šŸŽ„šŸŒŸ šŸŽ‰ Wishing our readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year filled with new possibilities! šŸŽ„šŸŒŸ šŸŽ‰
Connect with:
Monday / December 23. 2024

logo
mobile-logo
HomePosts Tagged "finance"
AgroPolicy, India, Supply Chain, Warehousing

These silo projects, built on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate & Transfer (DBFOT) basis, have been developed with private investment and are now fully operational.

As a part of 100 days achievements of Department of Food and Public Distribution under Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has successfully developed several state-of-the-art silo projects under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. These projects mark a significant step in modernizing Indiaā€™s food grain supply chain, ensuring efficient and sustainable storage and movement of essential commodities.

The latest addition to FCIā€™s infrastructure includes six operational silos strategically located in different regions of the country. These silo projects, built on a Design, Build, Finance, Own & Operate (DBFOO) or Design, Build, Finance, Operate & Transfer (DBFOT) basis, have been developed with private investment and are now fully operational.

Key Highlights of the Silo Projects:

Darbhanga Silo Project (Bihar):

Developed under the DBFOO model by M/s Adani Agri Logistics (Darbhanga) Ltd., this project includes a 50,000 MT storage capacity and a dedicated railway siding. It was completed in Commissioned in April 2024 and is now fully operational.

Samastipur Silo Project (Bihar):

Similar to the Darbhanga project, this silo in Samastipur was developed by M/s Adani Agri Logistics (Samastipur) Ltd. with a 50,000 MT capacity. Completed in May 2024, the facility is now operational.

Sahnewal Silo Project (Punjab):

Developed under the DBFOT model by M/s Leap Agri Logistics (Ludhiana) Pvt. Ltd., this project features a 50,000 MT capacity and supports local farmers by improving grain procurement and storage efficiency in Punjab. The project was completed in May 2024.

Baroda Silo Project (Gujarat):

With a 50,000 MT storage capacity, the Baroda Silo was completed in May 2024 by M/s Leap Agri Logistics (Baroda) Pvt. Ltd. and is operational, enhancing grain storage capabilities in the region.

Chheheratta Silo Project (Punjab):

Located in Amritsar, this facility was developed by M/s NCML Chhehretta Pvt. Ltd. with a 50,000 MT storage capacity. Completed in May 2024, it now provides essential storage for grains procured from farmers in the region.

Batala Silo Project (Punjab):

Located in Gurdaspur, the Batala Silo project, developed by M/s NCML Batala Pvt. Ltd., was completed in June 2024. With a 50,000 MT capacity, it further enhances FCIā€™s storage infrastructure in the region, benefiting numerous local farmers.

These silos will significantly enhance the Food Corporation of India (FCI)’s ability to ensure food security in several critical ways:

  • Enhanced Storage Capacity
  • Better Preservation
  • Reduced Losses
  • Efficient Handling and Bulk Storage
  • Automated Systems
  • Enables better quality control of stored grains.
  • Built with integrated rail and road transportation links,
  • Facilities designed for mechanized bulk loading and unloading
  • Lower Operating Costs

These silo projects and transportation initiatives are part of FCIā€™s broader efforts to ensure food security and reduce losses by improving storage and transportation infrastructure. The silos are equipped with modern technology, ensuring better preservation of grains, reducing losses, and supporting farmers by providing improved procurement facilities.

These silo projects, built on a Design,

Company News, People, World

Julio Triana is currentlyĀ Head of Commercial Operations Region International for Bayerā€™s Pharmaceuticals Division

The Supervisory Board of Bayer AG has appointed Julio Triana to Bayerā€™s Board of Management effective April 1, 2024. He will become President of the Consumer Health Division effective May 1, 2024, and succeed Heiko Schipper, who has asked the Supervisory Board to bring forward the end date of his contract to pursue a career opportunity outside of Bayer. Schipper will leave the company effective April 30, 2024. 

