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Agribusiness, Agrotech, Company News, Finance, Funding, Start ups, World

SOLASTA Bio and Impetus Ag announced as winners of the Radicle Natural Plant Protection (NPP) Challenge by UPL.

UPL Corporation Ltd. (UPL Corp), a global provider of holistic and sustainable agricultural solutions, and Radicle Growth, a company-building platform investing in early-stage agriculture and food technologies, announced SOLASTA Bio as the winner of ‘the Radicle Natural Plant Protection (NPP) Challenge by UPL’, securing a $1M investment, with the runner-up Impetus Ag, receiving a $750,000 investment. The Challenge sought to identify entrepreneurs advancing natural and biological solutions and saw applications from 237 start-ups.

In addition to the funding, SOLASTA Bio and Impetus Ag will gain access to UPL Corp and Radicle Growth’s expertise and networks to help accelerate their development and growth.

SOLASTA Bio, an ag-biotech company specializing in the next-generation of green insecticides, was selected as the winner for developing nature-inspired, selectively targeted and sustainable peptide insect control products. Shireen Davies, CEO of SOLASTA Bio, said: “We are delighted to have won The Radicle NPP Challenge by UPL. We look forward to accelerating our sustainable insect control solutions towards the global market in a new phase for the company and enhancing this with industry support and global networks provided by UPL Corp and Radicle Growth”.

Impetus Ag, an ag-tech company developing biological insect control solutions with the effectiveness of legacy chemical methods, was selected as the runner-up for creating novel proteins that bind naturally occurring toxins to targeted pests. Dr. Martha Schlicher, CEO of Impetus Ag said: “Being a winner of The Radicle NPP Challenge by UPL is a game changer for Impetus Ag. Investment in parallel with product development resources, expertise, and access to global networks will ensure our products meet industry gold standards and will go a long way in authenticating our pest solutions with grower supply chains critical for product adoption.”

Mike Frank, CEO of UPL Corp., said: “We’re committed to expanding access to sustainable solutions as a route to shaping healthy, productive, and climate-positive food systems. Through this investment and our ongoing support, we’re excited to work with SOLASTA Bio and Impetus Ag to develop their biological innovations and deliver real-world impacts for farmers, food chains, and the planet. Thank you to our winners, finalists, and all of the incredible start-ups that entered this Radicle Challenge.”

Kirk Haney, Managing Partner of Radicle Growth, said: “Congratulations to our winners. We have been so inspired by the biological solutions on display at the Pitch Day Event, and we are deeply proud that the Radicle Challenge continues to serve as a leading platform for driving global deal flow and funding the most impressive technologies across the food value chain.

SOLASTA Bio and Impetus Ag announced as

Agribusiness, Agro chems – Chemicals, Company News, Finance, World

In the Pacific region, sales in the full year and fourth quarter were impacted by high channel inventories and pricing pressure, combined with just in time purchasing patterns.

Israel based ADAMA Ltd. reported its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2023.  Steve Hawkins, President and CEO of ADAMA, said, “The crop protection industry as a whole faced challenging market conditions throughout 2023, resulting from high channel inventory and ongoing destocking at the distributor level. In response, ADAMA took immediate steps that supported a significant improvement ‎in cashflow in ‎‎2023, highlighting our strong execution ability‎”.

Fourth Quarter 2023 Highlights:

Sales down 13 per cent to $1,136 million (-13 per cent in RMB terms; -14 per cent in CER [terms), mainly reflecting a 15 per cent decrease in prices and a 1% increase in volumes

Adjusted EBITDA amounted to $95 million vs. $129 million in Q4 2022

Adjusted net loss of $101 million; Reported net loss of $79 million

Operating Cash Flow of $293 million vs $352 million in Q4 2022

Free Cash Flow of $130 million vs $204 million in Q4 2022

Full Year 2023 Highlights:

Sales down 16 per cent to $4,661 million (-12% in RMB terms; -15% in CER terms), mainly reflecting a 8 per cent decrease in prices and a 7 per cent decrease in volumes

