ICAR-NBSS&LUP Signs MoU with Coromandel International to develop soil test based nutrient advisory for farmers of Maharashtra

Hyderabad, June 17, 2024: The ICAR-National Bureau of Soil Survey & Land Use Planning (NBSS&LUP), Nagpur signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Coromandel International Limited (CIL), a leading manufacturer of Fertilisers, Crop Protection Chemicals and Specialty Nutrient products on 13th June 2024. This collaboration aims to enhance the dissemination of improved soil test-based crop nutrition management to benefit the farmers in Maharashtra, particularly in the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions. This partnership will focus on soil test-based datasets generated by NBSS&LUP and best nutritional management solutions provided by Coromandel for better soil health and to improve crop productivity of the region. This partnership further aims to foster better coordination, research exchange, and support for the farming community.

During the MoU signing ceremony, Dr. N.G. Patil, Director of ICAR-NBSS&LUP, Nagpur, highlighted the Bureau’s mandate and activities across its five regional centres. He emphasized the goal-oriented developmental approach to provide farmers with advisories based on land parcel information using soil data from the Land Resource Inventory (LRI).

Mr. Sankarasubramanian S, Executive Director of Nutrient Business, Coromandel International Limited, signed the MoU on behalf of Coromandel. He emphasised the need for balanced nutrition management based on soil test data for betterment of farmer community. He desired this partnership to extend to other parts of Maharashtra and India by providing soil based digital solutions generated by ICAR-NBSS&LUP for making optimum fertilizer recommendations through site-specific nutrient management. Heads of RSA, SRS and LUP Divisions and Principal Scientists from ICAR-NBSS&LUP, and Mr. Madhab Adhikari, Vice President, Sales & Marketing and Dr. Binaya Kumar Parida, Chief Agronomist from Coromandel International were present in the MoU signing event.

The MoU will enable Coromandel to bring advanced nutrition and crop management practices to Maharashtra based on the soil information and farm advisories provided by ICAR-NBSS&LUP. As part of this project, site-specific nutrition demonstrations and farmers’ awareness programs will be conducted. The validated results will be used to develop Decision Support Systems (DSS) through mobile applications for crop choices and nutrient management. During the signing event, several other common scientific and farmer-centric issues for collaboration between the two organizations were discussed, including drone-based research for precision agriculture, carbon farming, and climate-smart agriculture.

The signing event concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Hrittick Biswas, Head of Land Use Planning Division, ICAR-NBSS&LUP.

About Coromandel

Coromandel International Limited is amongst India’s pioneers and leading Agri solutions provider, offering diverse products and services across the farming value chain. It operates in two major segments: Nutrient and other allied businesses and Crop Protection. These include Fertiliser, Crop Protection, Bio Products, Specialty Nutrients and Organic businesses. The Company is 2nd largest manufacturer and marketer of Phosphatic fertiliser in India. The Company’s Crop Protection products are marketed in India as well as in international geographies, offering wide range of technical and formulation products. The Specialty Nutrients business of the Company focuses on water soluble fertiliser and secondary & micronutrients segments. The Company is leading marketer of Organic fertiliser in India. The Bio Products business of the company focusses on plant extractions for various applications. It also operates a network of around 750+ rural retail outlets across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka. Through these Retail outlets, the Company offers farming services including crop advisory, soil testing and farm mechanization to around 3 million farmers. The Company has a strong R&D and Regulatory setup, supporting the businesses in process development and new product introduction. The Company has 18 manufacturing facilities, producing wide range of Nutrient and Crop Protection products, which are marketed through an extensive network of dealers and its own retail centers.

The Company clocked a turnover of Rs. 22,290 Crores during FY 2023-24. Its efforts towards environment have been well recognised by international organizations like UNDP and has also been voted as one of the ten greenest companies in India by TERI. Coromandel is a part of the INR 742 billion (INR 74,220 Crores) of the Murugappa Group.

For more details, visit www.coromandel.biz