Manure is one of the most necessary ingredients that ensure a healthy and complete growth of plants. It provides the essential nutrients and elements that are either not available in soil or if present are in insufficient quantity to provide optimum growth. Availability of manure allows growing plants at any place, any time, without worrying about soil quality, health of plants and their produce. Here’s a list of manures you must consider when choosing an addition for your own little garden or field. <bulletContentEmbed name="B07PRXV7MJ" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B07PRXV7MJ_head"><columnHead col="1"><columnHeadThumb> <div type="image" title="Trusted Choice" msid="78790929" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb><columnHeadTitle>B07PRXV7MJ</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B07PRXV7MJ_body"><bulletContentRow name="B07PRXV7MJ_1601763954724636"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">TrustBasket Organic Vermicompost Fertilizer Manure for Plants - 5 KG</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Having a garden of one’s own is a dream for many. But what stands between this dream and reality is the improper texture and quality of soil. This Vermicompost Fertilizer Manure for Plants is an excellent choice to provide necessary nutrients to plants in the easiest way possible. It contains all the necessary elements for a proper growth and yield of plants.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B07PRXV7MJ_7492095384260522"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">It has antimicrobial properties and also attracts earthworms.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B00K6AVCCY" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B00K6AVCCY_head"><columnHead col="1"><columnHeadThumb> <div type="image" title="Top Pick" msid="78790960" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb><columnHeadTitle>B00K6AVCCY</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B00K6AVCCY_body"><bulletContentRow name="B00K6AVCCY_2416533670038596"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Cocogarden Enriched Vermicompost 5 Kg - Effective And Complete Plant Food</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Vermicompost increases plant growth significantly. It aerates the soil and replenishes the lost necessary nutrients. Known to increase the soil fertility physically, chemically and biologically, it is made by processing the earthworms after being fed with cow dung. This highly increases the nutritional capacity of this fertilizer. It is completely organic and yields best results for your plants.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B00K6AVCCY_7183281414314760"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Acts as complete food for plants.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B07QD4TBKX" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B07QD4TBKX_head"><columnHead col="1"><columnHeadThumb> <div type="image" title="Best Choice" msid="78790981" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb><columnHeadTitle>B07QD4TBKX</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B07QD4TBKX_body"><bulletContentRow name="B07QD4TBKX_9323828887341619"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Ugaoo Cow Dung Manure Fertilizers for Plants &amp; Home Gardening - 10 Kg</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Although beautiful and well tended gardens impart a great look to your house, it can be a tedious job. Careful treatment and ensuring proper growth of all the plants isn’t an easy task. What better way than to do it the desi way? This manure fertilizer helps your plants grow properly and in a healthy way. It rejuvenates the soil and replenishes the minerals and compounds necessary for a good plant growth.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B07QD4TBKX_2575274096170847"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">It is made of nutrients rich cow dung.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B00PN5LUX8" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B00PN5LUX8_head"><columnHead col="1"><columnHeadThumb> <div type="image" title="Best Buy" msid="78791009" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb><columnHeadTitle>B00PN5LUX8</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B00PN5LUX8_body"><bulletContentRow name="B00PN5LUX8_1505498219419128"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">MahaGro® All Purpose Premium Potting Mix®- with Cocopeat &amp; Organic Fertilizer- 10kg</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Ready to use and easy to handle, this all purpose fertilizer is an apt choice for potted plants. Most common problem with potted plants is that the soil loses its richness and quality. This fertilizer rebuilds the soil structure and quality. It aerates the soil and fills it with all the necessary elements. It ensures a healthy growth and the rich yield.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B00PN5LUX8_8305893823630092"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">It is a slow release fertilizer, hence viable for a long time.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed> <bulletContentEmbed name="B00R03724C" columns="1"><bulletContentHeading name="B00R03724C_head"><columnHead col="1"><columnHeadThumb> <div type="image" title="Premium" msid="78791038" hostid="261"></div></columnHeadThumb><columnHeadTitle>B00R03724C</columnHeadTitle></columnHead></bulletContentHeading><bulleteContentBody name="B00R03724C_body"><bulletContentRow name="B00R03724C_1867133104091693"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1">Casa De Amor Rose Care Special Organic Fertilizer for Rose Plants, Brown (900 Gram)</bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Where there are gardens, there are roses. Roses are a sign of elegance and beauty. For every garden lover, beautiful rose bushes are a must in the garden. However, these are not easy to maintain. This specially curated fertilizer for rose plants tends to all the needs and requirements. It is made specifically by keeping the nutrient requirements of rose bushes in mind. This leads to a perfectly healthy growth of the plants which gives beautiful and breathtaking flowers.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow><bulletContentRow name="B00R03724C_6729387663438058"><bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowHead col="1"></bulletContentRowHead></bulletContentRowHeading><bulletContentRowBody><bulletContentRowCell col="1">Can be used for other flowering plants too.</bulletContentRowCell></bulletContentRowBody></bulletContentRow></bulleteContentBody></bulletContentEmbed>