Adjusted EBITDA amounted to $407 million vs. $740 million in the full year of 2022

Adjusted net loss of $236 million; Reported net loss of $225 million

Operating Cash Flow of $356 million vs $106 million in 2022

Free Cash Flow of -$147 million vs -$417 million in 2022

In China, the market is still experiencing high channel inventories and pricing pressure especially in commodities impacting both the branded formulation and non-ag sales. Sales were supported by the branded business, driven by recent and new launches of differentiated products, and ADAMA’s active ingredient business which recovered substantially, benefiting from the Sanonda Jingzhou site reaching high utilization after relocation.

In the Pacific region, sales in the full year and fourth quarter were impacted by high channel inventories and pricing pressure, combined with just in time purchasing patterns. In Australia, dryer weather also impacted sales. Despite this, sales benefited from the launch of the differentiated product Grindstone® and the Company’s biologicals portfolio.

‎Sales in India declined over the full year period following high channel inventory, creating pressure on pricing in the market. Moreover, the erratic weather did not support the consumption of such inventory. Despite this, it is noteworthy that differentiated product TrassidTM was well accepted in the market and along with increased focus on farmer demand generation, the Company’s sales increase in Q4.

Steve Hawkins also added that in addition to the significant improvement ‎ in cashflow, we improved the ‎sales mix of higher margin products, reduced operating expenses and inventory. These, however, are only the first steps to ensure the Company is ‎fully prepared to take advantage of anticipated market opportunities in 2024 and ‎onwards. To fully respond to the long-term as well as short-term market challenges, we launched an intensive transformation plan aimed at improving the quality of the business and revaluing ADAMA. We will focus on winning in the largest growing segment of the market – the value innovation segment – with our outstanding pipeline of differentiated products powered by our proprietary formulation technologies.

In the Pacific region, sales in the

Agribusiness, Company News, Finance, India, Supply Chain, Transportation

The acquisition is made at an enterprise value of Rs 3,080 crores and company will purchase the 56 per cent stake of the SP Group and 39 per cent of Orissa Stevedores Limited (OSL) in GPL.

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), India’s largest ports and logistics company, has entered into a definitive agreement to purchase the 56 per cent stake of the SP Group and 39 per cent of Orissa Stevedores Limited (OSL) in Gopalpur Port Limited (GPL). The acquisition is made at an enterprise value of Rs 3,080 crores and the transaction is subject to statutory approvals and fulfilment of other conditions precedents.

Gopalpur port is located on the east coast of India and has the capacity to handle 20 MMTPA. The Government of Odisha awarded a 30-year concession to GPL in 2006, with the provision of two extensions of 10 years each.

As a deep draft, multi-cargo port, Gopalpur handles a diverse mix of dry bulk cargo, including iron ore, coal, limestone, ilmenite, and alumina. The port plays an important role in supporting the growth of mineral-based industries in its hinterland, like iron & steel, alumina and others. The concessionaire has full flexibility to design and expand the port as per the market demand. GPL has received more than 500 acres of land on lease for development, with an option to receive additional land on lease to meet future capacity expansions.

The port is well connected with its hinterland through the national Highway NH16 and a dedicated railway line connects the port with the Chennai-Howrah main line. # In addition to the enterprise value stated above there is a contingent consideration of INR 270 crores estimated to be payable after 5.5 years, subject to fulfilment of certain conditions as agreed with the sellers.

Karan Adani, Managing Director of APSEZ, said, “The acquisition of Gopalpur Port will allow us to deliver more integrated and enhanced solutions to our customers. Its location will allow us unprecedented access to the mining hubs of Odisha and neighboring states and allow us to expand our hinterland logistics footprint. GPL will add to the Adani Group’s pan-India port network, significantly enhance overall cargo volume, and strengthen APSEZ’s integrated logistics approach.”