Julio Triana is currently Head of Commercial Operations Region International for Bayerā€™s Pharmaceuticals Division, a member of the Divisionā€™s Executive Committee as well as the Senior Bayer Representative Japan and President of Bayer Holding, Ltd. Japan. Triana is a very seasoned executive with a dynamic 30-year career in the global healthcare industry. He joined Bayer in 2002 and has held roles of increasing responsibility in Finance, Strategy, Business Development and most recently Commercial Operations, among others. Triana holds an MBA from Universidad Antonio de Nebrija (Madrid, Spain) as well as a Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Houston (Houston, Texas, USA). He has comprehensive experience in leading and transforming large organizations across multiple functions and in different cultural contexts with a strong track record of successful market expansions, sustainable revenue growth and orchestrating complex integrations.

Julio Triana is currentlyĀ Head of Commercial Operations

Finance, Sustainability, World

The financing supports domestic food production, reduces import dependency, and addresses food security challenges arising from economic, climate, and regional political uncertainties

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Bank Respublika Open Joint Stock Company signed a 34 million Azerbaijan manat loan (around $20 million) to support women borrowers and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) involved in agricultural production, processing, and trade in Azerbaijan.

The financing supports domestic food production, reduces import dependency, and addresses food security challenges arising from economic, climate, and regional political uncertainties. Boosting the agriculture sector has significant potential to reduce poverty as most of the country’s food is produced by smallholder farmers.

“MSMEs are essential to lift incomes and create jobs in Azerbaijan, as they employ more than two-thirds of working people and nearly 40 per cent of registered women-owned businesses are in the agriculture sector. Bank Respublika is a longstanding reliable partner of ADB and its work aligns with ADB’s goal of improving food security, strengthening agriculture, and helping women to access finance, training, and markets. We look forward to our continued partnership with Bank Respublika” said Candice McDeigan, ADBā€™s Azerbaijan Country Director.

A majority of private businesses in Azerbaijan are MSMEs with almost half of them located in rural areas. Despite their importance, MSMEs struggle to access financial resources, making it harder for them to secure bank loans than larger firms. The countryā€™s financial sector is slowly recovering from the impact of COVID-19 while currency-related risks continue to be a concern in the banking sector.

“Bank Respublika is a strong and valued partner due to its significant presence in rural areas, focus on MSMEs, and commitment to improving financial access for women and rural customers,” says Suzanne Gaboury, ADB Director General for Private Sector Operations. “This deal draws from our regional experience, particularly the advantages of using local currency to strengthen capital markets.ā€

ADB will also issue a Manat-denominated bond to support the loan. ADB will also work with Bank Respublika to promote gender equality through a professional development certification program for women employees and tailored financial services for female clients. ADB will work with Bank Respublika to develop gender-disaggregated loan data and provide training to loan agents on understanding womenā€™s business concerns.

The financing supports domestic food production, reduces

AgroPolicy, India, IT, Supply Chain, Sustainability, Warehousing

The MoU is aimed at providing information to depositors about the benefits, besides doing further outreach activities to improve agricultural pledge finance in India.

To facilitate farmers and traders in providing low-interest rate loans, Warehousing Development Regulatory Authority(WDRA) exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the  Punjab National Bank (PNB)  in the presence of T.K Manoj Kumar, Chairperson, WDRA, Mukesh Kumar Jain, Member, WDRA, Atul Kumar Goel, MD&CEO, PNB, Sunil Kumar Chug, CGM, PNB and other senior officers of WDRA and PNB.

The MoU was signed with the intent of promoting awareness about finance against e-NWRs (electronic Negotiable Warehouse Receipts) with features such as no additional collateral and attractive interest rates. The MoU is aimed at providing information to depositors about the benefits, besides doing further outreach activities to improve agricultural pledge finance in India.

It is envisaged that the product will have far-reaching consequences with regard to the acceptance of e-NWRs among small and marginal farmers. It has the potential to make a significant impact on the finances of rural depositors by preventing distressed sales and releasing better prices for the produce.

Combined with the inherent security and negotiability of the e-NWR system, the Produce Marketing Loan will go a long way in improving rural liquidity and increasing farmerā€™s income.

During the event, a presentation was made by WDRA on the importance of post-harvest pledge financing using warehouse receipts for improving rural credit. Bank officers from up-country locations joined in video-conferencing mode. The bank representatives also highlighted the risks faced by the lending institutions in this sector. WDRA assured their full regulatory support in improving the fiduciary trust among stakeholders.

