Connect with:
Monday / March 10. 2025

logo
mobile-logo
HomePosts Tagged "chilli"
Agbiologicals, Agribusiness, Agro chems – Fertilizers, Agro chems – Pesticides, AgroPolicy, Biofertilizers, Company News, Fungicides, Herbicides, R&D

Initial estimates suggest a market size of ₹200–₹300 crores for targeted pest management products in high value crops, offering a sustained growth opportunity for Best Agrolife Ltd

Best Agrolife Ltd., one of India’s leading agrochemical manufacturers, has been granted a synergistic patent for its novel ternary pesticide formulation that integrates Spiromesifen, Hexythiazox, and Abamectin. This breakthrough product is specifically designed to address mite infestations in cotton, chilli and tea plantations, a persistent issue that threatens crop productivity and quality. This unique formulation is effective against multiple pests, delivering unparalleled efficacy in combating various mites, as well as sucking pests like whiteflies. These pests are among the most destructive to crops and vegetables including brinjal, okra, and tomato.

Mites pose a severe challenge to tea farmers, leading to crop losses ranging from 17% to 46%. The patented formulation offers a holistic approach to managing mite infestations by targeting mites across ovicidal, nymphal, and adult stages. This multi-action mechanism ensures efficient pest control, contributing to healthier crops and improved yields for high value plantations.

India, the second-largest producer of tea globally and the largest consumer, accounts for 30% of the world’s tea consumption. In 2022, tea cultivation in India spanned approximately 6.19 lakh hectares. The tea segment in India is valued at around ₹20,000 crores annually, and pest management is a critical component of this market. Mites constitute a major challenge for Tea estates.

The new product addresses a critical need, offering farmers a powerful solution to protect their crops in regions where these pests are most prevalent. States Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Punjab, Assam and West Bengal, are expected to benefit from the introduction of this product.

The new formulation has the potential to cater to a significant share of this market, especially given the increasing demand for specialized crop protection solutions. Initial estimates suggest a market size of ₹200–₹300 crores for targeted pest management products in high value crops, offering a sustained growth opportunity for Best Agrolife Ltd. Initial sale estimates in the first year of introduction are estimated to be around ₹15 to ₹30 crores.

This development underscores Best Agrolife Ltd.’s commitment to innovation and its robust R&D capabilities. By securing this patent, the company has further strengthened its product portfolio addressing a critical pain point for tea, cotton and chilli and brinjal farmers. By combining three potent active ingredients, this formulation provides broad-spectrum control, reducing the necessity for multiple applications. This not only lowers costs for farmers but also promotes sustainable agricultural practices by limiting environmental impact.

The patent is part of Best Agrolife Ltd.’s growing portfolio of specialised crop-specific product portfolio. The company’s leadership in research and development continues to drive advancements that empower farmers and support the agri-industry’s growth.

Initial estimates suggest a market size of

Agrotech, Company News, Investments

The company aims to expand and diversify its B2B brand, Fasal Fresh, procuring sustainably grown, fully traceable, and high-quality produce from its extensive network of growers covering 75,000+ acres of Farmland enabled by Fasal’s IoT-crop intelligence technology

TDK Corporation announced that TDK Ventures, Inc. has invested in India’s full-stack agriculture pioneer Fasal, in an INR 100cr round co-led by British International Investments to foster its innovative full-stack horticulture optimisation solution and bring it to market. Fasal’s solution has already been proven to improve crop yield and reduce operational costs at an affordable price to the individual farmer. This financing round provides further ammunition to Fasal in its mission to transform the Indian agriculture industry with its full-stack platform anchored on top of its patented IoT-crop intelligence technology and expand further to Southeast Asia markets.

Since the commercialisation of its technology, Fasal has worked with horticulture farmers spanning more than 75,000+ acres growing crops like grapes, pomegranates, bananas, apples, chilli, cardamom, etc. by enabling them to grow more and grow better with its patented IoT-crop intelligence technology. Fasal’s farmers have reduced irrigation water consumption by 82.8 billion litres, pesticide reduction by 127,426 kgs, curbed GHG emissions by 54,965 MT, and increased their yields and quality by up to 30 per cent with the help of technology. Fasal has gone deeper into the value chain by building technology to predict the exact harvesting time, yield, and tentative quality and is utilising this intelligence to bring this sustainably grown, traceable, and high-quality produce to the consumers via its B2B brand ‘Fasal Fresh’.

