In this issue

SEEDS of CHANGE
ccording to TechSci Research, the Indian seed market is valued at $3,914.36 million in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.41 per cent by 2029. The seed industry has recently gained the attention of investors and Indian investors are eager to see Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) from the seed industry. The government has authorised FDI in agricultural fields such as development and production of seeds and planting material. Apart from this, many private entities are getting attracted towards seed companies and are investing in them. The latest example is Summit Partners, a private equity group, that has bought a minority investment in two of India's leading seed companies, Nuziveedu Seeds Ltd. and Krishi Dhan
Seeds. Crystal Crop Protection Limited recently made a smart purchase from Kohinoor Seeds by acquiring the Sadanand Cotton Seeds company. Leading seed companies are also incorporating cutting-edge digital technologies to mitigate the effects of pests, climate, and other external variables on farming, propelling
the market to expand. Data science, AI tools, cutting-edge phenomic analysis, and genomic sequencing are being leveraged to enhance production. However, there are certain challenges that are hampering the growth of this sector. For instance, marginal investment in R&D, short shelf life, unpredictability of demand, lack of effective monitoring mechanism, among others, are becoming a dampener in this growing sector.

SEEDS of CHANGE

According to TechSci Research, the Indian seed market is valued at $3,914.36 million in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 7.41 per cent by 2029. The seed industry has recently gained the attention of investors and Indian investors are eager to see Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) from the seed industry.

8 mins

Celebrating Dr M S Swaminathan's Peerless Contribution to Agriculture

India has lost the main architect and global leader of the green revolution, Dr Monkombu Sambasivan Swaminathan. A visionary who played a key role in introducing and further developing highyielding varieties of wheat and rice and strived to deliver innovations in agriculture.

2 mins

Why India's Seed Industry is a Blueprint for Growth

Seed is the first and the best hope a farmer has and it is the foundation of “Socio-Economic Empowerment and Development”.

5 mins

"The launch of SAATHI is step towards significant addressing in the seed industry" critical challenges

Initially, the company focused on contract seed production for exports but later ventured into breeding programmes to develop hybrid crops tailored for the Indian market. Their hybrid seeds have propelled them to a leadership position in India's vegetable seed sector. With 500 commercialised hybrids across 2,00,000 hectares of open fields, greenhouses, and net houses catered by a network of 1500+ distributors, globally, today, the company has become an established name in the contract production market. All this is credited to its expertise and world-class IP protection stemming from over three decades of business built on trust and strong ethical practices. With a strong brand heritage, substantial investments in R&D, an extensive distribution network, and a diverse product portfolio, Namdhari Seeds is the preferred partner for numerous global seed players. Sameer Manohar Sawant, President, Namdhari Seeds shares his views on the status of the seed industry in India. Edited excerpts:

4 mins

Impact of Banning Export of Agri Commodities on the International Market

India, one of the biggest producers of wheat and wheat flour, prohibited wheat exports last year due to a rapid and unexpected decline in output caused by a sharp increase in temperatures during the Rabi season. This move occurred despite a surge in export demand for Indian wheat, driven by already tight global supplies resulting from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

5 mins

ICRISAT wins UNDP Mahatma Award for Biodiversity

The International Crops Research Institute for the SemiArid Tropics (ICRISAT) has clinched the ‘UNDP Mahatma Award for Biodiversity’ for its remarkable contributions to humanity, its unwavering commitment to positive change, and its transformative impact on society.

1 min

ICAR-NRC on Equines produces first horse foal using frozen semen and Embryo transfer tech

Scientists at Equine Production Campus, Regional Station, ICAR-National Research Centre on Equines, Bikaner, Rajasthan for the first time in the country have produced a horse foal using an admixture of two technologies, namely frozen semen technology and Embryo transfer technology.

1 min

Crystal Crop acquires Sadanand Cotton Seeds business from Kohinoor Seeds

Crystal Crop Protection Limited, one of the fast-growing R&D-based crop protection manufacturing and marketing companies in India, has strengthened its cotton seeds portfolio with the strategic acquisition of Sadanand Cotton Seeds business from Kohinoor Seeds.

1 min

IBCCI seeks govt intervention for import of buffalo meat from India

The India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI) has requested the government to allow buffalo meat import from India to meet the growing demand of the country.

1 min

Kenya kickstarts avocado export to India

Kenya High Commission and ASSOCHAM jointly organised the launch event of Kenyan Avocado.

1 min

Read all stories from AgroSpectrum

AgroSpectrum Magazine Description:

Agrospectrum is a B2B digital media platform catering to all sub-sectors and verticals of the agro business – from food grains to inputs, machinery, live-stock, fisheries to agro tourism. It regularly updates on latest news on Agri—business and analytical & informative articles targeted at agro industry and business leadership, key decision makers; R&D, policy makers, academia and farmers’ community leaders. The portal is devoted to agriculture related business and not farming activity. It neither informs nor guides the farmers on direct farming, but handles allied and peripheral areas of agriculture related activity called agriculture business.