India’s agricultural sector is a true powerhouse, playing a vital role in the nation’s economy and social fabric. Agriculture is an economic backbone, with an estimated 15% to 20% contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Thus, agriculture accounts for a significant portion of India’s economic output.
Another factor is that agriculture and allied industries provide massive employment. Beyond their economic contribution, agriculture and allied industries are a vital source of employment for a vast majority of India’s population. More than half of the country’s workforce finds employment in these sectors. This makes agriculture a critical pillar of social stability and provides income security for millions of families.
The third most important factor is that agriculture is the food security champion. With a large and growing population, ensuring food security is a critical challenge for India. The agricultural sector plays a crucial role in meeting this challenge by producing a wide variety of food grains, vegetables, fruits, and other essential food items. It is where I&B Seeds Pvt Ltd stands as a beacon of growth and innovation in India’s agriculture sector, dedicated to revolutionizing the landscape of farming practices and crop cultivation.
The Most Promising Agro Firm
As a leading player in the industry, I&B Seeds has emerged as a trusted name synonymous with quality, reliability, and cutting-edge agricultural solutions. With a steadfast commitment to excellence and a vision to transform the agricultural paradigm, I&B Seeds has rapidly garnered recognition as one of India’s most promising and dynamic agriculture companies.
According to I&Bs’ Founder, Praveen Noojibail, India is an agrarian economy, and in recent times, it has emerged as a major country that grows fruits and vegetables. After achieving food security thanks to the “Green Revolution”, there is a growing emphasis on Nutritional security, which is driving greater demands for vegetable cultivation in India, which in turn is resulting in an enhanced vegetable seed market. Considering that seed is the primary input for any Vegetable cultivation, the quality of the seed is an obvious expectation. Seed quality is mostly measured by the consumer, by its germination, vigour and trueness (purity). In addition, India is a tropical developing country, and customers also desire to have superior genetics, which provides tolerance to diseases and pests, resulting in a good marketable yield. Praveen adds, “At I&B Seeds, we stand for trust and integrity when it comes to our dealings with farmer and industry customers. Our major objective is to deliver high-quality seeds of superior varieties/hybrids, delivered by a strong R&D pipeline, at affordable prices to the farmers.”
Constant Innovation via the Pursuit of Excellence
Thus, at the heart of I&B Seeds’ success lies a relentless pursuit of excellence in seed production, breeding, and distribution. With state-of-the-art facilities and a team of seasoned professionals under the adept guidance of Praveen, the company strives to develop high-yielding, disease-resistant seeds tailored to meet the diverse needs of farmers across the country. Through extensive research and development initiatives, I&B Seeds continuously endeavours to introduce innovative varieties that not only enhance crop yields but also contribute to sustainable agricultural practices.
Moreover, I&B Seeds places a strong emphasis on fostering mutually beneficial partnerships with farmers, agricultural institutions, and industry stakeholders. By providing comprehensive support services, including agronomic guidance, technical assistance, and access to cutting-edge agricultural technologies, the company aims to empower farmers and facilitate their journey towards prosperity. Through collaborative efforts and a customer-centric approach, I&B Seeds endeavours to build enduring relationships grounded in trust, integrity, and shared success.
In addition to its core focus on seed production and distribution, I&B Seeds is actively engaged in promoting agricultural education and awareness initiatives. Through farmer training programs, workshops, and knowledge-sharing platforms, the company seeks to empower farmers with the latest agronomic practices, crop management techniques, and sustainable farming methods. By fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation, I&B Seeds aims to drive positive change and promote resilience in India’s agriculture sector.
Dedicated to Agricultural Prosperity
Sharing his story, Praveen says his journey in the agriculture sector began with a familial influence. He shares, “My father, a pioneer in the hybrid seed industry in India, instilled in me a deep appreciation for agriculture’s potential. Inspired by his legacy, I embarked on my entrepreneurial path by founding Sasya Seeds.” Witnessing its growth, one of the largest seed companies recognized its potential and acquired it. Praveen then founded Indus Seeds, which was driven by a passion for innovation and sustainable practices. “In 2014, our dedication was recognized when W Atlee Burpee, USA invested in our vision, solidifying our commitment to agricultural excellence.”
