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HomePosts Tagged "Chairman & Managing Director"
Agribusiness, India, Start ups

SAMARTH featured scientific and technical sessions, gathering industry experts, researchers, and academics from across spectrums and regions to create a collaborative roadmap for sustainable solutions in agro-ecosystems and value chain development.

 BL Agro, one of India’s leading FMCG brands, and its agritech venture, Leads Connect, focused on risk management, climate, and sustainability solutions, launched SAMARTH 1.0 at Krishi Bharat in Lucknow.

The initiative, SAMARTH 1.0, Seminar on Agricultural Modelling and Assessing Risks for Transforming Humanity is designed to unite key stakeholders in a scientific dialogue focused on addressing critical challenges in agriculture. SAMARTH featured scientific and technical sessions, gathering industry experts, researchers, and academics from across spectrums and regions to create a collaborative roadmap for sustainable solutions in agro-ecosystems and value chain development.

Dr Alok B. Mukherjee, Director – Research, Analytics & Modeling at Leads Connect, highlighted the vision behind SAMARTH, saying, “SAMARTH is more than just a research journal. It’ is a way to create real, on-ground impact. By combining advanced technology with an interdisciplinary approach and hyper-local intelligence, we are moving beyond conventional AI to embrace strong AI. SAMARTH is a call to practitioners, researchers, and stakeholders in the agri-ecosystem and climate domain to contribute their work. The best three research papers, rigorously peer-reviewed and by a board, will receive awards of Rs. 50,000, Rs. 30,000, and Rs. 20,000 respectively. Beyond research, SAMARTH is about direct engagement with farmers to ensure real-world relevance. Each edition will focus on pilot studies that drive tangible, sustainable change on the ground.”

In tandem with SAMARTH 1.0, BL Agro and Leads Connect announced a call for papers to contribute to the newly unveiled scientific journal, Satellite Analytics & Transfer Intelligence (SATI). SATI will serve as a hub for breakthrough research, covering themes such as agriculture, climate and disaster management, and value chain analytics. Ten research articles, selected after a peer review process, will be published in SATI, with awards presented to the authors of the top three articles for their contributions.

Navneet Ravikar, Chairman & Managing Director, Leads Connect Services, expressed his excitement, saying, “Our efforts are driven by a deep commitment to develop robust and sustainable solutions for agriculture and the environment. The milk production technology we have introduced has transformed the entire ecosystem, bringing a new level of efficiency and productivity. We are now focused on creating stronger market linkages between agriculture and dairy, fostering a more integrated and sustainable value chain. SAMARTH 1.0 is a testament to our dedication to transforming lives and bringing smiles to people through impactful solutions.”

Special international recognition came from Jan-Kees Goet, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature, Netherlands, who also attended the event. He commended the efforts of Leads Connect in supporting farmers and strengthening the agri-ecosystem in India. Speaking on the strides being made in agricultural innovation, Goet remarked, “The Netherlands has been at the forefront of developing technologies that enhance productivity while ensuring sustainability. It is inspiring to see initiatives like SAMARTH 1.0 echoing the same values by bringing together global and local expertise to empower farmers and create sustainable agri-ecosystems.”

SAMARTH featured scientific and technical sessions, gathering

Agribusiness, Agro chems – Fertilizers, Company News, Finance, India

Company’s Crop Nutrition Business (CNB) achieved a remarkable 83 per cent YoY increase in sales volume of manufactured bulk fertilizer, which is highest ever sales.

Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Limited (DFPCL), one of India’s leading producers of industrial and mining chemicals and fertilisers, announced its results for the quarter ended September 30, 2024. Company’ s EBITDA Margin improved to 18 per cent compared to 12 per cent year-over-year. Company’s Crop Nutrition Business (CNB) achieved a remarkable 83 per cent YoY increase in sales volume of manufactured bulk fertilizer, which is the highest ever sales.

Commenting on the performance, Sailesh C. Mehta, Chairman & Managing Director said, DFPCL has shown impressive performance in Q2 FY25, achieving a 13 per cent growth in revenue. This growth was primarily driven by the Crop Nutrition business, which experienced an 18 per cent YoY increase in revenue, while the Chemical business grew by 8 per cent YoY despite a lean quarter for the chemical sectors.

“Fertilizer and Chemical businesses acted as a natural hedge, enabling the company to deliver consistent and improved performance.

“There has been a consistent increase in the proportion of revenue from specialty products, along with an overall rise in revenue, driven by the strategic move of transitioning from commodity to specialty,” says Mehta.