The company highlights that its technology platform has a traceable supply of over half a billion USD worth of produce, connecting seamlessly with demand across various consumption markets in the supply chain, ensuring 10x more efficient procurement thereby reducing wastages significantly. This technology platform empowers the company to synchronise supply with the most appropriate demand directly at the farm gate before the harvest itself.

The company aims to expand and diversify

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, Horticulture, R&D

This innovative plant, which is yet to be named, is built upon the success of previous projects such as the ‘Pomato’ and ‘Brimato’ plants

The ICAR-Indian Institute of Vegetable Research (IIVR) in Varanasi has embarked on a groundbreaking project to develop a new plant that can produce three vegetables simultaneously: brinjal, tomato, and chilli. This innovative plant, which is yet to be named, is built upon the success of previous projects such as the ‘Pomato’ and ‘Brimato’ plants. The scientists at IIVR are at the forefront of this effort to create a plant that can increase agricultural productivity and provide a more diverse range of vegetables to consumers.

Through the use of grafting techniques, a breakthrough was made with the creation of ‘Pomato’. The process involved germinating potato tubers, followed by grafting tomato plants onto the germinated potato tubers. The resulting plant grew successfully, with tomatoes growing above ground and potatoes developing below the surface. On average, a single ‘Pomato’ plant yielded approximately 3 kilograms of tomatoes and 1.25 kilograms of potatoes.

The ICAR-IIVR in Varanasi has demonstrated the dedication and ingenuity of its scientists through the successful development of the ‘Pomato’ and ‘Brimato’ plants, and their ongoing efforts to create a new triple vegetable plant using grafting techniques. These researchers are pushing the boundaries of what is possible in maximising crop yields and providing innovative solutions for sustainable food production.

This innovative plant, which is yet to

India, Sustainability

Representatives of women working under Umed from 34 districts across the state attended the event with samples of their produce or farm produce

A state-level ‘Buyer Seller Meet’ was organised at the CIDCO Exhibition Centre in Navi Mumbai by Umed – Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission. The innovative program ‘Buyer Seller Meet’ implemented by Maharashtra State Rural Livelihood Mission to reach out to big companies and buyers will be a milestone. The meet will provide a sustainable market for women’s agricultural and non-agricultural products of Umed Self Help Group. This innovative initiative has received a great response expressed Eknath Dawle, Principal Secretary of the Rural Development Department.

28 agreements were concluded in the presence of representatives of 41 leading chain business companies across the country and representatives of self-help groups and farmers’ women producers’ companies from across the state.

Dawle said, “The Rural Development Department is helping rural women in many ways to become financially independent to make them self-reliant through Umed Abhiyaan. Our women’s products are classy and the best in quality. Now they need to get a permanent market.”

The Principal Secretary appealed to professionals and big companies to come forward and contribute to empowering these women.

Since agriculture is the main occupation of Umed women in rural areas, the main objective of the program was to purchase the agro-based products produced by them in wholesale quantities by different companies or chain traders to get good returns to the farmers. Representatives of women working under Umed from 34 districts across the state attended the event with samples of their produce or farm produce.

In this meet, quality grains and pulses like soybean, chilli, turmeric, tur, gram, maize, millet, ragi, sorghum, spices, jaggery, honey, fruits, herbs, oilseeds etc. products were made available in sample form. Representatives of more than 30 organisations and companies were present as buyers. Buyers’ organisations and representatives of companies showed enthusiasm to sign contracts because of the availability of organic and pure products by women. The interest shown by the buyers in this program will help the women to have a sustainable market in the future.

Representatives of women working under Umed from

Agro chems – Chemicals, Company News, India

Its unique composition provides prophylactic, curative, and eradicative actions, effectively targeting a wide spectrum of crop diseases such as Sheath blight, Powdery Mildew, Scab, and Alternaria

Best Agrolife Limited (BAL), a leading player in the agrochemical industry, unveiled BAL’s latest breakthrough, the fungicide ‘Tricolor’, and facilitated an engaging platform for more than 600 dealers in Kurnool and 1250 dealers in Guntur. The occasion highlighted BAL’s commitment to sustainable agriculture and pioneering agrochemical solutions.

