences among fruits and vegetables. We are committed to providing our customers with quality products at affordable prices. In 2023, we delivered the same when there was a nationwide surge in tomato prices, but we maintained a base market price. We look forward to continuing delivering in line with our commitments.”

Some unique data figures from 2023 include a customer who ordered 56 items in one order and how women ordered 4 times more than men, but Men ordered a higher ticket size in comparison. In Chennai, the majority of orders are placed before 10 AM but there is a rise in orders during the evening for cut and peeled veggies. In 2024, Madras Mandi predicts a rise in demand for exotic fruits like persimmon, avocados and dragon fruit. High-quality imports expected to enter the Indian market include elephant apple, rambutan and carambola.

Mango Banganapalli emerged as the undisputed champion

Company News, Dairy, India

GCMMF has 98 dairy plants located across India with a daily milk handling capacity of 50 million Liters equipped with modern facilities to process, pack and store the milk and milk products.

Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF), announced the launch of Sagar Skimmed Milk across India.

Sagar is one of the oldest brands of GCMMF in the milk powder and ghee segment. Sagar Skimmed Milk Powder is India’s largest-selling SMP brand, preferred by buyers due to its pure, fresh, good quality and it is now expanding to the fresh skimmed milk category.

“To meet the expectations of the changing consumer, we are launching Sagar Skimmed Milk at the most affordable price to cater for the economic segment as well as fat-free milk for health-conscious consumers” said Jayen Mehta, Managing Director, GCMMF.

We launched Sagar Skimmed Milk across all Indian markets on the morning of 8th January 2024. It is Fat-Free and will have a minimum of 9 per cent SNF. To cater to various consumer segments, it is available in 250 ml (Rs. 10), 500 ml (Rs. 20), 1 L (Rs. 40), 2 L (Rs. 78) and also, in 6 L pack to cater Hotels, Restaurants and Caterers (HoReCa) requirement. It would also be available to consumers through nearby retail outlets, Amul parlours, Milk booths and Modern Format Stores.

GCMMF has 98 dairy plants located across India with a daily milk handling capacity of 50 million Liters equipped with modern facilities to process, pack and store the milk and milk products.

GCMMF has 98 dairy plants located across

Agribiotechnology, Agrotech, Foodgrains, Herbicides

PPO herbicides play a vital role in weed control in many crops, and the incorporation of PPO herbicide tolerance in crops provides farmers with a powerful tool to manage weed pressure effectively

PlantArcBio Ltd, an ag-biotech company specialising in gene discovery and biological components to enhance agricultural crop traits, is pleased to announce the successful conclusion of the Regulatory Status Review (RSR) conducted by the USDA-APHIS. The review concluded that a modified soybean variety using PlantArcBio’s genetic technology designed to confer resistance to protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) herbicides does not present a plant pest risk and, therefore, may be safely grown and bred in the United States.

PPO herbicides play a vital role in weed control in many crops, and the incorporation of PPO herbicide tolerance in crops provides farmers with a powerful tool to manage weed pressure effectively. PlantArcBio’s novel PPO herbicide-tolerant trait in soybean allows for the use of several classes of PPO herbicides to control resistant and hard-to-control weeds, providing a targeted and efficient approach to weed management without impacting the soybean crop itself.

USDA/APHIS conducted a comprehensive evaluation as part of the RSR and found no plausible pathway by which PlantArcBio’s modified soybean would pose an increased plant pest risk relative to conventional soybean plants. Therefore, PlantArcBio’s modified soybean variety can now be freely planted, bred and commercialised without the need for a permit or regulatory authorisation. 

PPO herbicides play a vital role in