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E-commerce, Finance, Trade

WeedOUT’s full Series A round will close in March 2020. Other investors in the round include CreditEase Israel Innovation Fund and Zora Ventures.

Israel-based biological crop protection technology start-up WeedOUT recently announced the first close of a Series A round led by Syngenta Ventures to tackle weeds that are resistant to chemical herbicides such as glyphosate. If effective, this product could be revolutionary for the bio-crop protection space; it’s understood that efficacy in biological alternatives to herbicides specifically has been challenging to achieve.

WeedOUT is developing what it calls the industry’s first species-specific biological herbicide, by harvesting pollen from specific weed species, irradiating it to become sterile, and then artificially pollinating weeds in the field using pollen dispersing equipment. It’s specifically targeting resistant weeds that have become resistant to chemical herbicides like glyphosate. Resistant weeds leave farmers with little recourse to address them, posing serious problems because they can spread rapidly, taking over cropland or pastureland and reducing productivity. This has led some farmers to stack multiple herbicides together in a bid to target each possible species that could be plaguing their fields.

WeedOUT’s approach is very different to ag-chemicals incumbent Bayer, which a couple of weeks ago announced plans to combat glyphosate resistance with yet more chemicals. The company is undergoing significant biologicals research and invested in NewLeaf Symbiotics but told AFN it’s struggled with efficacy.

WeedOUT’s full Series A round will close in March 2020. Other investors in the round include CreditEase Israel Innovation Fund and Zora Ventures. Existing investor Radicle Growth backed the company around the same time that it won the inaugural Radicle Challenge Israel. It’s also received grants from the Israel Innovation Authority and the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program.

“It’s a good team and it’s different,” Michael Lee, one of the managing directors for Syngenta Ventures, told AFN. “The world is replete with pretty coloured maps and non-differentiated products that even investors struggle to differentiate let alone farmers who have precious little time to study it like us. As an investor, I look for something different with strong a strong IP position so that when the future plays in that direction you are well-positioned to make a handsome return.”

Launched in 2009, Syngenta Ventures is the venture capital arm of Syngenta, a global crop protection, seed, and digital tool provider. With 30 portfolio companies to date, the multi-disciplinary team invests in companies on its own and also co-invests alongside a range of investors, including agtech venture capitalists, philanthropies and foundations.

WeedOUT ticked the differentiation box for Lee through its use of sterilized pollen to target specific species of weeds. He has seen similar approaches used to manage invasive pests by genetically engineering sterile male insects.

This is Syngenta’s second biologics play. In 2018 it led a $2.9 million seed round for Danish pheromone-based pest control startup BioPhero.

 

 

WeedOUT’s full Series A round will close

Agrotech

Mohan Babu Rajaram is an experienced professional with expertise in life sciences industry and has been associated with Bayer for more than 24 years.

Mohan Babu Rajaram, who has been serving as Executive Director and Country Lead for Bayer CropScience – Indonesia & Malaysia for the past four and half years, has recently been promoted to the post of Chairman and President for the same. Mohan Babu Rajaram is an experienced professional with expertise in life sciences industry and has been associated with Bayer for more than 24 years. Under his leadership as an Executive Director, Bayer CropScience has achieved many milestones. 

Rajaram has a Master’s degree in Agriculture (Entomology) and has also completed his MBA. He is skilled with handling teams, people and has a proven track record in strategic business planning, profit and loss, brand management, commercial talent development, and change management along with sustainable growth and profitability. He acquires an in-depth knowledge about cultures & markets in ASEAN and South Asia while working at Bayer CropScience.

Mohan Babu Rajaram is an experienced professional

E-commerce, Trade

The company which has a global presence in more than 50 countries, aims at pan India outreach with Jammu & Kashmir added in the list.

Willowood Crop Sciences, a global agrochemical company announced the launch of business operations in Jammu & Kashmir. In a one-day event organized in Srinagar at Sher-I- Kashmir International Convention Centre, Srinagar, the company addressed the invitees. Many celebrated dignitaries like Deepak Kachru (Joint Director- Agriculture, J&K) and Hazi Ali Mohammad Wani (Chairman -Wani Group of Companies) marked their presence in the launch. More than 300 trade partners participated in the launch with a lot of enthusiasm.

