Page 149 - CW E-Magazine (19-12-2023)

Pharmaceuticals Fertilisers

GLOBAL BIO-INDIA FAI ANNUAL SEMINAR 2023
‘World looking up to India as emerging biomanufacturing hub’ Fertiliser industry hailed for supporting 14-crore farming

India’s bio-economy, driven by start- families
ups and strong institutional linkages, has
witnessed double-digit growth year-on- The 59th Annual Seminar 2023 of the
year in the last ten years, and the world Fertiliser Association of India (FAI), held
is looking to India as an emerging bio- in New Delhi on the theme ‘Innovations
manufacturing hub. This was stated by in Fertiliser and Agriculture Sectors’, was
Union Minister of State (Independent inaugurated by Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya,
Charge) Science & Technology, Dr. Jitendra Union Minister of Chemicals & Fertilisers
Singh while inaugurating the 3rd Global on December 6. The event was attended by
Bio-India, international congregation on the leading players of the fertiliser sector
biotechnology, in New Delhi recently. Dr. U.S. Awasthi, Managing Director,
KRIBHCO; Mr. Rajat Kumar Mishra,
“In 2014, India’s bioeconomy stood Secretary (Fertilisers); Mr. N. Suresh
at just about $10-bn; this fi scal we are Krishnan, Chairman, FAI; Mr. S. C. Mehta,
likely to touch $150-bn and we look Co-Chairman, FAI; and Mr. Arvind
forward to reaching $300-bn by 2030,” Chaudhary, Director General, FAI.
he said. “We had just 55 biotech start- Speaking on this occasion, Dr. Man- of Mother Earth by promoting sustainable lizers/City Compost’, while its Hazira
ups in 2014, now we have more than logy Industry Research Assistance Council launched by Actorius Innovations daviya said the Indian fertiliser sector and balanced use of fertilisers, adopting plant was declared runner up in the
6,000, including over 3,000 agri-tech (BIRAC) announced the launch of 14 and Research. has achieved its objective of supporting alternate fertilisers, promoting organic ‘Environmental Protection in the nitro-
start-ups. About 4,000 people are new biotech-based products developed  IOTA Diagnostic launched BioSam- 14-crore farming families by providing farming and implementing resource genous fertiliser plants’ category.
engaged in lavender cultivation and by start-ups and entrepreneurs across pler to enable diagnostic accessibility timely fertilisers and agronomic services. conservation technologies.
earning lakhs of rupees,” he added. verticals including healthcare, diagnos- in remote and rural settings. KRIBHCO Fertilizers Ltd. (KFL),
tics, medical devices, agriculture, and  For autonomic neurofunction testing, The Minister said more than 3-mtpa The minister pointed out that global Shahjahanpur, a 100% subsidiary of
The S&T Minister noted that bio- industrial biotechnology: Inovocare Healthsoft Solutions deve- of urea manufacturing capacity have been suppliers took advantage of the crisis KRIBHCO, also won two awards: ‘FAI
technology will provide value addition to loped NIBRA-CS as a non-invasive revived in the country, with additional in the global market during the Russia- Award for the Improvement in Overall
India’s economy in years to come. “India  Levim Biotech launched Liraglutide system. capacity expected to come on-stream in Ukraine war and raised prices of phos- Performance of a company’ and ‘Runner
has a huge wealth of bioresources, an biosimilar for the treatment of Type 2  iPanelKlean Solar has developed a the next couple of years. He added that phatic and phosphoric acid. Global prices Up award in Best Performance of an
unsaturated resource waiting to be har- diabetes mellitus in India. patented technology for waterless the government has been working towards of DAP, for example, increased to $590 operating fertiliser unit for nitrogen
nessed, and an advantage in biotechno-  Fibroplug by Fibroheal Woundcare solar panels self-cleaning. raw material security in the phosphatic per tonne from $450 in just 15 days. (Ammonia & Urea).’
logy especially due to the vast biodiver- is a bi-layered haemostatic sponge  Water & Soil launched a water retainer and potassic sectors and is encouraging He urged global suppliers not to engage Prof. Tasneem Mubarak, Sher-e-
sity and the unique bioresources in the dressing made from composite bio- system for reducing evaporation loss Indian companies to partner with over- in price cartelisation. Kashmir University of Agricultural Sci-
Himalayas. Then there is the 7,500-km materials such as silk and chitosan, to from soils. seas companies for long-term strategic Awards presented ences and Technology of Kashmir, was
long coastline and under the ‘Deep Sea arrest bleeding quickly in accidental,  Fabiosys Innovations unveiled bio- partnerships and mining. During the function, various awards conferred the prestigious International
Mission’, we are going to dig the bio- surgical and fi eld injuries. bubble bedsheets, which are medi- were distributed to co-operatives, com- Potash Institute (IPI)-FAI Award 2023, in
diversity beneath the seas,” he said.  HiMedia Laboratories showcased its cally treated for children. India, he noted, is the fi rst nation to panies, scientists and other individuals to recognition of his contribution to the fi eld
serum-free medium and feed.  A reconstructed melanoma model introduce nano fertilisers such as nano-
recognise excellence in production, envi-
of agricultural research and extension,
Dr. Singh said biotechnology has  OmniBRx Biotechnologies unveiled has been developed by Biodimension DAP and nano-urea through indigenous ronment performance, safety, marketing and promotion of balanced and integrated
emerged as a trending career option CellBRx-IST system, which is the Technology for precision predictive research. At the same time, he urged and promotion of micronutrients and bio- fertiliser use in crop production and nutri-
among the youth. In a recent survey of world’s fi rst integrated, automated & therapies. Indian industries to scale up and develop fertilisers. tion, with special emphasis on potassium.
Class 12 students in Delhi it was found close loop platform for manufactur-  Annapurna Biotech launched a single smart nutrients like slow-release, coated
that biotechnology was ranked at fourth ing of vaccines and viral vectors. buffer system to isolate DNA and gel and liquid fertilisers, which can improve KRIBHCO won three awards this Publications launched
to fi fth as a career option, whereas earlier  Pacify Medical Technologies has purifi cation and PCR clean up combo nutrient-use effi ciency, and shift towards year. Its video “Samriddhi Ki Nayi Raah” Three publications from the FAI
it didn’t fi gure anywhere, he said. developed a fully portable surgical kit. greener ways of fertiliser manufacturing. a fi lm on agriculture waste management were also launched on the occasion: The
device called DermaDice.  Translational Research and Innova- received the First Prize in video fi lm cate- Fertiliser (Inorganic, Organic or Mixed)
14 innovative biotech products  India’s fi rst-in-class medical device tions announced the development of Dr. Mandaviya informed that under gory. The cooperative also received the (Control) Order 1985; Fertiliser Statistics
On the occasion, the Department of for circulating tumour cells (CTC) India’s fi rst vegan bio-fermented fi sh the PM PRANAM initiative, a mass award on ‘Production, Promotion and 2022-23; and Specialty Fertiliser and
Biotechnology (DBT) and Biotechno- detection, OncoDiscover, was feed. movement has started to save the health Marketing of Biofertilisers/Organic Ferti- Micronutrient Statistics 2022-23.

148 Chemical Weekly December 19, 2023 Chemical Weekly December 19, 2023 149

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