INDIAN AGRICULTURE
A powerful constellation of
agri-input industries has emerged in the past
few decades in India , triggering an uptrend in
agricultural productivity. Tractors, farm
implements, improved seeds, chemical fertilizers
and pesticides all contribute to the performance
of Indian agriculture.
The “green revolution”
technologies of the 1960s have made India
self-sufficient in foodgrains. However, the
pattern is mixed. Though wheat and rice yields
have increased dramatically during the past four
decades, further increments appear to be
marginal. Aside from this, much needs to be
accomplished in the areas of coarse cereals,
oilseeds and pulses.
While high-yielding seeds are
the key to agricultural output, the impact of
plant genetics on farm productivity has been
inadequate. Of a total gross cropped area of 180
million hectares, less than a third is under
high-yielding varieties and hybrids. The problem
is compounded by the excessive dependence of
Indian agriculture – particularly coarse cereals
such as corn, sorghum and millet – on the annual
“monsoon” rains. Small farm size – with a
majority of farmers owning less than one hectare
– adds to the productivity barrier.
All of this has led to
agriculture, which supports 70% of India's
population, contributing to less than 20% of gross
domestic product. Obviously, we have a long way
to go.
Fortunately, plant genetics
offers hope. And the footprint of plant genetics
can only get larger in time to come. Through a
half-century, plant breeders have refined the
techniques of hybridization to provide more
productive seeds to farmers. Higher yield
potential was the single trait originally sought
by breeders. Now the emphasis is on
“harvestable” yield. This includes additional
characteristics such as resistance to pests and
diseases, taste, and the ability to tolerate
heat and drought stress.
THE COMPANY
Plantgene Seeds Limited
is a developer, producer and marketer
of a full line of proprietary hybrids in
sunflower, corn, fodder and grain sorghum, pearl
millet, rice, mustard and vegetables.
These hybrids are sold across India under the
PLANTGENE brand, which is more
than a decade old. The company's research and
production activities are centered largely
around the southern Indian cities of Hyderabad
and Bangalore, while the corporate office is in
Gurgaon – a suburb of New Delhi.
PLANTGENE
brand seed is marketed through a
network of distributors and dealers across
India. The current product range includes about
two dozen hybrids in various field crops and a
dozen in vegetables.
We know how to put the building
blocks together, so as to provide quality seeds
to the farmer. Our capabilities in research,
production and marketing are enmeshed to deliver
total customer satisfaction. Indeed, our mission
is “To Increase Farmer Profitability
Through Superior Genetics.”
Plantgene is led by Madan
Khunnah. He is a Chartered Accountant and MBA
(USA), with 25 years of experience –
including 20 in the seed industry. He was
Country Manager/CEO (India) for several years
with Pioneer Hi-Bred International prior to his association with the PLANTGENE
brand.
PLANT VARIETY
PROTECTION
Through their purchases,
farmers pay Plantgene and other private breeders
for their research in developing proprietary
hybrids. Since only the owner of the parent
lines can produce a hybrid, farmers return to
the developer each year to get seed of the
proprietary hybrids they favor. This allows the
developer to recover his research costs.
The recently introduced
Plant Variety Protection and Farmers'
Rights Act protects seed developers.
Indeed, this protection will lead to more
research, and consequently to a wider choice for
the Indian farmer.