As stated earlier, Praveen reiterates that they are an R&D-driven Seed Company, equipped with sophisticated laboratories to ensure that the seeds they deliver to the customers are of the highest quality, meeting the standards for genetic purity, physical purity, seed germination and vigour. “Our product offerings mainly include vegetables- such as Tomato, Hot Pepper, Sweet Pepper, Okra, Sweet Corn, Onion, Cucumber, Melons and Gourds,” informs Praveen. In addition, they also have a range of Marigold hybrids in their portfolio.
It should be noted that I&B places great emphasis on seeds that it can breed and produce itself, and not just buy from some other source and sell (trading). “Thus, we mainly deal in products where we have our own R&D. Crops like Carrot, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Radish, etc., are not part of our portfolio.”
A Highly Talented Team of Experts
Sharing more about his company, Praveen says they have a very strong team of plant breeders, supported by a highly talented group of scientists trained in various fields of plant sciences – such as Plant Molecular Biology, Plant Pathology, Plant Physiology, etc. This team employ advanced techniques in Marker Assisted Breeding (MAB), doubled haploids, plant pathology, seed testing, seed quality assurance and seed storage to develop hybrids that are high-yielding, disease/pest resistant and nutritious. Further, a dedicated field team assesses the performance of newly bred hybrids in different agroclimatic zones across multiple seasons. Only those hybrids which demonstrate stability are advanced further for production and commercial release.
Over the years, I&B has developed a strong network of seed producers and farmers, facilitating high-quality seed production. According to Praveen, their seed production processes are of higher standards, “We deploy proper isolation and ample protection to ensure that the seed produced by our growers are of superior quality.” As mentioned earlier, each seed lot produced then gets tested in their laboratories for quality parameters, and only those that pass their QC criteria are used for commercial sales to the customers.
Continuous Research and Development
I&B’s sales and marketing team shares a close relationship with the farmers and their distributors. Praveen adds that this strong network helps them to understand their needs/preferences for different products. “Constant communication and feedback from the marketing team to the R&D team helps us recalibrate our breeding efforts to develop products that meet the customers’ expectations. Our S&M team also conducts farmer field days and open field days to educate the sales team.” They also conduct regular awareness programs and field days to educate the farmers about new products and the latest trends in crop management and cultivation methods.
The company has also established in-house screening and testing facilities for DNA markers for various traits of interest in different crops. Associations of DNA markers with disease resistance in crops are confirmed after inoculations with respective viral, bacterial, or fungal pathogens in controlled conditions. Seed tests are performed in-house following ISHI protocols before they are shipped to the customers. In-house genotyping and testing capabilities further help the company maximize its resources and considerably reduce the time to market, thus allowing it to be competitive in the market.
Benchmarking Perfection with Quality
Undoubtedly, each product of the company is ensured to hold the highest quality standards due to various factors such as a strong breeding pipeline driven by an R&D engine, openness to listen to farmers’ expectations and incorporating their suggestions in R&D, and field team’s connectivity with dealers/distributors and farmers. These aspects have made I&B a successful company.
Praveen furthers that in the short term, they aim to continue providing farming communities with high-yielding and disease-tolerant varieties. The company also plans on breeding new hybrids that are widely adaptable to changing environmental conditions, using modern scientific methods, speed, precision breeding, and other techniques. In a nutshell, its short-term goal is to achieve ₹200 crore turnover in a year or two.
Fostering an Agro-Powered Indian Future
As India’s agriculture sector continues to evolve and adapt to emerging challenges, I&B Seeds remains steadfast in its commitment to serving as a catalyst for growth and progress. With a dynamic portfolio of high-performance seeds, a customer-centric approach, and a dedication to innovation, the company is poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of agriculture in India.
Divulging their vision, Praveen says the company’s long-term plans entail retaining the market leader status in Marigold and being one of the top five companies in the sales of key vegetable crops such as Tomatoes, Chili, Sweet Corn, and Watermelon.
“We at I&B Seeds are dedicated to empowering farmers, enhancing food security, and driving sustainable development across the nation,” concludes Praveen. We believe in the transformative power of agriculture.
For more information, please visit https://iandbseeds.com/, email enquiries@iandb.in, or contact them at +919900002669.