Jitendra Mohan, COO, Willowood India, addressed the audience and briefed them about the product they would be offering to farmers and employment opportunities for the youth of Jammu & Kashmir in the following years.

Updating on the company’s recent developments and future plans, Hitesh Bagri, Director- Willowood India, shared many insights. Rakesh Bisht, Business Head- North & Central India, focused on Willowood’s portfolio for Apple growers while  Dhawaj Baliyan, Regional Head, culminated in the event with a vote of thanks.

The company has a global presence in more than 50 countries and has it’s headquartered in Hong Kong. . Willowood commenced operations in the year 2006-07 and aims at pan India outreach with Jammu & Kashmir added in the list.

 

 

 

The company which has a global presence

Acquaculture, AgroPolicy

 The new policy will have provisions for sub-sectors of inland fisheries, aquaculture, and mariculture, including elements of post-harvest. 

 The government plans to formulate a National Fisheries Policy for holistic development of the sector, which is growing at an annual rate of 8 per cent, Union Fisheries Minister Giriraj Singh said in the Rajya Sabha. 

New technologies

The policy will focus on bringing new technology and ways to deal with threat from cyclones as part of the overall objective to improve the income of fishermen, Singh said.

The proposed policy will incorporate the provisions of the existing National Policy on Marine Fisheries 2017. It will have provisions for sub-sectors of inland fisheries, aquaculture, and mariculture, including elements of post-harvest. 

“Given the cross-cutting nature of various fisheries sub-sectors, it is considered that an integrated National Fisheries Policy would better serve the public interest rather than individual sub-sector wise policies,” Singh said. 

The minister said fund allocation to boost the sector will depend on sectoral needs and priorities. He said the government had allocated ₹560 crore for the continuation of the Blue Revolution scheme during 2020-21 fiscal for undertaking various ongoing fisheries development programmes. 

The government had created the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) during 2018-19 with a fund size of ₹7,522.48 crore spread over a period of five years. The fund provides finance at concessional rates to States and its entities, including the private sector, for development of fisheries infrastructure facilities in marine and inland fisheries sectors.

 New scheme

The government in the Union Budget for 2019-20 announced a new scheme called Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) for the sector. The ministry has formulated PMSSY scheme which envisages a total investment of about ₹20,050 crore, which includes Central, States and beneficiary shares over a period of five years with effect from 2020-21.

 

 The new policy will have provisions for

E-commerce, R&D, Seeds, Trade

A new seed treatment can be used on cereals, peas, and lentils that targets wireworm larvae, cutworm larvae, pea leaf weevil, and armyworm.

Corteva Agriscience has recently launched a new seed treatment for use on cereals, peas, and lentils that targets wireworm larvae, cutworm larvae, pea leaf weevil, and armyworm. Lumivia CPL is a non-neonicotinoid-based product that uses a new mode of action to control pests.

“It is a mode of action that works on the muscles of the insect,” said Lorne Thoen of Corteva.

“The existing neonics work on the nervous system, and what we do is work on the muscle system of the pests. So when they come in contact with it and ingest it, they then become paralyzed.”

Wireworms have a long life cycle and can be in the soil in the larva stage for up to six years.

“The existing products don’t kill them. We haven’t really had a product that kills them since Lindane was removed,” Thoen said.

“We can take care of and control them, paralyze them enough until they die. That helps to reduce the population in the soil.”

He said there continues to be a strong need for neonicotinoid-based crop protection products in Canada because they provide a lot of value to growers.

“But we also need to have alternatives there. Maybe it’s a mixture of neonicotinoid and non-neonicotinoid, or maybe it’s straight non-neonics. But we don’t want to be in the business of taking tools away from growers that are valuable,” Thoen said.

He said the product adheres well to the seed and not the mixers, so it both mixes up and cleans up nicely.