‘Tricolor’, the latest innovation from BAL, was introduced among dealers, with all the benefits and uses. Comprising a potent blend of Trifloxystrobin 10 per cent + Difenoconazole 12.5 per cent + Sulphur 3 per cent SC, this cutting-edge fungicide offers comprehensive disease control measures. Its unique composition provides prophylactic, curative, and eradicative actions, effectively targeting a wide spectrum of crop diseases such as Sheath blight, Powdery Mildew, Scab, and Alternaria. The synergistic integration of the three active ingredients ensures enhanced efficacy, contributing to healthier crops of Rice, Tomato, Grapes, Chilli, Wheat, Mango, and Apple. 

Vimal Kumar, Managing Director, Best Agrolife, speaking at the launch, expressed his enthusiasm for Tricolor and its potential impact on farmers and the agricultural community. He stated, “Tricolor will play a pivotal role in elevating agricultural productivity and fostering the well-being of the farming community, not only in Andhra Pradesh but across India. Tricolor is an exceptionally potent fungicide with its comprehensive approach and a blend of Trifloxystrobin, Difenoconazole, and Sulphur. It addresses the multifaceted challenges faced in cultivating key crops within the region, promising higher yields and healthier produce.”

SBVR Prasad, Executive Director, Best Agrolife, highlighted the company’s vision, stating, “We are committed to providing farmer-needed products and conducting crop pest surveys to deliver the most favourable and beneficial products. What sets us apart is our competitive pricing with multinational companies as we aim to reach every farmer across the country. We look forward to prioritising the needs of our farmers and ensuring their success.”

Its unique composition provides prophylactic, curative, and

India, Supply Chain, Trade, Vegetables

Six trucks carrying 10 tonnes of green chilli each entered the land port

After a five-day Eid-ul-Azha break, trade between India and Bangladesh resumed through the land port of Bhomra in Satkhira with the arrival of 60 tonnes of green chilli, according to local media of Bangladesh.

Six trucks carrying 10 tonnes of green chilli each entered the land port. The import would reduce the cost of green chilli on the local market.

A number of trucks carrying green chilli from India are currently travelling to Bangladesh and will arrive at the land port.

The government authorised the importation of 36,830 tonnes of green chilli, which resulted in the arrival of approximately 93 tons of the essential kitchen ingredient in Bangladesh within a week.

Bangladesh has already received over 138,000 tonnes of onion, despite the government’s authorisation to import 918,000 tonnes.

The Bangladesh Ministry of Agriculture granted permission for the importation of green chilli as a result of the rising cost of green chilli in the local market.

Six trucks carrying 10 tonnes of green

Agro chems – Chemicals, Company News, India

The company is also gearing up to launch its ambitious product Tricolor in July

Best Agrolife Ltd. recently received three more major registrations. BAL informed that the Central Insecticides Board & Registration Committee (CIBRC) had granted the registrations for Technical Indigenous manufacturing of Diclosulam technical 94 per cent minimum, Boscalid technical 96 per cent minimum and Dimethomorph technical 95.5 per cent minimum to one of its wholly owned subsidiary Best Crop Science Pvt. Ltd.

Diclosulam is a broadleaf herbicide that is used to control weeds in soybean and peanut crops, while Boscalid is a foliar fungicide against a broad range of fungal pathogens in a wide range of crops, including vegetables and other crops. It inhibits spore germination and germ tube elongation and is also effective in all other stages of fungal development. Dimethomorph is a systemic fungicide that protects potato, tomato and grape crops from fungi in the water mould family, such as root rot, crown rot, late blight and downy mildew.

“These registrations are crucial for our company and will enable us to serve the farming community better. Along with producing the technicals, we also have plans to develop their highly sought-after formulation products, which will expand our product line further and help us maintain the goal of 30 per cent growth and 20 per cent EBITDA margin,” said Vimal Kumar, MD of BAL.

“For example, Metiram 44 per cent + Dimethomorph 9 per cent WG and Dimethomorph 12 per cent + Pyraclostrobin 6.7 per cent WG are the major formulations of Dimethomorph whereas Boscalid 25.25 + Pyraclostrobin 12.8 per cent WG is the prime Boscalid formulation. Since approvals for Metiram and Pyraclostrobin technicals are already in place with the company, we can now develop these products in-house in both technical and formulations segments,” Vimal Kumar added.