In FY’24, GPL is estimated to handle about 11.3 MMT cargo (YoY growth – 52 per cent) and earn a revenue of Rs 520 crores (YoY growth – 39 per cent) and achieve EBITDA of Rs 232 crores (YoY growth – 65 per cent). In our view, the Gopalpur Port is all set for strong growth and margin expansion in FY’25 with opportunities already identified for achieving higher operational efficiencies and infra debottlenecking, implying further value accretion for APSEZ shareholders.

The acquisition is made at an enterprise

Agro Universities, Agrotech, India, Sugar industry

The microbial inoculum can boost the rapid degradation of agro residues (such as sugarcane leaves after harvesting) under field conditions.

ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology, Mumbai signed a Memorandum of Understanding with M/s. Relegare Agro Life Bio Science Private Limited Ahmednagar in Maharashtra.

The MoU has been signed by Dr S. K Shukla, Director, ICAR-CIRCOT, and Mr. G. T. Gadekar, Director, M/s. Relegare Agro Life Bio Science Private Limited on behalf of respective organizations for the development of microbial inoculum for in-situ degradation of agricultural waste.

 G. T. Gadekar, Director, M/s. Relegare Agro Life Bio Science Private Limited is engaged in the production of quality Bio-pesticides, Bio-fertilizers, and Bio-fungicide from beneficial microbes with the perfect cell count. They have a Euro-Global Certification (US) for good manufacturing processes & producing 100 per cent organic products. They use nanotechnology for innovative methods & practices in response to customers’ requisitions to combat various pests & diseases on crops and climate change.

The microbial inoculum can boost the rapid degradation of agro residues (such as sugarcane leaves after harvesting) under field conditions. The use of microbial and biological inputs may lead to a balanced use of fertilizers and may minimize the adverse impact on plant and soil health due to imbalanced fertilizers/chemicals used in agriculture.

Dr S. Sreenivasan, Former Director, ICAR-CIRCOT, and Dr A. J. Shaikh, Former Director, Heads, Division and Technology Innovators, were present during this occasion.

The microbial inoculum can boost the rapid

Agribusiness, Agrotech, Company News, North America

Renuva™ and Ecolibrium™ technologies enable two new offerings for a wide range of propylene glycol applications including personal care, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, food ingredients, flavorings, fragrances, agricultural and industrial.

Dow has announced the launch of two new sustainable varieties of propylene glycol (PG) solutions in North America featuring bio-circular and circular feedstocks. Suitable for a broad range of applications, customers can now offer their high-performance products with externally verified sustainability benefits thanks to a mass balance approach.

The mass balance approach traces the flow of bio-circular and circular materials used to manufacture PG through complex value chains and attributes it based on verifiable bookkeeping; an approach that recently received ISCC PLUS certification in Freeport, Texas.

This achievement marked the first time that a Dow PG manufacturing plant in North America received an ISCC PLUS certification. “We are proud to set a precedent for more sustainable material production in North America, demonstrating our commitment to advancing sustainable production and products for our customers,” said Thales de Oliviera, business sustainability leader for the Americas for Dow Polyurethanes. “The demand for circular and bio-circular material for polyurethane end-markets is increasing, and by using our advanced recycling technologies, we can now offer our customers the same high-quality products with increased sustainability benefits.”

Applying innovative technologies, two new sustainable PG products will now be available in North America, and certified by ISCC PLUS:

Propylene Glycol CIR featuring Renuva™ recycled content helps customers close the loop and process hard-to-recycle post-consumer and post-industrial waste into sustainable feedstocks.

Propylene Glycol REN featuring Ecolibrium™ bio-circular technology enables a reduction in the use of fossil fuel-based feedstocks.

The new PG solutions, CIR and REN, are designed to help customers reach their circular and sustainability goals and are suitable for a broad range of applications across industries including personal care, cosmetics, pharmaceutical, food ingredients, flavorings, fragrances, agricultural and industrial.