The ammonia plant has enabled all our businesses to reap substantial benefits from backward integration, effectively mitigating supply chain risks and price volatility. As a result, we are now able to capture the increases in global ammonia prices within the group.

As India continues to grow, the chemical and fertilizer sectors are poised to thrive. The demand outlook for the Crop Nutrition, Mining Chemicals, and Industrial Chemicals Business is well aligned with India’s growth story, providing strong and positive tailwinds. We are actively working on the execution of the TAN Project and the Nitric Acid Project in Gopalpur and Dahej, respectively, to capitalize on future growth.

Crop Nutrition Business (Fertilisers) Review

In Q2 FY25, manufactured bulk fertilizer has achieved highest ever sales volume of 268 KMT, an 83 per cent YoY increase, driven by improved demand from above-average rains, which led to 102% Kharif crop sowing and positive market sentiment across all regions.

Sales volume of Croptek surged to 37 KMT, reflecting a 70 per cent YoY growth, with continued focus on providing crop-specific solutions for targeted crops, including cotton, soybean, sugarcane, corn, grapes, pomegranate, and banana.

The company has recently launched premium water-soluble fertilizer grades. Sale of specialty fertilizer Bensulf was 9 KMT, up 7 per cent YoY.

Company’s Crop Nutrition Business (CNB) achieved a

Agribusiness, Agro chems – Chemicals, Agro chems – Fertilizers, Agro chems – Pesticides, Company News, Finance, India

During Q4 2024, company has posted net profit of Rs 220 crore compared to Rs 257 crore in Q4 FY 2023, reflecting a decline of 14.7 per cent.

Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Limited (DFPCL), one of India’s leading producers of industrial chemicals and fertilisers, announced its consolidated results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended March 31, 2024.

During Q4 2024, DFPCL has posted net profit of Rs. 220 crore compared to Rs 257 crore in Q4 FY 2023, reflecting a decline of 14.7 per cent. On QoQ basis, DFPCL’s Q4 PAT registered 262.8 per cent growth as PAT in Q3 FY24 stood at Rs 61 crore.

n Q4 FY24, DFPCL has reported Operating Revenue of Rs. 2,086 crore as compared to Operating Revenue of Rs. 2,796 crore in Q3 FY23. The company’s Operating Revenue stood at Rs. 1,853 crore in Q3 FY24.

For the Financial Year ended March 31, 2024, DFPCL has posted net profit of Rs 457 crore as compared to Rs. 1,221 crore for the Financial Year ended March 31, 2023, reflecting a drop of 62.5 per cent. During FY 2024, the company posted Operating Revenue of Rs 8,676 crore as compared to Rs. 11,301 crore resulting in a de-growth of 23.2 per cent.

Commenting on the performance, Sailesh Mehta, Chairman & Managing Director, DFPCL, said, ““The company has shown resilience and strategic focus despite the Chemical and Fertilisers segment facing challenges simultaneously. Short-term aberration in the import of fertilizer-grade ammonium nitrate from Russia, low cost Nitroaromatics from China and below normal rainfall in our core markets impacted business performance.  Despite the odds the company has delivered healthy performance with sustained margins, driven by innovation, operational excellence, and sustainability.”

 Mehta also mentioned that we have entered into a 15-year long-term gas supply agreement with Equinor, commencing in May 2026. This move will ensure continuous supplies of Natural Gas and is expected to improve margins through effective natural gas/LNG hedging and in-house ammonia production, ensuring greater stability.

We also signed a Commercial agreement with Haifa Group, a renowned multinational corporation specializing in Specialty Crop Nutrient. The MAL-Haifa offerings will support agricultural practices that counter the vicious trend of water scarcity and also enhance Nutrient Uptake & Use Efficiency in the plants.

For FY 24-25, the demand outlook for all our business segments looks positive. ‘IMD’ has forecasted above average normal rainfall in FY25, expecting a good Kharif and Rabi season this year.

During Q4 2024, company has posted net

Agro chems – Fertilizers, Collaborations, Company News, India

This agreement is for annual supplies of up to 0.65 million tonnes over a period of 15 years, beginning 2026. 

Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Limited (DFPCL), one of India’s leading producers of industrial chemicals and fertilisers, and Equinor, an international energy company headquartered in Norway, have entered into a long-term supply agreement for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

With this tie-up, DFPCL strengthens its value chain with an attractive long-term LNG contract to solidify its value chain from Gas to Ammonia to various downstream Fertilisers, Industrial Chemicals and Mining Chemicals. This end-to-end tie-up shall establish a strong long-term foundation for all of DFPCL’s product segments.

