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Agbiologicals, Agro Universities, Biofertilizers

TERI also inaugurated a new facility for production of Bio nano fertiliser with a capacity of 40 lac litre per annum.

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) in collaboration with Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited, launched ‘Uttam Pranaam’ – Bio nano Phosphorous, a significant product towards fostering self-reliance in the agricultural sector. ‘Uttam Pranaam’, an innovative solution that not only aligns with the PM-PRANAM programme’s emphasis on nano-fertilisers but also embodies the spirit of indigenous innovation and sustainability. TERI’s commitment to enhancing agricultural productivity while ensuring environmental safety resonates with the vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat, where farmers have access to cutting-edge technologies for sustainable and profitable farming practices.

Collaboration brings forth bio nano Phosphorous fertiliser, promising enhanced productivity, reduced environmental impact, and empowerment for farmers nationwide. Nano fertilisers with their tiny size improve plant uptake and nutrient assimilation by up to 95 per cent. By reducing the use of conventional fertilisers up to 25-30 per cent, nano fertilisers enhance the crop yield and resistance to stress.

TERI also inaugurated a new facility for production of Bio nano fertiliser. With a capacity of 40 lac litre per annum, the facility is one of its kind where nano fertilisers would be produced using a biological process and a disruptive fermentation technology. The capacity can easily be scalable to 2 crore litre per annum within just a short period of 3 months. The facility was inaugurated by Dr Dhawan and her team from TERI, accompanied by Mr Vinay Pal Jain, Managing Director, Hindustan Rasayan Private Limited. The launch of ‘Uttam Pranaam’ Bio nano Phosphorous fertiliser by TERI and Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited marks a transformative step towards sustainable agriculture, echoing India’s commitment to innovation and self-reliance in the agricultural sector.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Vibha Dhawan, Director General, TERI, said, “These fertilisers will help to reduce the GHG emissions which are adversely impacting the environment. Green fertilisers are an alternative that the world is looking for, and nano fertilisers offer this opportunity. TERI is proud to have come up with a product that will help the planet reduce the GHG emissions.”

Ashish Srivastava, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Limited, unveiled the product highlighting, “Uttam Pranaam is not just a fertiliser; it’s a game-changer. Its biologically safe formulation doesn’t just reduce energy consumption, it revolutionizes it. By significantly slashing transportation costs, this innovation becomes more than just cost-effective; it becomes the catalyst for empowerment in the hands of our farmers.”

Bio nano Phosphorous has been developed by Dr Pushplata Singh and her team from TERI’s Deakin Nano Biotechnology centre. The launch of the Bio nano Phosphorous, under the brand name, ‘Uttam Pranaam’, launched in Bhatinda, Punjab, marks a significant milestone in agricultural innovation. As Punjab boasts a progressive farming community, this launch serves as a beacon of hope and opportunity for farmers nationwide. It sets a precedent for the adoption of advanced agricultural technologies across the country, promising increased productivity, sustainability, and prosperity for farming communities nationwide.

TERI also inaugurated a new facility for

Agribusiness, Agro chems – Chemicals, AgroPolicy, India, Singapore, Trade

Ethylene oxide is not a banned product in Singapore, since it is allowed to be used in the sterilisation of spices.

Crop Care Federation of India (CCFI) is concerned with the spate of media reports alleging presence of “pesticide residues” in certain brands of spices exported from India to Singapore and Hong Kong. The “alleged pesticide” in this case is “Ethylene oxide”. CCFI would like to assert that the chemical “Ethylene oxide” is not registered as a pesticide in India under the provisions of the Insecticide Act 1968, and Rules thereof. Ethylene oxide, a gas, is used as an industrial chemical.

Crop Care Federation of India (CCFI) is an apex trade body for the Indian crop protection industry. Its members account for 70 per cent of India’s export of agrochemicals worth $5.5 bn in 2022.

“We reiterate the fact that Ethylene oxide is neither registered nor allowed to be used as a pesticide in India. It is an industrial chemical of economic importance. When it comes to the cancer-causing potential of Ethylene oxide, it is as hazardous as Alcohol according to the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). If Ethylene oxide is to be banned on this count, then all types of alcohol must be banned, too”, said CCFI in the statement.