The MoU is aimed at providing information

Agrotech, Company News, Finance, India, Institutions

Farm Pass serves over 600,000 farmers in India and two million globally, providing a standard interface for farmers and buyers

To economically empower smallholder farmers in rural India, Bayer, Rabo Partnerships and MasterCard have entered into a partnership to launch a scalable programme to advance the digitisation of the countryā€™s agricultural finance ecosystem. This collaboration brings together the decades of expertise of the three companies in digital and agri finance and payments technology to bear upon the task of expanding access to agronomic knowledge, products, services, and partnerships. Over five years, the program aims to benefit 10 million smallholder farmers in India by enabling them to gain easier access to formal financial services.

Smallholder farmers account for 86 per cent of Indiaā€™s agrarian economy but have difficulty sourcing quality farm products and are often at the mercy of middlemen when it comes to pricing. MasterCardā€™s Farm Pass is a digital ecosystem platform that works offline, even with feature phones, connecting buyers, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and other agriculture ecosystem players with farmers digitally, and helping them get the best value for their produce. The solution, which serves over 600,000 farmers in India and two million globally, creates a standard interface for farmers and buyers that facilitates greater efficiency in the agriculture value chain.

The program is part of Bayerā€™s commitment to reach 100 million smallholder farmers worldwide by 2030 with much-needed inputs, digital tools and financial services. Bayerā€™s FarmRise provides various digital advisory services to smallholders today and through MasterCardā€™s Farm Pass digital platform, farmers will gain access to new marketplaces and a much wider pool of potential buyers, enabling them to improve their livelihoods in a commercially sustainable way. Rabo Partnerships will enable access to financial services over the platform by the Indian financial sector, by enabling data-driven credit scoring, credit analytics and product development within the partner financial institutions.

D Narain, President, of Bayer South Asia and Global Head of Smallholder Farming said, ā€œBayer has been working with farmers to increase their income and productivity by enabling access to best-in-class products, the latest technology, and low-cost finance. Its initiatives like Better Life Farming, food value chain partnerships, etc. are already transforming the lives of millions of farmers in India. We are delighted to now join hands with Rabo Partnerships and MasterCard to build a digital ecosystem, which will further help smallholders in India. Through this partnership, smallholder farmers will not only gain easier access to agricultural advisory services and direct market linkages, but also build their credit profiles and lower their input costs through access to institutional credit, allowing them to increase efficiency, improve crop yields, and grow their profits significantly.ā€

Nikhil Sahni, Division President, South Asia, MasterCardsaid, ā€œAs part of MasterCardā€™s pledge to connect one billion people to the digital economy, the company has been actively working with farmers in several countries to bring them onto a digital platform that directly connects them with buyers, empowering them to negotiate the best price for their produce. This is in line with the Indian governmentā€™s efforts towards inclusive growth by leveraging technology. The collaboration with Bayer and Rabo Partnerships is helping build a very effective model of agricultural digitisation that can serve as a global example.ā€

David Gerbrands, Global Head Advisory & Inclusive Ventures, Rabo Partnerships said: ā€œRabo Partnerships aims to contribute to the improvement of farmer livelihoods worldwide. Achieving this requires sustainable partnerships, which is why Rabo Partnerships is excited to partner with Bayer and Mastercard to establish a scalable digital ecosystem, enabling farmers and as well as other agricultural value chain partners with a wide array of services, including agro advisory, inputs procurement, marketing, and access to formal financial services.ā€

Farm Pass serves over 600,000 farmers in

Company News, Environment, Finance, India, Institutions, World

Investment to help improve access to sustainable, tailor-made agri-solutions benefiting millions of Indian farmers

IFC and IFC Emerging Asia Fund (EAF) have made an investment of Rs 300 Cr (approx.US$37Mn) in Crystal Crop Protection Ltd., a leading agrochemical player in India. This will allow the company to boost farm productivity, reduce supply chain disruptions triggered by COVID-19, and set up a robust infrastructure for sustainable production of crop protection products. The IFC Emerging Asia Fund, launched in 2016, makes equity and equity-like investments across all sectors in emerging markets in Asia alongside IFC.


