The Hindu Business Line : Jain Irrigation eyes Africa for projects

JAIN Irrigation Systems Ltd (JISL) has discovered a huge potential in setting up irrigation projects abroad and is looking at opportunities in the African continent.

JISL is currently in talks with an African country to make a bid for an integrated micro-irrigation project. This project would also include training of agricultural graduates, an official of the company said.

Recently, JISL bagged a portion of the $300-million Expanded Rural Electrification Project (EREP) at Zimbabwe.

``This project involves setting up infrastructure for energy and water conservation. Our involvement is in the water conservation part of the project,'' Mr Atul Jain, Chief Marketing Officer, JISL, said.

During the first phase of the project, JISL plans to bring 1,11,000 hectares of land under irrigation. This phase would be completed in a period of two years.

``A portion of this project is rehabilitation - the rest involves bringing new areas under irrigation. Water source is available in some of the land, while in several places tubewells have to be dug,'' Mr Jain said. JISL has bagged the project for micro-irrigation and the value of the order in the first phase will be $9 million.

``This is a turnkey project which involves installation and supervision,'' Mr Jain said. In the second phase, the irrigation project will be to the tune of $20 million. JISL is also in the process of negotiating with another African country for a similar project.

``We are looking at opportunities in Africa to coincide with Indian Government's Focus Africa project,'' Mr Jain said. JISL is also planning to set up an office in one of the African countries to cater to the growing business interest.

JISL has been looking at boosting its revenue from overseas business, which include irrigation projects and plastic sheets exports. For the current fiscal, JISL has targeted turnover from overseas business around Rs 300 crore from a total turnover of Rs 650 crore. For the year ended March 2004, JISL's turnover was Rs 405 crore.

Earlier, JISL had bagged a $9-million greenhouse project in Sri Lanka.

The company will continue to focus on its domestic business interests in micro-irrigation and tissue culture. The company is hopeful that the new government would continue with micro-irrigation projects that were taken up by the previous Government.

``Considering that Mr Sharad Pawar is the Minister for Agriculture and Food, we are hopeful that the focus on micro irrigation would continue,'' Mr Jain said.

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