The Hindu Business Line : Aussie co promoting organic plant growth to expand in India

BATPHONE Australia, a provider of eco-friendly products for growing plants the organic way, plans to expand its product range in India and set up a small unit to assemble custom-designed packs to meet local demands.

The $4-million Australiancompany intends to supply its products in bulk of 200 litres. In turn, it would use local entrepreneurs to prepare consumer packs of one litre or so to make them easily available to farmers, said Mr Garry Fraser, one of the promoters of Batphone.

At present, the company is marketing its products to Coimbatore and Maharashtra. It has over 200 products, designed for natural growing of plants, and avoid the use of pesticides, chemicals etc. Batphone set up a stall at the International Horticulture Trade Show, held in Hyderabad, recently.

Mr Fraser told Business Line that eco-friendly products such as liquid seaweed, liquid silica concentrate, micro-lime, micro-phos, liquid fish concentrate, plant care and multi-purpose plant food were becoming popular in several countries.

Batphone is also open to sourcing products from India and distributing it globally in potential markets. For example, the Queensland-based company is now procuring neem oil and cake from India and exporting to Japan, after appropriate value addition, Mr Fraser said.

"We have received good response from India and about 15-20 enquiries from agents, especially from the Southern states at the Horticulture Fair. Hope to ship bulk consignments in the next three months", he said.

Batphone exports over a million dollars worth products to Japan alone. The small, privately held company outsources 95 per cent of its work. It expects to focus on crops such as gherkins in Andhra Pradesh to promote the products.

Batphone products, he claimed would increase soil, plant, human and animal health. The 100 per cent organic farming based products, are both cost-effective and an alternative to chemicals.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page

Stories in this Section
Public sector banks raise farm lending

TN drive to improve pulses output

KAU told to tap IT better

Cotton to test support levels

Hatsun Foods — Milking the logistics advantage

Amul claims to follow strict labelling norms

VAT panel yet to decide on purchase tax on foodgrains

TN foodgrain traders protest

Nabard sanctions Rs 373 crore for AP rural infrastructure

Cottonseed oil at 10-year low

`Educate small farmers on farm management'

AP CM arrives in Beijing

Aussie co promoting organic plant growth to expand in India