For centuries, India has been the “land of spices”. India is the world’s largest producer, consumer and exporter of various spices. For CY 2023, India exported spices worth $3.7 bn. Mountains should not be made from a molehill. Parts per million (ppm) level of the chemical Ethylene oxide cannot be used as a ploy to bring down our trade.

CCFI stated that it is our duty to safeguard the Indian spice industry from incorrect, biased, and motivated negative campaigns aimed at tarnishing its image. We urge the Indian government authorities to publish a factual report in this regard to create right awareness. 

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) “Ethylene oxide is a colourless, highly reactive, and flammable gas widely used as an intermediate in the production of various chemicals. It is also used for fumigation and sterilization of medical equipment and food stuffs”.

According to the American Chemistry Council (ACC) “Ethylene oxide (EO) is a versatile building block compound that’s used to help make countless everyday products. EO plays an important role in the development of batteries for electric vehicles, in natural gas purification, as well as in the creation of derivatives that aid drilling at oil and gas wells.

Another important use of EO is for the sterilization of medical equipment, including personal protective equipment used by healthcare professionals and hospitals.  It is estimated that EO sterilizes 20 billion medical devices each year, helping to prevent disease and infection.”

It is clear that Ethylene oxide is primarily produced and used for industrial purposes. Ethylene oxide also occurs naturally in the body due to its conversion from ethylene.

Ethylene oxide is not a banned product in Singapore, since it is allowed to be used in the sterilization of spices. The Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) for Ethylene oxide under Singapore’s Food Regulation is 50 ppm.

Data from the Centre for Food Safety, Hong Kong shows that between January and April 2024 they have found residues of Ethylene oxide above the permissible levels in 4 samples of spices – one from USA, one from Indonesia, one from India and another from Hong Kong itself. 

Ethylene oxide is not a banned product

Agribusiness, Agrotech, Company News, Digital Technologies, India, Start ups

The company has shipped 50 sprayers for Kharif 2023 and delivered up to 60 per cent chemical savings for farmers.

In a breakthrough for the Asian agri-tech market, India-based deep-tech start-up Niqo Robotics has commercialized AI-assisted agrochemical spraying also known as spot spraying for the first time in the continent. The company shipped its flagship AI spot sprayers called Niqo RoboSpray™ across Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana. The 50 units deployed have sprayed over 90,000 acres this Kharif season. With a focus on cotton and chili crops this season, the company has served over 1800 farmers and saved up to 60 per cent in chemical costs using their AI technology.

AI-based spot spraying is an environmentally and financially sustainable alternative to broadcast spraying. The current practice of broadcast spraying involves indiscriminate spraying of chemicals like pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides on farmlands without differentiating between target plants and soil. This chemical-intensive and climate-hostile method drives up input costs for farmers and poses significant risks to soil health, food safety, and the health of farm communities.

Niqo spot sprayers use a proprietary AI camera built with deep learning models to differentiate between target and non-target areas to selectively spray the right dosage of chemicals only on the plant, without spraying the soil. This plant-level target spraying saves up to 60 per cent in chemical input, maximizing ROI for farmers and limiting chemical pollution on-farm ecosystems. The company also carried out 218 internal efficacy trials to confirm that spot spraying maintains the agrochemical’s effectiveness in protecting against pests. This study has been externally validated by a leading agricultural university and is due for publication soon.

Niqo offered spot spraying as a service through village-level entrepreneurs in the Akola, Guntur, and Khammam regions making the technology accessible to farmers. Farmers who have availed the benefits of Niqo spot spray reported up to 60 per cent chemical cost savings in the early stages of spray without any compromise on efficacy.

“Global food future hinges on how quickly tech-enabled sustainable practices like spot spraying can be adopted at scale. At Niqo we have built a commercially viable spot spray technology that is accessible to farmers and reliable for rugged farm operations. This has allowed us to scale making us a frontrunner in spot spray technology, globally. There is immense pride in driving this progress right here in India” said, Jaisimha Rao, Founder & CEO of Niqo Robotics.