As Dow accelerates its sustainability journey, it continues to seek out new and innovative ways to incorporate alternative feedstocks, specifically those with bio-circular origins or derived from post-industrial consumer waste, to create more sustainable solutions. The mass balance approach makes use of verifiable bookkeeping to trace and attribute the flow of sustainable materials through complex value chains without changing the production process.

Renuva™ and Ecolibrium™ technologies enable two new

Agro chems – Chemicals, Agrotech, Company News, India, R&D

The centre has showcased remarkable expertise in various domains, including Organic Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, Water Technology, and Process Scale-Up.

The DCM Shriram Innovation Centre, an internal research and development facility of DCM Shriram Ltd- Chemicals Business, has achieved an esteemed recognition from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), under the Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India.

Situated in Vadodara, Gujarat, this Innovation Centre was established in 2023, covering an expansive area of 2.5 acres. The DSIR recognition is a testament to the innovative research and development activities undertaken by in-house R&D units, including the development of new products, design enhancements, engineering innovations, and process improvements.

Despite its brief existence, the centre has showcased remarkable expertise in various domains, including Organic Chemistry, Polymer Science, Materials Science, Water Technology, and Process Scale-Up. Its technical capabilities encompass Organic & Inorganic synthesis, Catalysis testing, Material Characterisation, Product Formulations, and Application Development across diverse sectors such as polymers, FMCG, Oil & Gas, Paints, and Chemicals cleaning & etching.

Moving forward, the innovation centre aims to delve into emerging areas like epoxy in composites, Electricals, Construction & Coatings applications. It also intends to develop differentiated product formulations in water treatment chemicals, advanced materials, and sustainable product portfolios aligned with the valorisation of chlorine through downstream derivatives.

In pursuit of collaborative R&D endeavours, the centre has established partnerships with esteemed academic and research institutions worldwide.

The centre has showcased remarkable expertise in

Agribusiness, Agrotech, Company News, Digital Technologies, World

Corteva Catalyst will partner with entrepreneurs and innovators to accelerate the development of early-stage, disruptive technologies.

Corteva, Inc.  announced the launch of Corteva Catalyst, a new investment and partnership platform focused on accessing and bringing to market agricultural innovations that advance the company’s R&D priorities and drive value creation. Corteva Catalyst will partner with entrepreneurs and innovators to accelerate the development of early-stage, disruptive technologies that enable farmers to sustainably produce more food and feed.

“Corteva has a long tradition of addressing the critical challenges farmers face around the world by advancing innovation in partnership with the global scientific community,” said Sam Eathington, EVP and Corteva Chief Technology and Digital Officer. “Through Corteva Catalyst, we will build upon that tradition by pairing our considerable expertise and resources with the agility of start-ups and universities to deliver new solutions for farmers globally. This initiative will expand our pipeline and accelerate growth.”

Leveraging Corteva’s expertise, recognized R&D capabilities, global footprint and go-to-market infrastructure, Corteva Catalyst is uniquely positioned to support the development and commercialization of groundbreaking technology and deliver it directly into farmers’ hands.

Corteva Catalyst will initially focus on identifying opportunities across four strategic verticals aligned with the company’s R&D priorities: genome editing; biologicals and natural products; technology platforms; and decision science. 

Corteva Catalyst will partner with entrepreneurs and

Agribusiness, Agro chems – Fertilizers, Agrotech, Company News, Europe, R&D, Sustainability

Argus is also publishing new calculated calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) assessments that anticipate the introduction of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in 2026.

Global energy and commodity price reporting service Argus launched the world’s first assessments for low and zero-carbon calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), an important nitrogen-based fertilizer used extensively in Europe.

The new calculated assessments show the cost of producing CAN with either blue ammonia — made using natural gas, but such that associated carbon emissions are permanently stored or re-used — or with green ammonia, made using renewable energy.