Equinor, erstwhile Statoil, is amongst the established leaders in the oil & gas sector over the last 50 years, with a market cap of USD 75 Billion wherein majority shares are owned by the Norwegian Government.

The agreement signed by Irene Rummelhoff, Executive Vice President, Equinor and Sailesh C. Mehta, Chairman & Managing Director, DFPCL, is one of the largest contracts signed by Equinor with a private sector company in India.

This agreement is for annual supplies of up to 0.65 million tonnes over a period of 15 years, beginning 2026.  The tie-up provides room for trading some LNG parcels in the growing LNG demands in India as well as accommodating DFPCL’s growing captive needs. The LNG will be delivered to the west coast of India. DFPCL is at an advanced stage of tying up the Re-gasification Terminal with the Gas pipeline grid connectivity to its plant’s doorstep already in place.

The LNG agreement also encourages the companies to further collaborate on petrochemicals feedstocks and strategic decarbonization pathways in the future.

“We are very happy to enter into this long-term agreement with Equinor for supply of LNG. This will put on a solid footing Deepak Fertilisers value-chain right from Gas to Ammonia to building block Nitric Acids to downstream Fertilisers, Mining Chemicals and Industrial Chemicals, helping it to absorb Global volatility as well as enhance overall margins.  We also look forward to exploring with Equinor, strategic tie-ups in our Chemical Business, as well as carbon footprint reduction initiatives.” said Sailesh C. Mehta, Chairman & Managing Director, DFPCL.

“I am happy that we have entered into this agreement with Deepak, and it is an example of how we use our position in the Atlantic basin to strengthen our relationship with key players in the growing Indian market. Ammonia is a key building block for the society, being crucial for agriculture and food security. Deepak’s new ammonia plant will provide new, domestic fertiliser supply to India and we are proud to provide its feedstock in the form of natural gas. We look forward to further developing our relationship with Deepak on feedstocks and low carbon initiatives in the future”, says Equinor’s Senior vice president for Gas & Power Helge Haugane.

This agreement is for annual supplies of

Agrotech, Company News, Finance, India, Institutions, Start ups

The two companies will hold a 50-50 % stake in the new company under the JV.

Noida based Leads Connect Services, a premier agritech data, risk management, and financial services company, and Ensuredit, an AI-based platform that brings efficiency to the insurance distribution cycle, are delighted to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a strategic joint venture (JV) named ‘Leads Ensuredit Private Limited’.

The collaboration harnesses the power of technology, data analytics, and industry insights to improve the financial resilience of farmers and agribusinesses by developing tailored insurance products that help with enhanced risk management.

Leads Connect has been a leading force in pioneering inventive solutions for the agricultural sector, catering to the diverse requirements of farmers, agribusinesses, and financial institutions. It has brought about a paradigm shift in agricultural financing, ensuring effortless access to capital and financial services for farmers throughout the country.

Ensuredit, an established platform-as-a-service (PaaS) insurtech provider in India, has positively impacted millions of individuals and businesses, transforming the insurance industry through state-of-the-art technological solutions.

The collaboration combines the proven expertise and capabilities of both organisations. It creates a dynamic fusion of agricultural knowledge, agri-research, disaster risk management, and an understanding of insurance technology to provide a short- and medium-term product roadmap for farmers and agribusinesses.

The primary objective of the joint venture is to build a futuristic insurtech infrastructure that will provide comprehensive insurance solutions and drive innovation in the agri-insurtech sector. In the initial phase following the formation of the joint venture, the focus will be on expanding service offerings in national and international markets.

Both Leads Connect Agritech and Ensuredit are committed to the success of the JV and will provide all resources to ensure its growth and development. Furthermore, Leads Ensuredit plans to hire an initial core team of 7 to 8 people, which will be expanded based on business growth needs.

Amit Boni, CEO of Ensuredit, commented, “We are thrilled to partner with Leads Connect in this exciting joint venture. The signing of the MoU and the alliance are history in the making.

By springboarding on each other’s strengths, we’ll be offering unique value to the sector. With Leads Ensuredit, we aim to make a positive impact by providing farmers with innovative agri-fintech solutions that enhance their productivity, mitigate risks, and improve the overall ecosystem.”

Navneet Ravikar, Chairman & Managing Director, Leads Connect Services, expressed great enthusiasm about the joint venture, stating, “Leads Ensuredit represents an unprecedented opportunity to transform the agricultural landscape by leveraging the power of agritech, fintech, and insurtech. By combining our agricultural expertise with Ensuredit’s technological prowess, we are confident that we can deliver ground-breaking financial inclusion that will empower everyone and contribute to the sector.”

