Syngenta’s new hybrid rice to help growers achieve production target in India

With the prediction of normal onset of monsoon, the government of Odisha of India has set foodgrain production target of 10.1 million tonnes (mt) in Kharif this year.

This includes 9.55 mt of cereals and 0.63 mt of pulses, out of which rice would be cultivated on 3.6 million ha of land, with a yield rate of 2,370 kg per ha. However, growers have faced drought condition in last few years, leading to a decline in rice productivity. 27 out of 30 districts in Odisha were affected severely by drought last year destroying about 1.3 million ha of crop area.

Considering huge losses to rice growers, Syngenta, a leading agribusiness company and pioneer in bringing new solutions and technologies to the Indian farming community, has introduced customised offers for rice growers of Odisha to help them overcome challenges and attain their crop’s potential to meet the targets set by the Government.

“Since rice is the staple crop of the state, we wish to contribute in a small way towards reaching closer to the target set by the government for rice productivity, by providing growers with our world-class products, high-end agronomic practices and technology inputs including good quality seeds. Hence Syngenta is launching a new high-yielding hybrid in the state. Our medium duration rice hybrid- Frontline S7001 has shown remarkable results in the very first year of its launch last year. We are now expanding its reach to enable more rice growers to benefit from it. The yield and grain quality are two major challenges in rice cultivation, and the new hybrid has been able to address both these challenges,” said Bipin Solanki, Territory Head, Syngenta South Asia.

As part of Syngenta’s continuous endeavour to help growers, the company is implementing a unique initiative called the “Good Growth Plan” and has undertaken six commitments which focus on boosting resource efficiency, rejuvenating ecosystems and strengthening rural communities. One of the commitments is to increase average productivity of the world’s major crops by 20% without using more land, water or inputs. It is with this focus that Syngenta has launched this special rice hybrid-Frontline S7001 for the farmers of Odisha.

The feedback from growers on Frontline S7001 is very positive, and they expressed satisfaction with its high yield and consistent performance. With Frontline S7001 they were able to harvest excellent quality grain, which is long and slender. “Frontline S7001 helps growers get a better price from the market and according to us this is the best choice available for them. This variety has given consistent harvest in medium duration (130-135 days) with an added advantage of superior grain quality,” added Sumie Fujimura, Marketing Head, Syngenta South Asia.

 Syngenta invests heavily in R&D each year to provide hybrids with strong potential for growers of different geographies. “We understand that growers are getting more aware and looking for better options and best value for money. Our product stands out with an yield impressive gains as testified by growers who have used it,” added Solanki.

Syngenta is in the business of developing better seeds and crop protection products that help farmers grow more food while sustainably utilising natural resources. With its unique approach to “thinking like a grower”, the company is giving growers end-to-end integrated crop solutions- like GroMore for rice, MaxVeg for vegetables and StartRight for corn. “Syngenta’s GroMore for rice is a stage-wise solution that comprises of simple crop protection protocol and agronomic know-how to help the growers establish and protect the rice crop, increasing yields and improving quality. We have some excellent products for rice growers like Rifit Plus, Virtako, Taspa, Chess and Amistar Top which are a part of our integrated solution,” said Dr KC Ravi, Vice President Commercial Acceptance and Public Policy.

 By applying its unique breadth of technologies and integrated strategy, augmented by collaborations with partners, Syngenta is focusing not only on the large-scale farmers but also on the 86% smallholders who cultivate 44 per cent of the farmland and whose contribution to farm output exceeds 50 per cent.