The fertilizer industry is addressing the need to decarbonise, and nitrogen fertilizers are responsible for the majority of its direct and indirect emissions. Producing CAN with a lower carbon footprint is seen as one way of enabling the continued production and use of nitrogen fertilizers, maintaining their critical role in enhancing crop yields, but with lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Argus is also publishing new calculated CAN assessments that anticipate the introduction of the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) in 2026. The CBAM will ensure that imported CAN is treated in the same way as domestically-produced CAN under the EU emissions trading system (ETS), meaning that imports to the EU will also be subject to the cost of controlling emissions. Argus’ calculations include the current ETS cost of carbon in CAN of different carbon intensities.

The new assessments will give producers, consumers, traders and other companies in the nitrogen fertilizer industry in Europe a clearer understanding of the implications of changes in the market which target a reduction or elimination of emissions from nitrogen fertilizers, and the costs of doing so.

Argus Media chairman and chief executive Adrian Binks said: “We have worked with the nitrogen fertilizer industry to identify the markets where it needs increased transparency and clarity. The energy transition requires significant investment and forward planning as well as action now, and these new cost assessments provide critical data that will inform better business decisions.”

Argus is also publishing new calculated calcium

Agri Genomics, Agribiotechnology, Agribusiness, Agrotech, China, Company News

The Company plans to fully integrate this trait into its elite commercial corn line by the end of 2024.

Origin Agritech Ltd., a leading Chinese agricultural technology company, announced a major breakthrough in corn production technology. Building on the Company’s track record of innovation, Origin Agritech has developed a high-yield corn inbred line that significantly surpasses the productivity of traditional corn. This groundbreaking advancement was achieved through precise gene editing techniques, marking a significant milestone in the company’s commitment to sustainable and efficient agriculture.

Over the course of two years of rigorous multilocational field trials, the new gene-edited corn inbred line demonstrated a yield increase of over 50% compared to the original line. This leap in productivity has the potential to addressing global food security challenges through cutting-edge agricultural technologies.

Dr Gengchen Han, Chairman and CEO of Origin Agritech, stated, “The significant increase in yield potential heralds a new era in corn production, offering a sustainable solution to meet the growing global demand for food. We believe that our gene-edited high-yield corn will play a crucial role in enhancing food security and sustainability worldwide.”

The Company plans to fully integrate this trait into its elite commercial corn line by the end of 2024. This integration is expected to greatly enhance seed yield and significantly reduce the cost of hybrid seed production. In addition, Origin will conduct field demonstrations and seed production trials in the summer of 2024. These events will showcase the technology’s performance and its potential impact on the agriculture industry.

The Company plans to fully integrate this

Agribusiness, Agrotech, Company News, Europe, R&D, Seeds

The company’s portfolio expansion includes first-time registrations in France and Germany.

 Protealis, a leading seeds and seed technologies developer for sustainable plant proteins, announced the launch of four new soy seed varieties. The company’s portfolio expansion includes first-time registrations in France and Germany. This underlines Protealis’ dedication to commercially expand its footprint in Europe, as announced on 23 January 2024 upon the successful conclusion of its EUR 22 million B-Round funding. All newly registered soybean varieties are from the very early 000 category, tailored to thrive in the colder, northern European climate. This aligns with Protealis’ mission to develop and commercialise legume crops that are better adapted to the European environment, facilitating the adoption of local soybean to novel and rapidly growing markets in Northern-Europe.

Protealis’ four new soy varieties – PRO Vesuvio, PRO Helicon, PRO Taranaki and PRO Jacinto – have been bred specifically to deliver both high yield and high protein content despite the shorter (colder) growing season in Northern Europe. These are essential traits for European farmers looking to switch from traditional break crops such as canola, to a more sustainable and profitable legume crop. The official variety trials in France, Belgium and Germany confirmed such enhanced performance in yield and/or protein compared to the commercially relevant checks. The new varieties complement the existing soy seed portfolio of Artemis and Hermes, which immediately topped the official charts in Belgium upon launch in 2021.