The two companies will hold a 50-50

Agrotech, Biostimulants, India, Interaction

In an interview with AgroSpectrum Juzar S. Khorakiwala, Chairman & Managing Director, Biostadt India Limited, shared his views about the future prospects of the biostimulant industry in India. Edited excerpts;

Biostadt India, one of the world’s largest companies in seaweed-based plant biostimulants, with multiple brands under its umbrella was started in 1987 as Biostadt Agri-sciences under the leadership of Juzar S. Khorakiwala. With a presence in over 20 countries, Biostadt India is a diversified agrochemical organisation with an annual turnover of Rs 1,000 crore. The company has gained a solid reputation in the agrochemical industry, with a focus on developing crop healthcare products that utilise biological means of plant protection and to increase farm productivity. One of their flagship products, Biozyme, is the world’s largest selling plant growth stimulant. In an interview with AgroSpectrum Juzar S. Khorakiwala, Chairman & Managing Director, Biostadt India Limited, shared his views about the future prospects of the biostimulant industry in India. Edited excerpts;

How do you envisage the future of the biostimulants industry in India?

With the ongoing developments within the agriculture industry today and the environment becoming more positive, it is only a matter of time for biostimulants to become an integral part of the agriculture industry. We should be able to see a marked change in the industry within one decade.

Most Indian families have landholdings of less than 2 hectares each, and they are heavily focused on increasing harvest yields. How do you feel about biostimulants as a new advancement in this regard?

Intensive cultivation over a period of time has exhausted the soil resulting in a significant depletion of fertility levels. With the use of biostimulants which are, by nature, more effective on crop growth, farmers will be able to achieve better yield making it more feasible for them to produce and sell better quality crops. This also results in better soil health and productivity.

Which types of biostimulants are most popular among users, and where in the country are they most commonly used?

Amongst those available today, we see the use of biostimulants that have high content of amino acids, humic acids and especially seaweed extracts. These are being used effectively to improve agricultural yields across the country.

If we compare biostimulants with biopesticides and biofertilisers, which is producing better results and why?

Biostimulants, biopesticides and biofertilisers are all essential to agricultural production. Each of these have a specific role to play according to the requirements of the corps. Among them, biostimulants play a vital role in improving soil health and productivity of the crops, ultimately benefiting farmers.

What are the major challenges that are hampering the growth of biostimulants in India?

Limited awareness mainly amongst small farmers, about biostimulants and its features is one of the many challenges faced. However, guidelines and regulations that are being put in place more effectively, are very important and helpful for serious players like Biostadt that manufacture organic products. Another challenge is the time it takes for biostimulants to positively impact the soil. The repeated use of soil depletes its nutrition quotient. With the use of biostimulants, this previously low nutrient soil is enhanced over a period of time. The transformed soil is then able to produce better quality yield and thereby help the farmer with good quality and quantity of crops. 

The Indian government announced in April 2021 that biostimulants would be governed by the same standards that regulate fertilisers and other crop nutrients used to boost soil health. Is this move by the government striking the right chord for the industry? Can you elaborate on this?

This is indeed a very positive change occurring in the Indian agriculture industry. This will set the direction and regulations required for farmers to be able to produce quality products.

This pandemic has influenced consumer behaviour in favour of organic produce to the point where it may become an integral part of people’s shopping habits. Can this shift also be considered as a positive sign for the biostimulants industry?

A significant population of India is becoming aware about the quality of food consumed. The use of biostimulants will be very helpful in improving the quality and productivity of produce which will have an impact on sales for the farmer community.

What are your expectations from the government?

The government is on the right path and we are positive and hopeful for continued support in terms of regulations and guidelines to help the biostimulant industry. This will be immensely helpful for companies that are dedicated to the segment.

The biostimulants that promote root growth and increase size of the fruits and vegetables are getting increasingly popular. What is the reason for this?

Farmers that are able to sell better produce are much more effective than farmers that sell low quality produce. With increased awareness and concern towards the nutritional content of fruits and vegetables consumed today, it is imperative for the farmer to be able to produce and sell good quality products. Due to this high demand, farmers need to be able to grow good quality and a variety of crops almost all year through. This increases the pressure on the soil, drastically impacting its health. Factors such as intensive cultivation and environmental aspects such as the lack of rainfall or in some cases, more than adequate rainfall are detrimental to crop yield.

With all these factors under consideration, biostimulants have therefore been found to be most effective towards producing better quality crops. The soil is enriched with nutrients resulting in a stronger and better yield.

To read more click on:https://agrospectrumindia.com/e-magazine

In an interview with AgroSpectrum Juzar S.