The new investment promises to benefit millions of Indian farmers by establishing a robust production framework for green crop solutions. The project will increase farmersā€™ access to customised, affordable, and environment-friendly crop protection products, and in doing so, enhance their productivity. While supporting farmers, the project will increase market competitiveness, playing a catalytic role in strengthening the agriculture sector in India.


While agriculture provides employment for nearly half of Indiaā€™s labour force, it contributed only about 17 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP) in 1Q-FY23. Farmer incomes are low and volatile due to poor access to quality inputs, credit, technical expertise, and markets. Addressing these challenges will help the sector increase profits and raise farmersā€™ incomes.

The financing package will support Crystal Growth plans, enabling it to focus on innovation and strengthening its research and development (R&D) capacity. Improved R&D ability will support the Indian agrochemical industry to align itself with environmentally friendly global market trends.

Commenting on the transaction,Ā Ankur Aggarwal, Managing Director, of Crystal Crop Protection Limited, said, “This investment will further consolidate the companyā€™s position in the Indian market and strengthen its commitment toward sustainable crop solutions to increase farm profitability of Indian farmers by leveraging R&D and technology. We remain committed to the highest standards of environmental, health and safety guidelines, and governance in all our operations.ā€³

Commenting on IFCā€™s investment,Ā Wendy Werner, India Country Head at IFC, said: ā€³IFCā€™s investment will help improve access to sustainable, tailor-made agri-solutions benefiting millions of farmers.ā€³ ā€³Strengthening climate-smart agribusiness is at the heart of our development mission in the country. We are confident this investment will bolster supply chains, encourage future investors and promote resilience in the sector,ā€³ she added.

The investment will also help the company improve its IT infrastructure and automation in its plants. Going forward, Crystal aims to grow double digits in crop protection chemicals and seeds by funding working capital requirements. The company recently launched a new business in agrochemical retail, Safire Crop Science, which will leverage technology to promote crop solutions and services, allowing farmers to access them more efficiently.


Investment to help improve access to sustainable,

Agrotech, Finance

The partnership will have access to more than 40 million farmers inĀ IndiaĀ and focus on transforming how farmers mitigate and adapt to climate change and other livelihood related risks

Agriculture Insurance Company of India Limited (AICIL),Ā a nationalised insurance company under the Ministry of Finance, Government ofĀ India,Ā has signed a three-year agreement withĀ Wingsure,Ā an insurtech company that leverages artificial intelligence and deep technology to protect farmers worldwide.

As part of the agreement, Wingsure will use its advanced technology capabilities to significantly strengthen the accessibility of insurance products and services to farmers in India; curate and promote AICIL’s comprehensive portfolio of agriculture insurance products and enable its channels, including groups and partner brokers, to distribute on its mobile app.

Launched to support economic empowerment with transparency and promote sustainability through modern agricultural practices, Wingsure’s application leverages advanced computer vision, augmented reality, and voice capabilities to provide intelligence and facilitate the underwriting and insurance claims processes for small holder farmers. The partnership will have access to more than 40 million farmers in India and focus on transforming how farmers mitigate and adapt to climate change and other livelihood related risks. 

Malay Poddar,Ā Chairman and Managing Director, AICIL,Ā said,Ā “We firmly believe that technology implementation is key to providing insurance and thereby protecting the underserved. Through our association, we will utilise the Wingsure technology platform to support our vision of how farmers can leverage insurance to mitigate risk.”

The partnership will have access to more

Finance

This partnership will enable Samunnati to scale its outreach to FPOs with customised financial solutions at affordable interest rates, leveraging the vast resources available with SBI

Samunnati, Indiaā€™s Open Agri Network has entered into the largest co-lending partnership in India aimed at the Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) space with SBI, Indiaā€™s largest bank. The initial programme amount is Rs 100 Crores.Ā 

This partnership will enable Samunnati to scale its outreach to FPOs with customised financial solutions at affordable interest rates, leveraging the vast resources available with SBI. The partnership will enhance the outreach for SBI channel credit to the under-served segment of small-holder farmers in the agriculture sector, by leveraging Samunnatiā€™s outreach and nuanced understanding of the FPO sector. 