“We wouldn’t recommend this product to go out on its own; we recommend that it goes with a standard fungicide seed treatment,” Thoen said.

“We think it’s the full meal deal then because not only are you protecting your investment in your genetics you’re putting in the ground from insects, but you’re also giving them the best head start from those early seed borne diseases as well.”

Lumivia CPL is clear, so if it is applied on its own a colorant also needs to be added during treatment. Beyond peas and lentils, it can also be used on smaller acre pulse crops such as dry beans.                                                                                     

 Thoen said Lumivia CPL will cost $9.30 per acre in wheat, but if growers match it up with Corteva herbicides the price will be brought down to around $6 per acre.

                                                                                              Input Courtesy: The Western Producer

A new seed treatment can be used

E-commerce, Trade

Rs. 2.10 crore has been released to 1,091 small farmers under the Plantation Development Scheme while Rs. 1.70 crore has been released to 32 factories for producing orthodox teas 

In view of the falling price situation, the Tea Board has finally released the subsidies that were pending for some time.

After releasing the subsidies, M Balaji, Tea Board’s Executive Director said that “To support the farmers and factories at the time of declining prices of made tea, the Board has released subsidy to 1,344 stakeholders to the tune of Rs. 4.46 crore in Southern India”.

 Balaji added that “Of this, Rs. 2.10 crore was released to 1,091 small farmers under the Plantation Development Scheme while Rs. 1.70 crore has been released to 32 factories for producing orthodox teas. In addition, TANTEA has been provided with Rs. 26 lakh as subsidy for producing orthodox tea”.

He also informed that “Besides this, 132 children of the plantation workers have been offered with educational stipend worth Rs. 29 lakh and 87 children of the workers were provided Rs. 11 lakh under Schedule Caste Sub Plan (SCSP) component”.

It must be noted that the subsidy amount has been credited directly to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts. Balaji also addressed a stakeholders’ meeting in Coonoor that was attended by the Tea Board Vice-Chairman, B Kumaran and Member J Raman.

 

 

Rs. 2.10 crore has been released to

Acts & Schemes – Centre, E-commerce, Trade

The MoU is signed in line with the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s (MoCA) Krishi Udaan scheme.

SpiceJet has signed an agreement with GMR Hyderabad International Airport Ltd (GHIAL) and Ras-Al-Khaimah International Airport, the UAE, to promote export of agricultural products.

The tripartite was signed at the last day of the Wings India 2020. Exports are expected commence from April 2020.The agreement, which is being taken up as part of the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s (MoCA) Krishi Udaan scheme, would promote export of agri products from India to the United Arab Emierates and neighbouring countries, making Hyderabad as a base. 

The MoU would cover products like mango, okra, chilies, curry leaf, herbs, fruits and vegetables, spices, livestock, dairy and marine products.

“This MoU will create a robust advocacy platform to harness our agricultural markets and help create an ecosystem for exporting perishable agro products from Hyderabad,” S G K Kishore, Chief Executive Officer of GHIAL, said.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Civil Aviation, and Telangana IT and Industries Minister K T Rama Rao. 

“This partnership will help farmers get access to international markets and promote export of agro products from India,” Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of SpiceJet, said.

A dedicated freight corridor will be created to leverage the agro and farming sector potential from centrally located Telangana and the neighboring regions.

 

The MoU is signed in line with

E-commerce, Machinery - Pre-harvesting, Machinery – Post-harvesting, Trade

With Sportsman® 570 tractor, Polaris India is targeting tea plantation, orchard farming, and other farming practices where such a machine will be invaluable

 Polaris India, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Polaris Inc., and the world’s no.1 ATV’s manufacturer recently  launched it’s first-ever tractor in the Indian market. The Polaris Sportsman® 570 tractor is the first road-legal vehicle offered by Polaris in India. The tractor with its compact size offers unmatched capabilities for complex tasks in agriculture fields with its 34 HP, 4 stroke, 567cc engine with electronic fuel injection system and 4WD features which can tow up to 810kg. The tractor is priced at Rs 8.49 lakh, however introductory price is Rs. 7.99 lakh (ex-showroom). 