The company has shipped 50 sprayers for

Agrotech, Collaborations, Company News, Digital Technologies, India, Inputs, Supply Chain

The partnership will support farmers in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the first phase of execution.

 Bayer, a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of healthcare and agriculture, announced its partnership with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)’s Common Service Center (CSC-SPV), a strategic cornerstone of the National e-governance plan which aims to usher rural India into a digitally empowered era and foster a knowledge-based economy. The strategic collaboration aims to provide Indian farmers with access to quality agri-inputs through digital capability building and strengthen rural livelihoods and farm incomes. The partnership will support farmers in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala in the first phase of execution. Besides access to the entire range of Bayer’s agri-solutions from seed to harvest, farmers can also avail of crop-specific agronomic advisory through CSC’s online platform.

As part of the MoU, Smallholder farmers will be able to access timely crop advisory, transfer of good agricultural practices and access to premium Bayer products through CSC’s online portal. Gram Unnati will facilitate farmer mobilization and ensure market linkages. Together, Bayer and CSC-SPV aim to empower over 500,000 (0.5 million) smallholder farmers over the next two years. To facilitate easy access to quality inputs, agronomic support, and encourage agri-technology knowledge transfer based on the latest practices, Bayer will also nurture agri-entrepreneurs by leveraging village-level entrepreneurs of CSCs from within the local communities. The newly announced partnership follows an ongoing pilot engagement project running between Better Life Farming centres and CSC in Jharkhand’s Lohardega district since late 2020.

Simon-Thorsten Wiebusch, President, Bayer South Asia said, “Smallholder farmers are vital in ensuring food and nutritional security in the country and Bayer is dedicated to empowering them through the expansion of access to essential agricultural inputs and expert agronomic guidance, driven by digital innovation and collectivization. Our association with the Government of India’s Common Service Center and Gram Unnati will help bring us closer to our shared goal of empowering farmers as we bridge the gap to remote farming communities, promote financial literacy and foster an entrepreneurial spirit leading to optimized resource utilization, and maximizing farm potential to enhance their livelihoods sustainably.”

Sanjay Rakesh, MD & CEO, CSC-SPV said, “We are excited to collaborate with Bayer and strengthen our e-commerce platform to scale support to smallholder farmers through our technology-powered ecosystem. By leveraging our synergies with Bayer Crop Science Limited, we envision sustained enhancements in rural agriculture within the identified centres. This partnership will enable last mile access to tailored solutions, to better support the rural community and agri-entrepreneurs.”

Aneesh Jain, Founder & CEO, Gram Unnati said: “We are extremely delighted to work with Bayer CropScience and CSC e-Governance to play the role of a key facilitator in this ground-breaking association. We are already developing a system with CSC e-Governance to enable farmers to sell their end produce through the VLE network. This collaboration will enable farmers to get timely access to high quality agri inputs, thus further improving their crop quality and yields too.”

The CSC scheme, a collaborative e-governance platform, is part of the Digital India programme. The Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) aims to facilitate the delivery of government, private and social sector services to Indian citizens through the CSC network. It supports linkages, connecting villages in India through high-speed internet and scaling the delivery of products & services to reach the last mile.

The partnership will support farmers in Telangana,

Agrotech, Award, Company News, Drones, India, Start ups

 This global recognition highlights Garuda Aerospace’s pioneering spirit and its commitment to developing cutting-edge drone technologies. 

India’s leading drone manufacturer Garuda Aerospace, is honoured to be recognised as the winner at the international TiE50 Award 2024 for its leading innovation and technology in the drone industry. This global recognition highlights Garuda Aerospace’s exceptional achievements, its pioneering spirit and its commitment to developing cutting-edge drone technologies.  The win positions India as a key player in the global drone industry.

The highly competitive annual award attracted participation from thousands of promising startups across the world. Garuda Aerospace emerged victorious post a rigorous selection process involving multiple rounds. Marking its 14th year, the TiE50 awards have been a hallmark of identifying and honoring the most impactful and disruptive technology-enabled startups.

