Biostadt India Ltd. believes that 'the growth of India is directly related to the growth of the rural areas'. Farmers being the central focus of rural India, it becomes necessary to give them a helping hand by providing them with top-of-the-line agricultural inputs and services.
With this as their core initiative, Biostadt India Limited has been serving the farming community for over two decades. An impressive track record takes forward its strategy to head the leading position in the Biotechnology research-based agro inputs. This strategy has been further supported with safer and specialty chemical pesticides. The tremendous growth in the business in a span of just 6 years (from INR 100 crores in 2007 to INR 400+ crores in 2013) has itself created a story to talk about.
Now, Biostadt India Limited is firmly positioned to address the emerging local and global challenges. The Compny help in providing the farmers not just customized products but customized solutions, developing and evaluating products and processes for improving their satisfaction.
Their extensive high-quality product range that includes insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, hybrid seeds, aqua products and farm services, further supports this goal. They offer amongst the best list of farm protection and associated products in India. In view of the above the Krishi Jagran Team discuss with Ms Haani Khorakiwala, Director, Biostadt India Limited….She has done BS in Managerial Economics from Carnegie Mellon University, Piitsburgh and MS in Textile Marketing from FIT, New York. She formally joined Biostadt around two years back…..and brought in many strategic thrust to further bring business efficiency. Concept of Elite club is her one of the noble idea to build most influential Community of the farmer is her thought process to serve Agriculturist thru innovative way.
Tell us about Biostadt?
Biostadt India Ltd is a 23 year old, young dynamic company in the business of serving the farming community with innovative agricultural solutions thru its pioneering technologies. Ensuring farmer delight is our mission. Helping them realize their dream is our goal. Over the last two decades Biostadt is directly linked with farmer’s prosperity, our own multi fold success can be directly attributed to this.
Biostadt Workingin which sector of Agricultureand Worldwide Presence of Company?
We are fairly diversified as a company with a major focus on Biotechnology based Bio-stimulants for soil and plant health. We have strategic tie-ups with Japanese companies to serve high quality of pesticides as a solution for scientific management of insects-pest and diseases in all commercial and niche crops.
Biostadt also offers big range of products in Aqua-culture and has emerged as one of the fast growing company in this domain in last couple of years’ time.
Biostadt has made a successful and impactful start in the Seeds domain as well and fortifying this segment of business by inventive marketing and robust strategies by expanding product portfolio, distribution excellence and acquiring companies….like recently we acquired a leading Pearl Millet based company Nandi Seeds in Ahmedabad. We are committed to providing the Indian farming community with hybrid HI-Q Nandi Seeds in crops like Rice, Bajra, Castor and vegetables as well.
Our state of the art manufacturing plant in Jammu, produces not only our captive consumption but also serves as a manufacturing hub for huge and leading MNC’s.
We have a direct marketing presence in our wholly owned sister concern Biostadt, Philippines Inc. head quartered in Manila where we are a top 10 Agriculture company.
In Vietnam we have a strategic JV called Vin-Thin Biostadt Inc. which again is involved with the farmers and we have recently bought a shrimp hatchery on the coast line to provide high quality post-larvae to breeders.
Besides direct business in South East Asia, we have a growing global presence with our brand WOKOZIM which is being marketed in more than 30 countries. We have penetration in South-east Asia, China, Middle-east, African and Latin American markets.
Tell us something about the company Turnover, dealer Distributor Network
Our domestic market covers a vast distribution network across PAN India with dealers’ coverage of around fifty thousand to ensure our reach to farmers in every nook and corner of the country.
We have our hi-tech manufacturing units in Jammu and Bhavnagar and twenty five stock points across the country to make sure efficient and timely supplies across PAN India.
What are the Achievements and Quality Policies of the Company?
Quality is our prime priority in every sphere of our business. It may be the products, Processes, policies, systems, Procedures or people.
We have ISO 9000, ISO14000, ISO 17025, BS 18000 that certify our quality process, Environmental Health, Research Lab Standards etc. respectively.
What is the strength of the Company?
In the last decade, our business has grown about ten times. That tells the story of how Biostadt products have been patronized by millions of farmers. This reach and penetration could be possible because of good quality of products, strategies, and organizational ethics and value system but we rate our people, our Human Resources at Biostadt as our core strength.
What is your marketing Strategy and Future Planning for growth of Company?
Strategy remains to provide high quality products based on the need and differentiating services to farmers that could help them to get best ROI of their money and efforts. And we are committed to that.
We are constantly evolving and seeking new avenues of growth. To that end we have entered aggressively in the seed business, shrimp PL breeding (international) and focused targeting of high acreage farmers under the Elite Farmer Initiative.
Which is your major or revenue generating product?
Our major focus is on Bio-stimulants for soil and plant health. We have legitimate claim to be the market leader in this category…..with Brand BIOZYME powered with BILT technology which is globally mastered by Biostadt only. Biozyme is tested and recommended by various renowned Universities
BIOZYME is one of the most preferred brand of the farmers across the country as this product helps them to get best ROI of their investment.
Would you like to say something about Agro chemicals and Fertilizer Industry?
As we know that about 60-65% of our Indian population, directly or indirectly depends on Agriculture and allied occupation. However, contribution of Agriculture in our national GDP is only about 15%. This huge gap is the big scope for Agri-input business like Agro-chemicals and Fertilizers Industry.
With the growing urbanization, area under Agriculture getting shrunk which raises the issue of providing food for all in a growing population. These kinds of dynamics speak out need of said Industries to ensure high yield, production and quality of the produce.
Any Activity running by company for the farmers?
As a Biostadt whatever we do….Farmeris our focalfundamental. We try to reach and help farmers by various ways like Farmers Meetings, Mass-media, and ATL- BTL etc.
Recently, we launched an Elite Club for progressive and leading farmers with a vison to build the most influential community of farmers. This is a unique kind platform wherein farmers are associated with us towards best agricultural practices with a focus on exchange of experiences.
What kind of education and awareness you are providing to Elite Club Farmers?
We are educating them for scientific and sustainable way of Agriculture. Good quality of seeds, Proper identification of diseases and Insect, Prophylactic application of right chemicals to possible extent, avoiding excess use of Chemical and Fertilizers, Proper water and nutrient management, sharing new technologies, trend and safety etc.
Also we have planned to organize Workshops and seminars where scientists and experts are invited. To encourage technological and best agricultural practices, we are awarding and rewarding the farmers.
Other than advisory, what services areyou offering to elite farmers?
We have designed it well to serve them as much as possible. To ensure that we have allocated Biostadt Relationship Manager who will be dedicated to attend and serve the farmer with top priority, suggesting right source of getting genuine products, Soil Health Checkup and recommendations, Providing and sharing with them Agri- Newsletters to keep them updated and well versed with happening in Agriculture etc. are the few services which is being appreciated by the members of Elite Club.
Any message you want to convey to elite farmers?
Elite Farmers play a very important and pivotal role helping other fellow farmers in adjoining villages by way of sharing their learnings and knowledge thus has partnered with us for transfer of technologies and knowledge to as many as farmer as a social activity, We express our thanks to these progressive farmers.
Also our Elite Club Farmers keep us updated with grass-root level issues, challenges and needs related to their crops and farming. That is great marketing input for us,
Anything Else you want to share with Krishi Jagran ?
Thank you very much for meeting and interacting with us. We appreciate your efforts thru KRISHI JAGARAN to bring awareness to farming community on various areas of Agriculture and related issues.