Benjamin Laga, CEO of Protealis, commented: “We are excited to launch no less than four new soybean varieties this year, including first-time registrations in France and Germany. Registration procedures are rigorous and include the need to demonstrate both high performance and uniqueness of a variety. As such, the launch of these four new Protealis soybean varieties clearly demonstrates the high-quality product offering we are building for European farmers. As from now, we will be presenting these new varieties to several large B2B players in key expanding soybean markets, looking for premium soybean varieties for both the food and feed market.”

According to Donau Soja, a non-profit European independent multistakeholder organisation, the soy area in Europe has doubled in the past 10 years to over 5 million soy has recorded in Europe in 2023[2], driven by its many benefits. Legume crops such as soy are an excellent source of protein for both the food and feed market. Soy can be grown sustainably since it does not require nitrogen fertilization. With their fibrous roots, legumes improve soil quality and are an excellent addition for farmers in any crop rotation and indispensable for regenerative agriculture.

In addition to soy, Protealis continues to advance its yellow pea breeding program and is investing in the development of supporting technology platforms focused on the prediction of for example crop yield and quality, based on a combination genetic fingerprinting and AI. This will allow the company to further accelerate the introduction of new and better protein crop varieties to the market.

The company’s portfolio expansion includes first-time registrations

Agbiologicals, Agribusiness, Agrotech, Biofertilizers, Company News, Fungicides, India, R&D

Microbot™ Technology represents a revolutionary approach to crop nutrition, diseases, and pest management.

IPL Biologicals Limited, a trailblazer in agricultural innovation, announced the launch of its new brand identity and groundbreaking Microbot™ Technology, marking a significant milestone in its 30-year journey of excellence.

The redesigned logo is meticulously crafted to resonate with the farming community, encapsulating growth, nature and unwavering sustainability. The new logo symbolizes IPL Biologicals’ unwavering commitment to excellence in agriculture innovation, showcasing its forward-thinking approach. Products are categorized by distinct blue and green triangles, making it easier for the r to customers choose. Blue represents CIB standard-compliant Bio-fungicides and Bio-Insecticide while green signifying FCO standard-compliant Biofertilizers. Additionally, a specialized range of Biostimulants boasts a vibrant, unique design for easy recognition.

Harsh Vardhan Baghchandaka, President of IPL Biologicals, commented, “As we celebrate 30 years of agricultural innovation, we are thrilled to introduce our new brand identity and groundbreaking Microbot™ Technology. This transformation symbolises our unwavering commitment to excellence and sustainability, empowering farmers and revolutionizing crop cultivation.”

Baghchandka further added “Our farmer-centric approach goes beyond just packaging. We have incorporated features in our packaging that enhance convenience and usability for farmers in their day-to-day operations. From ergonomic designs for easy handling to clear labeling and instructions, every aspect of our packaging is tailored to meet the needs and preferences of our farming community. By prioritising the practicality and efficiency of our packaging, we aim to empower farmers with the tools they need to succeed while also promoting sustainable practices in agriculture.”

At the heart of IPL Biologicals’ latest innovation lies Microbot™ Technology, an avant-garde agricultural solution born from the fusion of microbiology, genetics, and agronomy. Developed at the company’s Technology & Innovation Centre (TIC), Microbot™ Technology represents a revolutionary approach to crop nutrition, diseases, and pest management. Engineered with precision, this technology harnesses specialized microbial formulations and strains, meticulously selected and fine-tuned by IPL Biologicals’ esteemed team of scientists. Microbot™ Technology delivers targeted benefits, including augmented nutrient absorption, bolstered disease resilience, and efficacious pest control, empowering farmers to cultivate robust crops and maximize yields for a resilient and bountiful future.

Speaking about the new brand identity and salient features of the new packaging design adopted for all the products, Rahul Mathur, National Marketing Head IPL Biologicals said “Understanding the importance of minimising our environmental footprint, we have meticulously designed our packaging using sustainable materials that are biodegradable and recyclable. This eco-friendly packaging not only reflects our commitment to environmental stewardship but also ensures that our products are delivered to farmers in a manner that aligns with our values of sustainability.”

