KisanKraft Ltd, an ISO certified manufacturer and wholesale distributor of high-quality agricultural machinery for “small & marginal farmers” is entering into seeds business. KisanKraft has signed a 10-year licensing agreement with the National Research Development Corporation (NRDC) and the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) for the marketing and sale of an Aerobic rice variety developed by UAS, GKVK, Bengaluru.
Through this agreement, KisanKraft plans to sell Aerobic rice seeds to farmers all over India through its dealer network. Regions, where the majority of the farmers face water scarcity, will be benefitted the most. This is a part of a major push for environmentally sustainable, water efficient and high yielding variety/hybrid cultivars.
KisanKraft plans to utilize this agreement and help farmers who are facing scarcity of water as Aerobic rice can be grown with 50% less water than normal wetland rice. This move also aims at reducing the amount of labour, fertilizers and pesticides inputs that farmers use without compromising on quality and yield.
Speaking at the signing, Mr Ankit Chitalia, CEO of KisanKraft Ltd, said “This agreement is a part of the inevitable advancement of agriculture in our country. We are in dire need of a solution to the water shortage issues that are plaguing our paddy farmers. Aerobic rice provides a water-efficient and sustainable solution to farmers while maintaining a high level of yield. This is just the beginning, as KisanKraft will be increasing efforts in the research and development of various crops with the aim of helping the farmers of our country.”
Aerobic rice can be grown in most agro-climatic zones of India, except in zones with excess rainfall e.g. coastal or hilly regions, zones with black cotton soil and zones under low land water-logged rice eco-system. Farmers of dry zones will receive maximum benefits through Aerobic rice cultivation. The advantages of Aerobic rice are that it uses 50% less water than that required for normal wetland paddy cultivation, and reduces the amount of fertilizer, pesticides, labour costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