Highlighting the newly launched tractor, Pankaj Dubey, Managing Director and Country Head, Polaris India said, “Polaris Sportsman® 570 tractor is poised to change the canvas of farm mechanization in India. With this launch, we are targeting tea plantation, orchard farming, and other farming practices where such a machine will be invaluable. The tractor offers multiple technologically-advanced features and superior comfort, which will revolutionize the quality of farm technologies.”

 “Our 4WD tractor with optimum weight can be used to take loads in and out of the places where other big tractors won’t be able to go and with the Polaris off-roading capabilities, it can ride through any terrain with the load on will give additional benefits and higher output to our farmers.” Dubey added.

 A factory-installed winch and plough mount plate allows for speedy accessory integration like pesticide sprayer, cultivator, disc harrow, and utility cart to get the tough jobs done quickly. 

Polaris networks are located at Jammu & Kashmir, Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Dimapur (Nagaland), Jaipur, Chennai, Kochi, Vijaywada, Bengaluru and Guwahati.

 

With Sportsman® 570 tractor, Polaris India

Agro chems – Pesticides, E-commerce, R&D

EMBRECE-EA can provide a high-performance option to organosilicon-containing adjuvants where there are concerns about phytotoxicity, spray mix run-off and toxicity to beneficial insects

Wilbur-Ellis Company announced the launch of EMBRECE-EA, a unique blend of surfactants designed to elevate the performance of fungicides, insecticides and miticides by increasing wetting and spreading of spray materials.

 EMBRECE-EA’s proprietary blend of nonionic surfactants (NIS) gives growers superior coverage and excellent wetting of their chosen spray material, meaning more product stays on the leaf surface, providing quicker absorption and improved control of the targeted pest. In addition to increased performance, EMBRECE-EA offers growers more safety and peace of mind while allowing for more application flexibility dependent on the crop grown. A lower use rate (1pt/100gal) is ideal for cover sprays, while higher use rates (1qt/100gal) provides more penetration – ideal for crops that have a thicker layer of wax on the leaf surface. The product also works well with difficult formulations, like soluble concentrates. 

The product gives growers a safer alternative to similar adjuvants. “EMBRECE-EA can provide a high-performance option to organosilicon-containing adjuvants where there are concerns about phytotoxicity, spray mix run-off and toxicity to beneficial insects,” says Wilbur-Ellis’ Senior Formulation Chemist Jim Glatzhofer. 

In reference to crop safety, Wilbur-Ellis Adjuvant Portfolio Manager Terry Abbott says, “EMBRECE-EA was designed with performance and crop safety in mind. In comparison to current commercial NIS adjuvants, it provides better, more consistent coverage of the spray material on the plant, giving the growers the level of protection they need for the crops they grow.” 

EMBRECE-EA is part of Wilbur-Ellis’ ECO ADVANTAGE line of products. ECO ADVANTAGE products feature cutting-edge technology and are built upon four key pillars to ensure growers get high-performing, eco-friendly adjuvants. Every ECO ADVANTAGE adjuvant boasts superior performance, is labeled for aquatic use, is made with ingredients for improved safety and handling and is Nonylphenol Ethoxylates (NPE) Free. EMBRECE-EA boasts lower phytotoxicity concerns than traditional adjuvants as well as lower toxicity concerns for humans and the environment.

EMBRECE-EA can provide a high-performance option to

Agrotech, E-commerce

TraceCon is India’s first conference on Traceability brings together industry leaders across food and agriculture industry 

SourceTrace, a global Agritech company, in collaboration with ThinkAg, hosted India’s first conference on traceability in agriculture. The event, which was recently held at The Le Meridian Hotel, New Delhi, saw over 60 industry leaders from the food and agriculture sector across the country.

 The panels discussed issues such as role of technology in food safety, traceability solutions and opportunities, role of technology in boosting agri-exports, showcasing early adopters and lastly, funding and financing of traceability technology. 

