BASF has launched what it says is a “range of new solutions” to fight disease, weeds and insects in Indian rice crops, thus boosting the productivity and income of farmers on the Asian subcontinent. Rice is India’s most important food crop, with an annual production of more than 100 million t/y, and the country is also a substantial exporter with an annual export volume of more than 10 million t annually.

Speaking in Hyderabad, Markus Heldt, head of the German group’s Crop Protection division, said its aim is to support India’s rice growers to realize their full potential by contributing its expertise in “modern, sustainable farming.” Along with fielding a dedicated team of nearly 200 crop protection experts  locally to ensure a direct market presence, its Crop Protection division is also a leading provider of solutions for crops in the Indian market, with products for soybeans, corn, cotton, wheat, fruits, vegetables and now rice.

BASF’s portfolio for India includes the fungicides Seltima and Adexar, which are designed to combat a number of persistent rice diseases, including sheath blight and blast. Seltima is claimed to not only control diseases but also deliver higher yields. The herbicide Basagran, which also will be launched in India, is credited with solving difficult weed problems. Over the next three years, the group plans to offer additional products to the Indian market to meet a growing need for modern farming solutions, including state-of-the-art herbicides, fungicides and insecticides.

To search for new active ingredients that can control crop pests “in unique ways,” BASF in 2015 established an Agricultural Research Station in Pune, India, focusing on local and global agricultural research. It also operates a global R&D center at Thane in Navi Mumbai, focusing on organic synthesis, advanced process and formulation research, as well as discovery chemistry for modern agricultural solutions, along with molecular modelling.

The world’s largest chemical producer by sales has invested nearly €300 million in India over the past four years. Its Crop Protection division, with revenue of more than €5.8 billion in 2015, is regarded as being among the top three global players. For 2015, it reported sales to Indian customers of around €1.1 billion.