Garuda Aerospace will be felicitated at the grand stage with the TiE50 winner trophy at the TiEcon 2024. TiEcon is a premier global tech conference designed for leading entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and investors.

Elated on the win, Agnishwar Jayprakash, CEO and Founder, Garuda Aerospace said, “We are honored to be recognized as a TiE50 Award Winner. This award is a validation of our team’s hard work and unwavering dedication. Garuda Aerospace is proud to represent India at an international level and position India as a global drone hub. We are committed to pushing the boundaries with continuous research and innovation, thereby contributing to the advancement of drone technology worldwide.”  

Backed by MS Dhoni, Garuda Aerospace is shaping the future of drone ecosystem in the country. Recently, the company secured orders of high-tech quadcopter drones from ISRO. Garuda Aerospace also dominates the drone market with 55 per cent market share in agri drone category and 25 per cent market share across all drones in India.

 This global recognition highlights Garuda Aerospace's pioneering

Company News, Finance, Funding, India, Start ups

The recent raised funds will enable Samunnati to strengthen its business operations and customize its solutions to meet the specific needs of different value chain players.

Samunnati, a leading agri value chain enabler, had an impressive $155 million in funding in the financial year 23-24. Now, setting the stage for the current financial year, Samunnati has begun FY24-25 by securing a $5 million in debt funding through an External Commercial Borrowing (ECB) from Enabling Qapital, a renowned global impact investment advisory firm.

In FY 23-24, Samunnati had made significant strides by securing $155 million in funding, comprising $132 million in debt funding and an additional $23 million in equity funding through the pre-series E round, all accomplished amidst a challenging funding landscape.

The recent strategic investment by Enabling Qapital is poised to propel Samunnati’s vision of revolutionizing the Indian agricultural sector by empowering small and marginal farmers. This infusion of fresh capital will facilitate Samunnati’s expansion efforts, enabling it to reach a broader spectrum of farmers across India while advancing financial inclusion initiatives.

Anil Kumar, Founder and Group CEO at Samunnati, emphasised, “This strategic funding from Enabling Qapital is a testament to the confidence investors have in the role Samunnati plays in bridging the credit gap for smallholder farmers. With these resources, we are well-positioned to empower countless farmers, drive agricultural progress, and contribute to a more prosperous rural India.”

Moreover, in the recent years, Samunnati has emerged as a few companies in this sector, where reputed investors have shown their confidence and have come onboard. During FY23-24, it garnered investments from 13 esteemed lenders, comprising a prestigious roster including USDFC, Credit Saison, Tata Capital, Poonawalla, Hinduja Leyland Finance, Wint wealth, Altifi, Alteria Capital, and Anicut Capital.

The recent raised funds will enable Samunnati to strengthen its business operations and customize its solutions to meet the specific needs of different value chain players. By enabling access to finance, Samunnati empowers farmers to invest in their agricultural activities, thereby improving yields and increasing their income. This not only contributes to the overall growth of the agricultural sector but also fosters rural economic development.

The recent raised funds will enable Samunnati

AgroPolicy, Climate, Finance, India, Schemes - NABARD

Climate Strategy 2030 is structured around four key pillars – Accelerating Green Lending across sectors, Playing a broader Market-Making Role, Internal Green Transformation of NABARD, and Strategic Resource Mobilization.

In a significant stride towards sustainable development, NABARD unveiled its Climate Strategy 2030 document on the occasion of Earth Day. The document was released by Shaji K V, Chairman NABARD. This comprehensive strategy aims to address India’s escalating need for green financing.

Despite the pressing demand, where India requires approximately US$ 170 billion annually to reach a cumulative total of over US$ 2.5 trillion by 2030, current green finance inflows are critically insufficient. As of 2019-20, India garnered about US$ 49 billion in green financing, merely a fraction of what is needed. With the majority of funds earmarked for mitigation, only US$ 5 billion was allocated towards adaptation and resilience, reflecting the minimal private sector engagement in these areas due to challenges in bankability and commercial viability.