It is significant to mention that BAL recently became the first Indian agrochemical company to manufacture both AI and formulations of Pyroxasulfone after getting the CIB registration for the domestic manufacturing of Pyroxasulfone 85 per cent WG. The company is also set to launch their much-awaited fungicide Tricolor, a combination product of Trifloxystrobin 10 per cent + Difenoconazole 12.5 per cent + Sulphur 3 per cent Sc. It effectively controls several crop diseases like Sheath blight, Powdery Mildew, Scab, and Alternaria in Rice, Tomato, Grapes, Chilli, Wheat, Mango, and Apple.

The company is also gearing up to

AgroPolicy, Agrotech, Company News, India, People, R&D, Sustainability

KSDA and Wadhwani AI will explore opportunities for the scaled deployment of the AI-powered early pest warning and advisory solution for cotton and other crops developed by Wadhwani AI. 

The Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence announces that Wadhwani AI has entered into a formal partnership with the Karnataka State Department of Agriculture (KSDA). This is an important partnership and will go a long way towards realising our common objective of improving the welfare of farmers across the state of Karnataka. Through this partnership, the KSDA and Wadhwani AI will explore opportunities for the scaled deployment of the AI-powered early pest warning and advisory solution for cotton and other crops developed by Wadhwani AI. 
Additionally, Wadhwani AI will work towards ensuring the AI-readiness of the KSDA and conduct capacity-building initiatives for ministry personnel on the responsible use of AI and its application to boost agriculture systems in the state.
“We look forward to collaborating with Wadhwani AI and leveraging their expertise in developing cutting-edge AI-powered solutions to enhance agriculture systems in Karnataka and improve the income of farmers. We intend to unlock the value of the agriculture pest and disease data at our disposal and utilise it to create novel solutions in crops like cotton, maize, chilli, and other crops in Karnataka, with the help of emerging AI-based technologies,” said, B. C. Patil, Minister for Agriculture, Government of Karnataka. 

“Small farmers in India depend on government programs at every step of the crop cycle. Timely, accurate, and hyperlocal AI-based early-pest warning and advisory can augment human capabilities to overcome systemic challenges in these large-scale programs. I would like to extend my thanks to Ravi Trivedi from Nudge’s Indian Administrative Fellowship, who has facilitated the deployment of our solution in the Dharwad district and provided guidance and support towards our partnership with the KSDA and the signing of this MoU,” J. P. Tripathi, Associate Director – Agriculture, Wadhwani AI.
“We are committed to using AI to meaningfully impact the lives of low-income populations, in India and other developing countries. Ensuring that our AI solutions reach the communities most affected by the problems we are trying to address and can create a meaningful impact at scale is only possible by working closely with the government, said Shekar Sivasubramanian, Chief Executive Officer, Wadhwani AI.

KSDA and Wadhwani AI will explore opportunities

Agri Genomics, China, Vegetables

Cultivation on the 650 square metres of land can produce 3000 kgs of the new variety of Chilli

China’s city of Jize has come up with a new variety of Chilli. This year, Peng Ruiling a farmer in Jize city will get 20,000 RMB (2.792USD) income from the production of a new variety of Chilli. A new variety of Chilli has been planted over 1000 acres of land this year. In May 2021 Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry, the Agricultural University of Hebei and Tianxia Red Chilli Company established Hebei Chilli Industry Technology Research Institute in Jize city. This research institute has launched this new variety of chilli last year. Peng Ruiling is the first farmer who cultivated a new variety of Chilli. Hebei Chilli Research institute is promoting a new variety of Chilli. Like Peng Ruiling other farmers may take the production of a new variety of chilli next year. Jize is a city in the Hebei province of China known as the ‘Hometown of Chilli Peppers’. In the Jize city, nearly 13,000 acres of land is under chilli cultivation, with an annual production of more than 200,000 tons of chilli. More than 130 chilli processing units are there in the Jize city with an annual processing capacity of 600,000 tonne of fresh chilli. More than one lakh workers are involved in chilli farming in Jize city.

Cultivation on the 650 square metres of