India must focus on sustainable partnerships, agri innovation: HURL MD S P Mohanty at IFA Annual Conference
sustainable partnerships
, securing nutrients, and leading farmer-first innovations, S P Mohanty, Managing Director at Hindustan Urvarak & Rasayan Ltd (HURL) said at the IFA Annual Conference 2025 in Monaco.
The company said in a statement its presence at the event was strategic, with Mohanty leading the HURL delegation and issues like
food security
, sustainability, and supply chain resilience taking center stage in policy conversations.
The opening day of the event set the tone with high-level discussions involving global fertilizer leaders including Midgulf, OCP, RNZ, and Quest. These engagements were aimed at unlocking long-term synergies in the Phosphatic & Potassic (P&K) segment and secure nutrient independence for India's farmers.
'India's agricultural vision is ambitious, inclusive, and global in scale. And HURL is proud to be its trusted implementer on the ground and its strong voice on the world stage,' Mohanty said.
This year's conference was focused on the theme 'Transforming the
Global Agri-Food System
,'. It covered various global trends including trillion-dollar green growth opportunities; smart, tech-integrated nutrient solutions; sustainability as a primary driver; and calls for resilient and diversified supply chains.
AT the conference, HURL's focus was on exploring joint ventures, discussing phosphatic raw material security and aligning tech-driven fertilizer innovation.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
KAU-ABI opens Common Incubation Centre, launches farm exports to GCC
Kerala Agricultural University's (KAU) Agri-Business Incubator (ABI) has set a new benchmark with the inauguration of a state-of-the-art Common Incubation Centre and the flag-off of the country's first international agri export from a university-based agribusiness Incubator. The facility, established under the PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Government of India, was inaugurated on Tuesday (August 12, 2025) by P. Rajeeve, Minister for Law, Industries & Coir, and presided over by K. Rajan, Minister for Revenue. Equipped with modern processing lines for Kerala's traditional spices, rice, coconut, millets and fruits and vegetables, the new facility also houses laboratories for product quality analysis. It is designed to support entrepreneurs, start-ups, farmers, and students in developing, processing, and scaling value-added agricultural products. Highlighting the broader vision, Mr. Rajan said, 'The presence of such a business park and environment will enhance the entrepreneurial spirit of indigenous start-ups. The facility will also boost the processing and export of Kerala's local products.' Met PMFME targets In his inaugural address, Mr. Rajeeve said Kerala is among the few States to have met the PMFME scheme's expected targets. The programme is implemented in Kerala by the Kerala Bureau of Industrial Promotion (K-BIP) under the Department of Industries & Commerce, in partnership with KAU, with Centre–State funding shared in a 60:40 ratio. He added that the State government's upcoming plan to establish food parks in collaboration with universities will create further opportunities for innovation and growth in food processing. B. Ashok, Vice-Chancellor and Agricultural Production Commissioner of Kerala, said, 'Such common incubation facilities give entrepreneurs the space to test their ideas, gain market confidence, and connect with global buyers. This is a prime example of academia driving innovation, enterprise, and export growth.' K.N. Anith, director of research at KAU, stated that the Common Incubation Centre is poised to become a model for other States by integrating academic expertise with industrial infrastructure, in line with the National Education Policy (NEP), to boost value addition in the agri-food sector. The inaugural export – executed by M/s. Nouka Enterprises – features fruit-based beverages, cookies, honey-based products and ready-to-drink and ready-to-serve produce, bound for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. This is the first time in India that products manufactured using an agri business incubator's facilities within a university have entered the export market, according to KAU sources. 'The facility's processing lines for coconut, spices, rice, fruits, vegetables, and millets, combined with advanced quality-control laboratories, are now fully operational and ready to support both domestic and export-focused enterprises,' said K.P. Sudheer, principal investigator, PMFME.
