Private players playing a pivotal role in Agriculture
Godrej Group is among India’s oldest conglomerates founded in 1897. The group operates in sectors as diverse as real estate, consumer products, industrial engineering, appliances, furniture, security and agricultural products. Godrej Group has a leading position in the Agribusiness space through Godrej Agrovet Limited (GAVL), a highly diversified company backed by research and development. It holds leading market positions in poultry processing, animal feed, oil palm plantations and agri-inputs.
The animal feed business of Godrej Agrovet Limited GAVL has a pan India presence with sales of over a million tonnes annually of high quality feed and cutting-edge nutrition products for dairy cattle, broiler & aquaculture. With annual turnover of over 3500 Crore, GAVL has also entered Bangladesh through a JV with the ACI Group, where it rapidly became a key player in animal feed and poultry breeding.
Godrej Agrovet Limited GAVL also entered into a JV with American giant Tyson Foods through Godrej Tyson. The collaboration was aimed to manufacture and market packaged processed poultry and vegetarian products in India. Godrej Tyson offers a wide range of packaged products in the brand name of Good Chicken and Yummiez.
Godrej is the one of the largest oil palm developers in India with over 55,000 hectares of plantation area spread across the state of Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Maharashtra, Orissa and Mizoram. The company has commissioned the largest private sector mill in Mizoram.
GAVL has strong footprints in the niche agro-chemicals business operating in plant growth promoters, soil conditioners and cotton herbicide. Godrej Agrovet is the world’s largest producers and marketers of Homobrassinolides (a type of plant hormone) and also the leader in selective postemergence cotton herbicides in India.
As part of the Group’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) program, Good and Green, GAVL has introduced an integrated livelihood program for farmers. The program has a four-fold agenda: Women, Water, Work and Well-Being. Keeping the women-centric approach in mind, various training programs have been designed for Animal Husbandry, Sustainable farming and entrepreneurship with the ultimate aim of doubling farmer income, in line with the national agenda.
FocusAgritech’s Outlook: Godrej as a brand stands for over a century of consumer trust and quality. With its greater involvement in the agricultural domain, the same quality hallmark can be established in agri-based consumer products. Moreover, it can take our indigenous products to new heights through global exports. This effort would improve India’s position as a food leader in the global arena and boost our primary sector making it more attractive for youth and even further private investments.
With establishments like Natures Basket, the grocery retail store of this group, organic farm products have access to better market opportunities thereby improving incomes of farmers and encouraging them to adopt organic practices. GAVL has also been organising Agri conclave to bring together thought leaders in the industry to highlight the role of corporates, academia and civil society in doubling farmer income. The involvement of such Private giants is a harbinger of rural prosperity in India.
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