Microbot™ Technology represents a revolutionary approach to

Agribusiness, Carbon Farming, Company News, Environment, Europe

By 2025, Bayer expects to significantly increase the number of food and ag value chain projects and the number of participating farmers.

Bayer announced a partnership with UK-headquartered company Trinity Agtech. As part of Bayer’s efforts to drive regenerative agriculture, Trinity Agtech’s platform Sandy will be instrumental for Bayer’s Carbon Initiative in the region EMEA in measuring and monitoring carbon on a farm level. Furthermore, the cooperation will enable the customized development of Bayer’s solutions to value chain players needs and growers based on Trinity’s capabilities. Leveraging science, digital and agronomical strengths on both ends the result is a unique regenerative agriculture ecosystem, developing high quality assets for a market that needs to be committed to tangible and credible outcomes.

The European Carbon Initiative is vital to Bayer’s overall strategy to shape regenerative agriculture. This includes making agriculture more productive and resilient while restoring natural resources. Started off in 2021, the Carbon Initiative now includes multiple tailored projects with large companies from the food supply and agricultural value chain. Today, farmers across several European countries and companies across the Food and Farming supply chain are working alongside with these partners to reduce carbon emissions and sequester carbon in the soil. Project results show that growers that are using regenerative practices are emitting on average 15 percent less carbon than conventional farmers. By 2025, Bayer expects to significantly increase the number of food and ag value chain projects and the number of farmers participating in value chain programs as the European Carbon Initiative is going to switch from pilot phase to scale-up phase for commercial projects.

To support these goals, reliable monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) is key for all players of the food value chain to be compliant with third parties, global guidelines, certification bodies and regulatory requirements. With Sandy, Trinity Agtech has developed a new generation, trusted and easy-to-use cloud-based platform where farmers and project developers will bring all their data into one place to create a fact-based and primary data driven register of a farm’s natural capital. This allows the farmer to assess the farm’s carbon balance and options going forward.

“Our collaboration with Trinity offers many benefits for farmers and for our partners in the food value chain that want to deliver against their carbon reduction commitments and want to support regenerative practices in agriculture,” said Lionnel Alexandre, Carbon Business Venture Lead for Europe, Middle East and Africa at Bayer’s Crop Science Division. “We need reliable measuring technology and data analysis to verify carbon reductions and carbon sequestration on the farms. Trinity contributes with its state-of-the-art platform that is acknowledged by many experts around the globe.”

Working with internationally approved models to ensure accuracy

Trinity’s models and analytical frameworks are nationally and internationally compliant with the IPCC standards and other key global guidelines, such as the GHG-P, in addition to previous verification against ISO 14.064 and 14.067 methodologies. Trinity Agtech’s distinctive scientific board contains leading international experts to ensure the most accurate possible assessment for the farmer with the available data. A recent study commissioned by the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) across 81 carbon calculators has placed Trinity’s software Sandy on the first rank in assessing farm carbon footprints and natural capital.

“We’re proud of Bayer’s commitment to credible and trusted sustainability analytics and their power in advancing the prosperity and environmental progress of the Food and Farming supply chain. Trinity is delighted to be Bayer’s analytical partner of choice in this vital program,” said Dr Hosein Khajeh-Hosseiny, Founder and Executive Chairman at Trinity.

By 2025, Bayer expects to significantly increase

Agribusiness, Agrotech, Company News, India, R&D, Seeds

New lab becomes part of Syngenta’s global network of Quality Control labs, supporting the company’s mission to deliver the highest quality vegetable seed products to growers.

Syngenta Vegetable Seeds inaugurated today a new Seed Health Lab in Hyderabad, India, further strengthening the company’s continued investment in quality control capabilities. The state-of-the-art lab is one of the most advanced seed testing facilities in the world and delivers India’s first dedicated seed health lab, which will serve growers in India, across the Asia Pacific region and beyond.