India.com
4 days ago
- India.com
Centre To Start Releasing Onion From 3 Lakh Tonnes Buffer Stock Next Month With Eye On Prices
New Delhi: The government has procured 3 lakh tonnes of onion this year for its price stabilisation buffer, and a calibrated release from the stocks is expected to start from September in order to keep prices under control, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution said on Friday. Pertinently, unlike previous years, prices of major vegetables like potato, onion and tomato are under control this monsoon season. In the case of potato and onion, higher production in 2024-25 over the previous year ensures sufficient supply and a substantially lower retail price than last year, the statement said. "Food commodity prices have largely remained stable and well-contained throughout the current calendar year. As of today, the prices of most commodities monitored by the Department of Consumer Affairs are exhibiting either a stable or declining trend on a year-on-year basis. The reported 14 per cent decrease in the cost of a homemade thali in July 2025 further reflects the continued moderation of food inflation during the month," the ministry said in a statement. The retail prices of tomatoes prevailing at various centres across the country are influenced by temporary localised factors rather than any fundamental demand-supply imbalance or production shortfall, the statement said. In this context, the National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India (NCCF) has been procuring tomatoes from Azadpur Mandi since August 4 and is selling them to consumers at prices with minimal margins. A similar initiative was undertaken by the NCCF in previous years as well. To date, the NCCF has sold 27,307 kgs of tomatoes at retail prices ranging from Rs 47 to Rs 60 per kg, depending on the procurement cost. Retail sales are being conducted through the NCCF's stationary outlets at Nehru Place, Udyog Bhawan, Patel Chowk, and Rajiv Chowk, as well as through 6–7 mobile vans operating at various locations across the city, according to the official statement. The current average retail price of tomatoes in Delhi, at Rs 73 per kg, is primarily the result of heavy rainfall in the northern and north-western regions of the country since the last week of July. This weather-related disruption caused prices to spike to as high as Rs 85 per kg by the end of July. However, with the recovery and stabilisation of daily arrivals at the Azadpur mandi over the past week, both mandi and retail prices have begun to decline. In contrast, major cities such as Chennai and Mumbai, which have not experienced abnormal weather conditions in recent weeks, have not witnessed a similar price surge. The current average retail prices of tomatoes in Chennai and Mumbai are Rs 50 per kg and Rs 58 per kg, respectively -- substantially lower than the prevailing price in Delhi. At present, the all-India average retail prices of tomato is Rs 52 per kg, which is still lower than Rs 54 per kg last year and Rs 136 per kg in 2023, the statement added.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Indian Express
Top 10 most valuable food brands in 2025: THIS Indian brand ranks #14 in value and #2 in strength globally
Top 10 Most Valuable Global Food Brands in 2025: As the food and beverage (F&B) industry rapidly evolves with ever-changing consumer preferences, health consciousness, and growing demand for convenience, Brand Finance's latest Food & Drink 2025 report revealed the top 100 food brands in the world. Together, the top 100 F&B brands hold a collective brand value of USD 250.8 billion in 2025, with the top 10 alone contributing over 35 per cent, a combined USD 88.4 billion. Nestlé has retained its position as the world's most valuable food brand for the tenth consecutive year, with a brand value of USD 19.97 billion. Swiss chocolatier Lindt registered a 14 per cent increase in brand value (USD 4.9 billion), entering the global top 10 list for the first time. It has also been ranked among the six strongest food brands, emerging as a 'brand to watch' in 2025. Chinese dairy giant Yili, with a brand value of USD 11.2 billion, ranks third globally and continues to hold the title of the world's most valuable dairy brand for the sixth year in a row. Taiwan's Uni-President and Italy's Barilla rose to #8 and #9, respectively, driven by a 35 per cent and 21 per cent increase in brand value this year. Source: Brand Finance Food & Drink 2025 India's Amul, the world's largest dairy cooperative, recorded a 24 per cent surge in brand value in 2025, reaching USD 4.1 billion. This propelled Amul from #22 last year to #14 on the list of most valuable global food brands. It also secured the #5 spot among the world's most valuable dairy brands. In terms of brand strength, Amul made an even bigger leap, now ranked the second strongest food brand globally, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 91.2 out of 100. Cherry Gupta is an Assistant Manager – Content at The Indian Express. She leads the Top 10 section, curating list-based features on key national and international developments, and manages daily news content. She also produces SEO-driven articles and collaborates with the Lifestyle team to conduct interviews with notable artists and write workplace culture features. ... Read More