SBI and Samunnati has also entered into a non-financial MOU to develop the FPO Sector, to mainstream FPO as an asset class and increase awareness of this class of farmer-owned institutions in the Banking sector. 

Samunnati works with a growing network of 3000+ Farmer Collectives with a member base of over 6 million farmers with solutions spanning Agri Finance, Agri Commerce, and advisory services.Ā  Speaking to the Founder & CEO of Samunnati, Anil Kumar SG said, ā€œSBIā€™s pan-India presence and deep interest in Financial Inclusion of the small-holder farmers are enablers for helping an FPO avail an array of financial services. Our collective ambition is to make markets work for smallholder farmers by making available adequate, affordable and timely credit to the FPOs.ā€

This partnership will enable Samunnati to scale

Agrotech

The new partnership will promote Evonik’s agribusiness capabilities and help to leverage its innovation in the area through better connections to the regional agribusiness ecosystem

Evonik has recently entered into a technological cooperation agreement with the AgTech Garage innovation centre in the Piracicaba Technology Park, in the state of Sao Paolo. The new partnership will promote Evonik’s agribusiness capabilities and help to leverage its innovation in the area through better connections to the regional agribusiness ecosystem.

ā€œWe are committed to developing innovative and sustainable solutions for the South American agricultural market. This partnership with AgTech Garage will help us to strongly connect with large companies and startups to promote and develop new technologies for the agricultural industry through open innovationā€, said Diego Abreu, Global Marketing Head of Evonik Interface & Performance’s agricultural market segment.

AgTech Garage is one of the worldā€™s main innovation hubs specialising in agrobusiness, promoting initiatives that connects startups, producers, investors, academics, scientists, and other stakeholders to develop technological solutions that contribute to a more sustainable, competitive, and socially inclusive agribusiness across the entire value chain. With established partnerships and the support of leading companies, AgTech Garageā€™s network provides an innovation dynamic: open, connected, collaborative and agile.

The new partnership will promote Evonik's agribusiness

Finance, Sustainability

Company invests in new technologies to reduce emissions

Evonik Venture Capital has invested in two sustainability funds: Azolla Ventures I and the Chrysalix Venture Capitalā€™s Carbon Neutrality Fund. Both companies are looking into CO2 reduction technologies, with Azolla focused on North America and Chrysalix globally. This is Evonik’s venture capital armā€™s first investment using the new ā‚¬150 million Sustainability Tech Fund. All parties have agreed to not disclose the amount of the investment.

“By working with Azolla Ventures and Chrysalix, we gain an early insight into pioneering technologies for CO2 reduction worldwide. This also helps us to achieve our own sustainability goals,” said Dr Bernhard Mohr, head of Evonik Venture Capital.

The current fund focuses primarily on start-ups in North America whose innovations have the potential to make a significant contribution to reducing emissions.

Evonik has set a goal of significantly reducing the direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions of its own production and processing operations by 2030. Both Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions are to be reduced from the current 6.5 million tonnes to 4.9 million tonnes.

The company’s ambitions are strengthened by the new Sustainability Tech Fund. This fund focuses on investments in six technology fields: circular economy, alternative raw materials, future mobility, hydrogen economy, renewable carbon and clean energy. With the Sustainability Tech Fund, the total fund volume of Evonik Venture Capital increases to ā‚¬400 million.

Company invests in new technologies to reduce

Start ups

The joint venture together aims to create an ecosystem that is Sustainable, Economic and boosts the Environmental Development of Villages through Agriculture Tourism

A S AGRI AND AQUA LLP, widely recognised as a pioneer in Hi-tech soil-based Vertical Farming in India and one of the largest turmeric producers has announced their investment in Shark Tank fame farmer Pandurang Tawareā€™s startup Agri Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC). The move is a positive step towards bringing attention to Agri Eco-Horti Tourism in India and work on a combined vision of providing the maximum benefits to the farmers, the company statement shared. The joint venture together aims to create an ecosystem that is Sustainable, Economic and boosts the Environmental Development of Villages through Agriculture Tourism.
Ā Ā 

“Agriculture has lot of potential in many ways and if given the right direction, farmers can contribute a lot in the country’s growth. We are looking at working together and bringing hi-tech cluster vertical farming projects under the belt of Agri Eco-Horti Tourism in India. This will serve as a joint platform to further the agenda of helping the farmer community become financially self-sufficient and independent,”Ā sharedĀ Dr Prashant Zade, Founder, A S AGRI AND AQUA LLP.