Located in Nuthankal village near Hyderabad, the lab becomes part of Syngenta’s global network of vegetable seed Quality Control labs, including centers of excellence in the United States and the Netherlands, which supports Syngenta’s mission to deliver the highest quality vegetable seed products to growers around the world.

“High-quality, healthy seed is the foundation of success in the field for our customers,” said Nishchint Bhatia, Head of Asia Pacific for Syngenta Vegetable Seeds. “This investment highlights our commitment to ensuring growers have a reliable supply of healthy, disease-free seed. This world-class facility also supports ‘Make in India’ and India’s growing leadership role in agriculture and vision to become a key global seed exporter.”

Built for $2.4 million (Rs 20 Crores), the 6,500-square-foot modern facility is currently capable of processing 12,000 virus/bacterial tests per year with capacity to expand with future growth. The facility is compliant with seed health test regulations in India and will be aligned with international accreditation programs such as International Seed Health Initiative (ISHI) and Naktuinbouw Authorized Laboratories (NAL). The lab is also seeking export certification and local accreditation with the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).

“Global seed stewardship and promoting seed health in the global movement of seeds is critical to protecting the integrity of growers’ crops and safeguarding global supply chains and global food security,” said Erik Postma, Global Head of Quality Management for Syngenta Vegetable Seeds and Flowers. “Detailed care must be taken with every seed that makes it to a grower. This is a shared responsibility of the entire seed industry, which is why we’re proud to offer our seed testing services to other seed companies to support international phytosanitary standards.”

Syngenta’s Hyderabad site was first established in 2009 and is home to more than 250 full-time and seasonal employees and workers supporting seed processing, quality control and supply operations. Syngenta was one of first companies to breed vegetable varieties more than 150 years ago, and today is the most global organization in the industry with Vegetable Seeds teams operating in more than 60 countries and shipping seeds to 124 countries.

The inauguration in Nutankal was witnessed by key government officials. M Raghunandan Rao (IAS), Agriculture Production Commissioner and Secretary, Government of Telangana; Dr B Gopi (IAS), Director Agriculture, Government of Telangana; Dr D K Srivastava, Deputy Commissioner (QC), Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Government of India were present at the inauguration among others.

New lab becomes part of Syngenta’s global

Agribusiness, Agro chems – Chemicals, Agrotech, Company News, Digital Technologies

The digital platform simplifies smart farming by using predictive modelling based on real-time data.

FMC India, an agricultural sciences company, has launched its innovative precision agriculture platform Arc™ farm intelligence in India. The new offering is aimed at encouraging smarter agricultural practices for farmers, advisers and channel partners.

By combining real-time data and predictive modelling, Arc™ farm intelligence assists farmers in monitoring field conditions and pest pressure. Farmers can then ensure precise application of the recommended crop care products to optimize yield and achieve higher returns on investment.

Ravi Annavarapu, President, FMC India and South-West Asia said, “Farmers encounter numerous challenges in the field on a daily basis while navigating today’s complex and evolving agricultural landscape. Arc™ farm intelligence, a one-stop solution for farmers, will support them in making informed decisions based on real-time field insights for more effective and efficient crop care, thus providing them with enhanced precision, productivity and profitability. We are confident that farmers will gain a significant advantage and stay ahead with these technology-driven services.”

The platform, available through a new app, will not only provide in-depth insights into FMC’s leading product portfolio, but also enable farmers to participate in several digital initiatives and contests throughout the year to win attractive rewards.

The Arc™ farm intelligence app will also provide farmers easy access to FMC India’s boom spray service. Available at their fingertips, farmers can easily schedule a spray and pay using an integrated payment gateway on the app. Farmers can better plan their spray calendar with ten days’ advance weather forecast and make informed crop-care decisions. Additionally, farmers across India can access doorstep delivery of FMC’s leading products via the app, as it is directly linked to FMC’s brand store on Amazon.

Farmers can now access the Arc™ farm intelligence platform by downloading the app on their mobile devices from iOS and Android app stores. The multi-lingual app is available in Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Marathi languages.

The digital platform simplifies smart farming by