Bangalore: Koppert, a Dutch company specialising in biological crop protection, has partnered with Namdhari Fresh to develop crop protection suitable to Indian conditions.
The main aim of the partnership is to meet the global standards on pesticide residue and minimise the impact of pesticides on people. To achieve this, a demonstration plot on Namdhari’s land in Bidadi near Bangalore has been set up to develop crop protection solutions under protected (polyhouse) conditions.
“The project is being supported by Dutch government through the public-private partnership through its FoodtechHolland,” Arie Veldhuizen, Agriculture Attaché, Royal Dutch Embassy, told Business Line.
“The relevance of this project is linked to India promoting integrated pest management and greenhouse cultivation to improve productivity and quality of the fresh produce, thereby to drive higher export volumes,” he added.
Gets authorisation
As part of the project, Koppert India has been granted authorisation for five biological beneficial to combat the most common pests, including thrips, spider mite and aphids, in vegetable and ornamental crops.
“Adopting biological crop protection has several benefits.
“It is a small market at present but it is growing. This system has social benefit, which is more than commercial,” explained Uday Singh, Managing Director, Namdhari group.
Koppert is experimenting on Indian soil the application of Spical (Neoseiulus californicus), Spidex (Phytoseiulus persimilis), Swirski-Mite (Amblyseius swirskii), Aphipar (Aphidius colemani), and Thripor-L (Orius laevigatus).
‘Huge demand’
“We see there is a huge demand for natural and biological solutions in India and the market in which the majority of the population is vegetarian,” said Robert Pathuis Director, Koppert.
“We are exploring a number of States around Karnataka — such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra — to offer biological crop protection systems,” he added.
According to Wouter van Vliet, Managing Director, Larive, the agency assisting companies with doing business in emerging markets, “This initiative is a follow-up on the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Indo-Dutch Joint Agriculture working group between India and the Netherlands signed on May 24, 2012.”
“The MoU addresses knowledge transfer in horticultural practice and the project aims to contribute directly to India’s export of fresh produce and polyhouse cultivation,” he added.
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