The turmeric produced by A S Agri is consistent in quality, variety, growing method, and contains levels of curcumin suitable for export – giving access to a huge international market.

Pandurang Taware, Founder, Agri Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC)Ā shared,Ā “A S AGRI, with its immense expertise has given the much-needed confidence to the farmers to start their own Agri Eco Horti tourism centres. Coupled with vertical farming clusters, the new projects will definitely play an important role in future food production of the country.”

“Weā€™re seeing good reception so far with this model with more than 1500 projects running and this is only going to grow in the coming years with the cluster projects being announced which will benefit lacs of farmers,”Ā Dr ZadeĀ shared.

The joint venture together aims to create

Finance

Benson Hill will release its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year endingĀ December 31, 2021Ā 

Benson Hill, a provider of crop design platform to develop healthier and more sustainable food and ingredients has announced recently that it will release its financial results for the fourth quarter and full year endingĀ December 31, 2021Ā and provide guidance for 2022, before market open onĀ March 28, 2022.

The Company will host a webcast to discuss the results at 8:30 am. Eastern Time, including a presentation by management followed by a Q&A session.

Benson Hill moves food forward with the CropOS platform, a cutting-edge food innovation engine that combines data science and machine learning with biology and genetics. 

Benson Hill will release its financial results

Finance

UPL has delivered another quarter of strong business performance in a challenging environment

UPL Limited has recently reported financial results for the third quarter of FY22 (Oct-Dec 2021). Q3 FY22 revenueĀ witnessedĀ robust growth of 24 per cent YoY to reach Rs 11,297 crore, led by healthy growth in volumes (+11 per cent) and better product realisations (+13 per cent). Further, Q3 FY22 EBITDA grew by 21 per cent YoY to Rs 2,666 croreĀ as against Rs 2,209 crore in Q3 FY21.

Commenting on the performance, Jai Shroff, CEO ā€“ UPL Limited, said ā€œUPL delivered another quarter of strong business performance in a challenging environment with growth across all regions except India. We are confident of continuing this business momentum and ending the fiscal year 2022 on a strong note.ā€ ā€œWe also undertook multiple initiatives to re-imagine sustainability and in Q3, we successfully raised a sustainability loan of $700 million.ā€

He added, ā€œAt the same time, furthering our commitment to the Gigaton challenge, our digital platform ā€˜nurture.farmā€™ successfully completed its Crop Residue Management Program, thereby preventing release of over 1 million tons of carbon emissions. Taken together, these initiatives underscore UPLā€™s commitment to sustainability as we continue to raise the bar for the industry as a whole with UPL being ranked once again as the #1 global crop protection company amongst its peers by Sustainalytics in its 2021 ESG rankings.ā€

UPL has delivered another quarter of strong

Finance

The company has reported total income of Rs 100.34 crores during the period ended December 31, 2021

Hyderabad-based Bhagiradha Chemicals & Industries has recently posted net profit of Rs 8.91 crores for the period ended December 31, 2021 as against net profit of Rs 8.34 crores for the period ended September 30, 2021.

For the third quarter, the company reported sales was Rs 1,001.07 million compared to Rs 692.52 million a year ago. Revenue was Rs 1,003.47 million compared to Rs 694.07 million a year ago. Net income was Rs 89.2 million compared to Rs 70.92 million a year ago.

For the 9 months ended December 31, 2021, Bhagiradha Chemicals has reported total income of Rs 298.45 crores as compared to Rs 220.97 crores.

Furthermore, the company has posted net profit of Rs 24.86 crores for the 9 months period as against net profit of Rs 16.00 crores.

The company has reported total income of