NABARD’s Climate Strategy 2030 is structured around four key pillars to address this demand: (i) Accelerating Green Lending across sectors, (ii) Playing a broader Market-Making Role (iii) Internal Green Transformation of NABARD, and (iv) Strategic Resource Mobilization.

This strategic initiative not only reinforces NABARD’s commitment to environmental stewardship but also positions it as a pivotal player in India’s transition towards a resilient and sustainable economy.

Climate Strategy 2030 is structured around four

Agribusiness, Company News, Farm Mechanisation, Machinery - Pre-harvesting, Machinery – Post-harvesting, People, World

Prior to first joining CNH in January 2019, Marx worked for 20 years in senior roles at McKinsey, Daimler Trucks, and Bain Capital, living in Brazil, China, Europe and Japan.

CNH Industrial announced the appointment of Gerrit Marx to the role of CEO effective July 1, 2024. He succeeds Scott Wine, whose request to leave the Company at the end of the current three-year business plan cycle to pursue other interests, has been accepted by the Board. Marx rejoins CNH from Iveco Group where as CEO he has led that company’s drive into a new era of connectivity, integrating the latest digital and data technologies with Iveco’s product offering. He has also chaired Iveco’s powertrain business overseeing its transition to alternative propulsion systems. Prior to first joining CNH in January 2019, Marx worked for 20 years in senior roles at McKinsey, Daimler Trucks, and Bain Capital, living in Brazil, China, Europe and Japan.

During the more than three years of Wine’s tenure as CEO, CNH has become an agriculture and construction pure-play following the Iveco Group demerger and is now solely listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Among his achievements, Wine has delivered three straight years of record revenues and EBIT margins while overseeing the improved performance of the Company’s Agriculture segment, the turnaround of the Construction segment, and the 2021 acquisition of Raven Industries, the precision agriculture technology business. In this period the Company has more than doubled its R&D expenditures, launched ambitious margin improvement and value enhancement initiatives, and by May 2024 will have returned more than $3 billion to shareholders in the form of dividends and share buybacks.

CNH’s Chair, Suzanne Heywood commented: “We’re delighted to welcome Gerrit back to CNH as CEO. We look forward to him bringing the same energy and focus he has demonstrated so effectively when leading Iveco, to his new role at a time when CNH is navigating the current end-market downcycle with an emphasis on managing inventory and costs, expanding margins, and harnessing the full potential of the newly established tech stack. On behalf of the Board, I would also like to thank Scott Wine for his leadership and considerable contribution to CNH’s progress in these years and wish him well in his future endeavors.”

With Marx’s appointment as the Company’s new CEO taking effect on July 1, 2024, the Board has decided that the Investor Day presentation scheduled for May 21, 2024, will be postponed to a later date to allow Marx to lead the Company’s planning and objectives for the next phase of its development. In the meantime, the Company’s first quarter financial results will be presented as planned in a conference call on May 2, 2024 by Mr. Wine, who will continue as the Company’s CEO until the end of June.

Marx returns to CNH from Iveco Group, succeeding Scott W. Wine who has decided to leave the Company having successfully overseen the delivery of the 2021 Business Plan.

Prior to first joining CNH in January

Agribusiness, Agro chems – Chemicals, Company News, World

This prestigious acknowledgment reinforces UPL’s position as one of India’s leading agrochemical companies in the market.

UPL Ltd., a global provider of sustainable agricultural solutions, has been recognised as a ‘Well-Known Trademark’ by the Indian Trademark Registry. This prestigious acknowledgment reinforces UPL’s position as one of India’s leading agrochemical companies in the market, thereby fostering trust and credibility among customers.

In 2021, UPL filed its first “well-known” trademark application under the new regulations. The petition included comprehensive details about their brand evolution, extensive evidence of public recognition, and information on their various initiatives. After a detailed analysis and procedure, the company received the esteemed ‘Well-known trademark’ title.