As agriculture gains prominence, technology solutions become critical to achieve better profitability and productivity. In an increased globalized market, food safety and sustainability have become dominant concerns too. India needs to use technologies such as traceability to maintain international competitiveness, ensure safety and security of its produce and build a niche for produce originating from India. In an era when there is trust deficit in international trade, technologies such as traceability can bridge that gap. 

TraceCon showcased success stories and discussed trends and challenges in the adoption of traceability.  The event hosted several sessions where stakeholders from food and retail businesses, government bodies, technology companies and export-oriented businesses and others exchanged their ideas and explored new opportunities in traceability.

 Venkat Maroju, CEO, SourceTrace said, “Traceability has become more important in the agriculture value chains in order to ensure safety, sustainability and ethical production.  In fact, there is no better way of guaranteeing safety, quality and uniformity of products to the consumer.” 

“Traceability streamlines the supply chain, making it easier for issues to be resolved.  Efficient recalls in the case of outbreaks can also be made and losses can be kept to a minimum if traceability is implemented”, said Ritu Verma, Co-Founder ThinkAg and Co-founder and Managing Partner, Ankur Capital Fund. 

A white paper on the role of traceability solution in food safety in agriculture value chain and how it helps in boosting exports and improving farmers’ livelihood was also released at the conference. 

 SourceTrace is a SaaS (Software as a Service) company that focuses on sustainable agriculture and empowerment of smallholder farmers. The company, which has impacted over 1 million farmers thus far, has had Dr VenkatMaroju at the helm since 2012, and is currently active in over 28 countries. SourceTrace’s digital solutions are helping improve productivity and profitability of the agriculture value chain.

The company has worked with brands such as Cargill, NABARD, IIFCO, Wilmar, WorldFish, etc. Its mobile applications are scalable from small co-operatives to large agribusiness corporations and government agencies working in the sustainable development sector.

 

ThinkAg is an organization which supports the growth of innovations across agritech and food in India.

 

 

TraceCon is India’s first conference on Traceability

Agrotech, R&D

ARI-516 is a multi-purpose grape variety with a musky flavour and is moderately resistant fungal diseases 

 

 

Researchers at the Agarkar Research Institute (ARI) in Pune have developed a new hybrid variety of grape suitable for making a wide range of food products, including juice, raisin, jam and red wine. 

“ARI-516 is a multi-purpose grape variety with a musky flavor and is moderately resistant fungal diseases. It is also an early maturing variety that yields about 16 to 20 tonnes per acre (40 to 50 tonnes per hectare),” said Sujata Tetali, the scientist who developed the variety by interbreeding of two species from the same genus – Catawba variety of Vitis labrusca and Beauty seedless variety of Vitis vinifera. The current average productivity of grapes in India is around 25 tonnes per hectare. 

Tetali is a scientist at Genetics and Plant Breeding Group at ARI, an autonomous institution funded by the Department of Science and Technology. It developed the new variety in collaboration with the Maharashtra Association for Cultivation of Science. The work was recently published in the proceedings of the International Symposium on Grape Production and Processing.

ARI-516 is a multi-purpose grape variety with

Dairy, R&D

Out of the total 413 samples, 73 samples were branded ones and 340 were loose unbranded samples. Only 87 samples of the total comply with FSSAI standard specifications which come up to 21%. 

 

 

 Some 70.99 per cent of loose milk packets in Maharashtra do not comply with FSSAI standard specifications, according to a recent research and analysis conducted by Consumer Guidance Society of India (CGSI). A total of 413 samples were tested by CGSI over a period of January to December 2019.

 Milk adulteration has been made a non-bailable offence in the state of Maharashtra, in spite of that a huge percentage of milk samples tested were found to be below the minimum standards set up by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). In short, they were adulterated, according to a press release issued by CGSI recently.

 Out of the total samples, 73 samples were branded ones and 340 were loose unbranded samples. Only 87 samples of the total comply with FSSAI standard specifications which come upto 21%. Amongst the branded milk samples also only 15 per cent are FSSAI standard specified, the rest of the lot does not specify to the standards and amongst the loose unbranded samples only 22% comply with FSSAI standard specifications.

