Godrej Agrovet launches Samadhan for farmers, becomes first Indian company to win IPOS certification

• The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare has set a goal to cultivate 1,000,000 hectares of oil palm by 2027 under the NMEO-OP scheme
• Godrej Agrovet has set a goal to add 60,000 hectares of new oil palm plantations in the next five years

MUMBAI, India, Jan. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Godrej Agrovet Ltd. has introduced a ground-breaking initiative called Samadhan, a one stop solution centre for oil palm farmers, under its Oil Palm business. Providing a comprehensive package of knowledge, tools, services and solutions to farmers, 'Samadhan' aims to be a critical enabler in Palm Oil industry and assist oil palm farmers in optimising their yields by adopting latest agricultural techniques and boosting their productivity.

As a part of the Samadhan initiative, Godrej Agrovet will establish 50 Samadhan centers across the India by 2027. Each center intends to support the planting of ~2,000 hectares of oil palm and help farmers achieve a sustained productivity in mature gardens through the use of modern agricultural technologies and expert advice. Through this initiative, Godrej Agrovet Ltd. plans to share global best practices with the Indian oil palm farmers and help the farmers to adopt these practices across geographies. It will also help to support farmers to avail developmental finance, government subsidies/schemes and other benefits.

Speaking about the initiative and certification Mr. Balram Singh Yadav, Managing Director, Godrej Agrovet Limited said, "A holistic approach to sustainability in the oil palm sector includes not just green cultivation practices but also income security for the farmer. As the leading player in the palm oil business in India, we see it as our responsibility not only to educate farmers on sustainable palm oil plantation processes but also drive the sustainability agenda in palm oil plantation processes. Our Samadhan initiative is one of several aimed at supporting the growth of the sector and the prosperity of the farmer. We are delighted that our efforts are being recognised and are honoured to be the first company in India to win IPOS certification."

Also, the company has become the first in the country to be awarded a verification Certification under the Indian Palm Oil Sustainability (IPOS) Framework. The IPOS Framework, established by the Solvent Extractors Association of India with assistance from Solidaridad, the Indian Institute of Oil Palm Research, and SOPOPRAD, has been created for the Indian industry and lays down a set of environment friendly, economically viable and socially beneficial practices and guidelines. Aimed at facilitating the well-being of farmers while ensuring that the growth is sustainable from environmental and social perspectives, the certification further reinstates the sustainable practices adopted by company's oil palm business.

Godrej Agrovet's CEO, Oil Palm Plantation, Sougata Niyogi said "With more than thirty years of experience in the oil palm business, Godrej Agrovet is the largest developer and producer of Crude Palm Oil in India. The business plays a vital role in driving sustainability agenda in the production of Oil Palm and has therefore strived towards educating farmers on sustainable palm oil cultivation practices on a continuous basis. This certification is a result of our commitment in supporting farmers to enhance their farm management skills that lead to improved productivity. We are grateful to the Indian Palm Oil Sustainability Framework (IPOS) for recognizing our efforts and look forward to achieving greater milestones in the near future"

The National Mission on Edible Oil - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) has generated a new sense of excitement and momentum in the oil palm industry since its launch in August 2021. The program is a landmark initiative from the Indian government that aims to promote the long-term sustainable development of oil palm and provide additional support to new farmers, particularly in the Northeast region, to help them overcome the challenges of starting a new farm. The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare has set a goal to cultivate 1,000,000 hectares of oil palm by 2027 under the NMEO-OP scheme. The program's introduction of the Viability Gap Payment (VGP) for long term sustainable development and increased incentives for new farmers are two key features that make it unique and supportive of the industry.

Godrej Agrovet Ltd., a diversified agri-business company and a pioneer in the oil palm sector in India, is aiming to add 60,000 hectares of additional oil palm plantations over the course of the next five years to support the long-term sustainable development of oil palm in India under the National Mission on Edible Oil - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) launched in August 2021. The company has developed Samadhan in order to achieve this goal.

About Godrej Agrovet:

Godrej Agrovet Limited (GAVL) is a diversified, Research & Development focused food and agri-business conglomerate, dedicated to improving the productivity of Indian farmers by innovating products and services that sustainably increase crop and livestock yields. GAVL holds leading market positions in the different businesses it operates - Animal Feed, Crop Protection, Oil Palm, Dairy, Poultry and Processed Foods. GAVL has a pan India presence with sales of over a million tons annually of high-quality animal feed. Our teams have worked closely with Indian farmers to develop large Oil Palm Plantations which is helping in bridging the demand and supply gap of edible oil in India. In the crop protection segment, the Company has strong presence in the B2B segment through its subsidiary Astec Lifesciences and through its extensive distribution network pan-India delivers innovative agrochemical offerings catering to the entire crop life-cycles. In Dairy and Poultry and Processed Foods, the company operates through its subsidiaries Creamline Dairy Products Limited and Godrej Tyson Foods Limited. Apart from this, GAVL also has a joint venture with the ACI group of Bangladesh for animal feed business in Bangladesh.

For more information on the Company, please log on to www.godrejagrovet.com.