In addition to strengthening UPL’s brand positioning, this recognition also provides enhanced legal protection, a competitive advantage, simplified marketing efforts, and increased company value. Speaking about the achievement, Ashish Dobhal, CEO, UPL SAS, said, “We are honoured to have been recognized as the ‘Well-Known Trademark’. This achievement underscores our relentless pursuit of excellence and commitment to delivering innovative solutions to empower farmers with the best[1]quality products for enhanced agricultural productivity. This acknowledgment validates our brand’s prominence in providing best-in-class agricultural solutions to farmers worldwide.”

A “well-known” trademark denotes a high level of recognition among the public, associating the brand with specific goods or services. This recognition is so strong that using a similar mark for different offerings could mislead consumers and create confusion about the source or origin. The 2017 Rules established a streamlined process for seeking “well-known” status. Companies can submit detailed applications to the IP Office, outlining their brand history, evidence of recognition, and supporting documentation.

UPL remains steadfast in its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and customer-centricity as it continues to pave the way for a more resilient and prosperous agricultural future.

This prestigious acknowledgment reinforces UPL’s position as

Agrotech, Collaborations, Company News, Drones, India, Start ups

This will pave the way for the company to achieve the historic milestone of becoming the first-ever Indian drone Unicorn start-up.

Garuda Aerospace, a leading drone manufacturer in India, has announced its collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), a premier space agency. This partnership will see ISRO procuring Garuda Aerospace’s advanced Quadcopter drones, marking the company’s foray into the space-tech category.

Garuda Aerospace is renowned for its cutting-edge drone technology, incorporating machine learning and artificial intelligence. The integration of these drones into ISRO’s operations is expected to enhance efficiency across various tasks undertaken by the space agency.

The collaboration between Garuda Aerospace and ISRO began with ISRO sampling the company’s drones in 2021 for the delivery of medicines and food supplies. Subsequently, Garuda Aerospace’s drones were also used for sanitizing building premises with the spraying of disinfectants during the COVID-19 pandemic. These successful trials played a pivotal role in Garuda Aerospace securing the order from ISRO for Quadcopter drones.

Commenting on this milestone, Agnishwar Jayaprakash, CEO, and Founder of Garuda Aerospace, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “Receiving an order from the esteemed Indian Space Research Organisation marks a monumental achievement for us. It showcases our dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence. We firmly believe that Drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles will play a pivotal role in the space sector. Our partnership with ISRO not only validates our credibility but also solidifies our position as industry leaders.”

He also highlighted the recent governmental support, such as the approval of 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment into the space sector, which presents an exciting opportunity for Garuda Aerospace. This landmark decision is expected to provide crucial financial support and pave the way for the company to achieve the historic milestone of becoming the first-ever Indian drone Unicorn start-up.

Garuda Aerospace, founded in 2015, has grown from a team of 5 to over 200 members. It boasts the largest drone fleet in India, with over 400 drones and 500 pilots operating in 84 cities. The company manufactures 30 types of drones and offers 50 types of services, catering to a diverse clientele including TATA, Godrej, Adani, Reliance, and many others.

This collaboration between Garuda Aerospace and ISRO is expected to drive innovation and technological advancements in the space sector, further solidifying India’s position as a global leader in aerospace technology.

This will pave the way for the

Agbiologicals, Agribusiness, Company News, Fungicides, Trade, World

The acquisition is set to strengthen UPL Corp’s portfolio of solutions and leadership in the multisite fungicide market.

UPL Corporation Ltd. (UPL Corp), a global provider of holistic and sustainable agricultural solutions, announces that it has completed the acquisition of Corteva Agriscience’s solo mancozeb global fungicide business outside of China, Japan, South Korea, UK, Switzerland and EU member countries. The acquisition is set to strengthen UPL Corp’s portfolio of solutions and leadership in the multisite fungicide market, giving the company 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.

Christina Coen, Chief Marketing Officer for UPL Corp, said “We recognize mancozeb’s vital role not just in protecting crops, but in safeguarding global food security and transforming farmer livelihoods. This acquisition cements our leadership in the multi-fungicide market and enables us to continue adding to our ever-growing portfolio of farmer-first solutions, and expanding the use of this vital molecule for years to come. We are committed to ensuring a smooth transition for all customers, and look forward to helping growers produce sustainable crop yields and future-proof food security.”