 Commenting on the research, Dr Sitaram Dixit, chairman, CGSI, stated, “Milk forms an essential portion for all concerned and it needs to be complying with FSSAI standards. According to the research conducted last year, the contamination has increased by 5 per centaccording to CGSI.”

To curb the nuisance of rampant milk adulteration, the Government of Maharashtra had made adulteration of milk a non-bailable offence, but this does not seem to have had any effect on the adulterators and the traders.

Out of the total 413 samples, 73

E-commerce, Machinery - Pre-harvesting, Machinery – Post-harvesting, R&D

Besides targeting the farm sector, the start-up is also looking at selling the tractor to factories, warehouses and airports for movement of goods and baggage

 A Hyderabad-based start-up Cellestial E-Mobility have come up with an operational prototype of an electric tractor that costs less than the traditional diesel-run tractors. The start-up targets a lucrative market of 8.78 lakh-unit tractor market (2019) in the country. “The market is growing at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 6.9 per cent. We found that the electric manufacturers of vehicles have not focused on this segment yet,” Siddarth Durairajan, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Cellestial E-Mobility, said.

 Cost effective

 “It costs ₹5 lakh a piece as against ₹6 lakh that the regular tractor is priced at. Moreover, it will cost ₹20-35 to run the e-tractor for an hour as against ₹150 that the farmers spend every hour that they use,” Durairajan said.

The main characteristic of the product is that it comes without about 300 parts that come along with the regular tractor engine. It will help them save time and effort on maintaining the vehicle.

The firm, which began its operations in 2019, raised $2, 00,000 from a Singapore-based Angel Investor. Initially, the start-up is planning to produce 100 units a month in the first year. “We will ramp up the production in the next 2-3 three years to produce an aggregate 8,000 vehicles,” he said. 

“In a residential environment, it takes six hours to fully charge the battery and with an industrial power sockets, it can fast-charge in two hours,” Syed Mubasheer Ali, Co-Founder and Partner, Cellestial E-Mobility, said.

Besides targeting the farm sector, the start-up

Acts & Schemes – Centre, Agrotech, Cold Storage, Supply Chain

Lasalgaon and Nashik, have a large number of exports especially for onions and grapes. The cargo center will help to transport such goods with the help of the cold storage facility. 

 

 

 The biggest onion market in Asia, Lasalgaon, will soon get temperature-controlled perishable cargo center. The center is being developed under Central government’s scheme of the national cold supply chain for perishables.

 In the recent Budget session, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to set up a ‘Kisan Rail’ through the public-private-partnership (PPP) mode for a cold supply chain to transport perishable goods. The cargo center at Lasalgaon is being developed under the same pattern of (PPP).

The center is under construction at Lasalgaon in Nashik district, the only one in the state.

The project is being developed by Container Corporation of India Limited (CONCOR) through a CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) initiative. Another project is commissioned at Ghazipur Ghat (UP), New Azadpur (Delhi) and Raja ka Talab (UP). 

An official from Central Railway said that the cargo center is being developed as a pilot project under the ‘Kisan Vision.’

The Railways already has nine refrigerated vans available on its network for transportation of perishable goods with a carrying capacity of 17 tonne, each for transportation of highly-perishable parcel traffic developed and procured through the Rail Coach Factory. 

Lasalgaon, as well as Nashik, have a large number of exports especially for onions and grapes. The cargo center will help to transport such goods with the help of the cold storage facility. The transportation of perishable goods like fruits, vegetables, milk products, and meat and fishery products will be easy. 

 

The official added that 98 reefer rail containers with a carrying capacity of 12 tonne per container were procured through CONCOR for movement of fruits and vegetables to different parts of the country. The cargo centers and the rail containers will be supplementary to each other and will help to increase exports and commerce in the region.

 

Under the scheme, the Central government is developing infrastructure in the form of cold storage warehouses at both the source and destination centers for seamless transportation. It is expected that with the cold storage facility the farmers in the district will be benefitted.

Lasalgaon and Nashik, have a large number