The acquisition is limited to Corteva’s solo formulations of mancozeb, with Corteva retaining ownership of premix formulations. With the deal, UPL Corp has acquired access to the full regulatory scientific dossier of mancozeb including all data, registrations, trademarks for Corteva’s solo mancozeb products, and a license to the Rainshield™ technology.

The acquisition is set to strengthen UPL

Agribusiness, Agrotech, Company News, India, Seeds

Company launched Excellence Center in Nashik as a pilot and also plans to expand SapRaiseTM across the country.

Committed to improve crop yield and farmers’ income, Syngenta India, a leading Swiss based agri-science and seed technology company, announced the launch of SapRaiseTM, a pioneering smart seedling solution which promises to bring about transformative change in the agricultural sector in Maharashtra and create a high-tech resource of quality vegetable seedlings for the farmers of Nashik and Pune. Nashik being a leader in horticulture, contains Asia’s biggest Tomato mandi, grows tomato in 80000-acre, cauliflower in 30000-acre, watermelon in 2500 acre and capsicum &hot pepper in 10000 acres, would benefit from SapRaiseTM initiative and get high yielding crop seedling solutions round the year.

The debut of SapRaiseTM Nursery in collaboration with OM Gayatri Global Seedlings marks a significant milestone in agricultural innovation in Nashik and Pune district. This hi-tech nursery will act as an Excellence Centre in seedlings production and is an outcome of the company’s strategic partnership with Syngenta’s Young Plant Raisers (YPR).

Susheel Kumar, MD and Country Head, Syngenta India, said, “Through this partnership, we aim to set new standards in seedling production by demonstrating advanced seedling development through collaborative business models with existing YPR partnership. SapRaiseTM smart seedlings solution highlights Syngenta’s commitment to enhancing the quality and profitability of our growers through shared knowledge and cutting-edge seedling technology”. “We all know that Nashik and Pune farmers are well versed with scientific solutions, they are aware and innovative in adopting farming solutions, I am certain our initiative would benefit the farmers here”, Susheel added.

SapRaiseTM support is designed to nurture early crop establishment for a large number of vegetable farmers in Nashik and Pune, which is crucial for enhanced crop quality and yield potential. “Our Excellence Center will provide growers with high-quality, healthy seedlings, ensuring that they have the best possible beginning to achieve superior crop yields and enhanced income”, informed Susheel. Nashik initiative has been launched on a pilot basis, Syngenta India plans to later expand the SapRaiseTM Excellence Center across the country, aiming to benefit farmers from all states.

In addition to boosting business quality, the Excellence Center will extend the sales reach of existing YPR partners, enabling growers in untapped and new geographical areas to access best quality seedlings. This expansion will ensure that more farmers can benefit from modern agricultural practices.

Company launched Excellence Center in Nashik as

Agribusiness, Agro chems – Chemicals, Company News, Finance, India, Seeds

Company registered Rs 148 Crores Profit After Tax in FY24 is compared to Rs 92 Crores for FY 23.

Rallis India Limited, a TATA Enterprise and a leading player in the Indian agri inputs industry announced its financial results for the fourth quarter of the financial year ending March 2024.

Announcing the results, Dr Gyanendra Shukla, Managing Director & CEO, Rallis India Limited, said, “FY24 PAT is Rs 148 Crores compared to Rs 92 Crores for FY 23. Company reported FY 24 revenue at Rs 2648 Crores, lower by 11 per cent over the previous year in the backdrop of continuing challenges in the exports demand and low agro-chemical prices. Positive low single digit volume growth in our Domestic Formulation business. Seeds revenue grew 21 per cent and delivered break-even profit. This was driven by the superior performance of our Cotton hybrids viz. Diggaz and Aatish Express. Our Innovation turnover index has also improved to 16 per cent in FY24.

Exports business declined by 35 per cent and the market continues to be under pressure due to Geo-political unrest and continuing de-stocking.

On a long-term basis, we remain focused on improving our market position through superior product offerings to solve farmer needs. We will continue our investment behind marketing, manufacturing, and digitization capabilities to build differentiation.”

Key Developments

Company has begun the work on new “Rallis Science and Technology Centre (RSTC)” to augment innovation capabilities

Continued its focus on refreshing its Domestic crop care portfolio and launched 3 new products in Crop nutrition portfolio in Q4FY24

Rallis was conferred with Significant adoption award for best in class by Tata Affirmative Action Programme (TAAP)

Rallis has been honoured with the Award of Merit at 1st edition of the CII National Awards for Artificial Intelligence (AI) 2023 for its AI based crop weather monitoring platform ‘Drishti’

Rallis is recognized as “Kincentric Best Employer” 2023 as one of India`s top 16 companies.

Company registered Rs 148 Crores Profit After

Agribusiness, Company News, Dairy, Finance, India

Company’s PAT in Q4 FY 24 was Rs.52.16 crores as against Rs 24.99 crores in Q4 FY 23 registered a growth of 108.76 per cent.

Chennai based Hatsun Agro Product Ltd, India’s leading private sector dairy company, has announced its financial results for the 4th Quarter and for Financial Year ended 31st March 2024. Company’s revenue from operations in Q4 FY 24 was Rs 2046.87 crores as against Rs 1789.46 crores in Q4 FY 23 registered a growth of 14.38 per cent. Company registered a growth of 39.04 per cent in milk procurement in FY 24 over FY 23.

COVID had disturbed the operations for two years, which led to an impact on milk procurement in the second half of FY 2022-23 and the first half of FY 2023-24. Normalcy has been restored in the second half of 2023-24 for both procurement of milk and sales.

Commenting on the results, R G Chandramogan, Chairman, Hatsun Agro Product Ltd said, “We are happy to report good growth in procurement of milk and revenues both in Q4 and for the full FY 2023-24. Strong sales recovery in the domestic market post Covid with good summer sales have led to good sales volume. All our business verticals did well with our leading brands registering healthy sales growth.

HAP’s retail expansion in the last two years helped us reach customers in new markets like Maharashtra, Orissa, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh and also supported existing strong bases in South India. HAP in the last financial year, had invested about Rs 550 crores across new manufacturing facilities for capacity expansion in Curd and Milk Products and in market assets. The new capacities will further support our sales plans for FY 2024-25. Considerable investments have also been made to strengthen distribution, sales and marketing of our brands.”

Q4 FY 24 Vs Q4 FY 23 Highlights:

1. Revenue from operations in Q4 FY 24 was Rs.2046.87 crores as against Rs 1789.46 crores in Q4 FY 23 registered a growth of 14.38 per cent

2. EBITDA in Q4 FY 24 was Rs.231.77 crores as against Rs.158.05 crores in Q4 FY 23 registered a growth of 46.64 per cent.

3. PBT in Q4 FY 24 was Rs.70.89 crores as against Rs 32.88 crores in Q4 FY 23 registered a growth of 115.59 per cent.

4. PAT in Q4 FY 24 was Rs.52.16 crores as against Rs 24.99 crores in Q4 FY 23 registered a growth of 108.76 per cent.

5. Procurement of milk registered a growth of 39.04 per cent in FY 24 over FY 23.

FY 24 Vs FY 23 Highlights:

1. Revenue from operations in FY 24 was Rs.7990.40 crores as against Rs.7246.97 crores in FY 23 registered a growth of 10.26 per cent.

2. EBITDA in FY 24 was Rs.921.56 crores as against Rs.712.00 crores in FY 23 registered a growth of 29.43 per cent.

3. PBT in FY 24 was Rs.357.89 crores as against Rs.224.56 crores in FY 23 registered a growth of 59.37 per cent.

4. PAT in FY 24 was Rs.267.29 crores as against Rs.165.86 crores in FY 23 registered a growth of 61.15 per cent.

5. Procurement of milk in FY 24 registered a growth of 20.30 per cent

Company’s PAT in Q4 FY 24 was