Organic fertilisers for healthy growth of your plants

Gangtok, Dec 22 () Sikkim IFFCO Organics Ltd (SIIFCO) on Sunday laid the foundation stone for its organic food processing unit in the state which will be built at a cost of Rs 50 crore.
 Sikkim IFFCO Organics is a joint venture (JV) between IFFCO (Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative) and the Sikkim government. 
 The foundation stone for the plant, located in Rangpo, East Sikkim, was laid by Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang. The manufacturing would start from December 2020, fertiliser major IFFCO said in a statement.
 Union Agriculture Minister Narender Singh Tomar was also present on the occasion. 
 The JV has been formed to promote and market the organic produce of India, especially from Sikkim and other North Eastern states of the country. 
 The major commercial crops in which Sikkim IFFCO will operate are ginger, turmeric, large cardamom and buckwheat. 
 "The initial cost of the project is Rs 50 crore. The manufacturing would kick start from December 2020," the statement said. 
 All Sikkim IFFCO products will be certified 100 per cent organic. 
 Tamang said Sikkim is the first state of India to go 100 per cent organic, committing itself to attain sustainable agriculture and to promote the Green Himalayan Economy. 
 He said the JV is a step in the direction of a safer food supply chain and environment protection. 
 Tamang said the joint venture would ensure that the state of Sikkim fulfils the mission of doubling farmers' income.
 The chief minister urged farmers to establish the gold standard of organic farming. 
 He complemented IFFCO and Sikkim government's initiative to strengthen organic agriculture in the country. 
 This will help in boosting the economy of North Eastern states, he said.
 IFFCO MD U S Awasthi said food processing ensures value addition to the crops, which further ensures farmers make most profit out of their produce. 
 Sikkim IIFCO will be capable of promoting these certified organic products worldwide and enhancing the 100 per cent organic image of Sikkim state globally. 
 He emphasised that IFFCO has made efforts to retain soil fertility and ecological health by introducing organic fertilizers also.
 Sikkim IFFCO has already signed two MoUs -- one with Blossoms Biodynamics, USA for utilizing their marketing and distribution in the North American markets and other with Centar Dr Rudolfa Steinera, Croatia for marketing its products in Croatia and the European Union. MJH RVK

Sikkim IFFCO lays foundation stone for organic food processing unit

The concept of the <keyword id="22186918" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="butterfly-effect" source="keywords">butterfly effect</keyword> suggests that a <keyword id="6377523" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="butterfly" source="Orion">butterfly</keyword> flapping its wings in one part of the world could lead to a storm on the other side of the globe. But what if the butterfly flaps its wings all the way from one part of the world to the other? In a remarkable real-world twist, researchers have documented <keyword id="22186919" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="painted-lady-butterflies" source="keywords">painted lady butterflies</keyword> making an astonishing 4,200-kilometre journey across the Atlantic Ocean—from Western Africa to the shores of <keyword id="346851" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="French-Guiana" source="Orion">French Guiana</keyword> in South America! <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="From flap to finish: Decoding the butterflies’ origins" comment="subhead" text="From flap to finish: Decoding the butterflies’ origins">From flap to finish: Decoding the <keyword id="6572283" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="butterflies" source="Orion">butterflies</keyword>’ origins</cmsannotation> Back in October 2013, Gerard Talavera from the Botanical Institute of Barcelona at CSIC stumbled upon painted lady butterflies on the Atlantic beaches of French Guiana. This peculiar sighting, considering these butterflies aren’t usually found in South America, sparked an international research effort to trace their origins. The research team employed advanced tools to trace the butterflies’ journey. They started by analysing wind trajectories from the time leading up to the butterflies’ arrival in October 2013. The data revealed unusually favourable wind conditions that could support a <keyword id="21876732" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="transatlantic-flight" source="keywords">transatlantic flight</keyword> from West Africa, suggesting these butterflies might have flown across the ocean. <div type="image" title="atlantic winds" msid="111280804" hostid="261" sizebytes="43242" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Wind backtracking shows the transoceanic route followed by the painted lady butterflies.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> By sequencing the genomes of the butterflies and comparing them with global populations, the researchers found a genetic closeness to African and European butterflies, ruling out North American origins and reinforcing the theory of an oceanic flight. The team then used cutting-edge molecular techniques to sequence the DNA of pollen grains carried by the butterflies. They identified plant species that only grow in tropical Africa, indicating that the butterflies had nectared on African flowers before their oceanic voyage. Finally, they analysed hydrogen and strontium isotopes in the butterflies' wings, which serve as a chemical fingerprint of their place of origin. The isotope analysis, combined with habitat models for larval growth, pointed to a possible natal origin in Western Europe, possibly France, Ireland, the United Kingdom or Portugal. Combined, these findings suggest that the painted lady butterflies took birth in Europe, migrated to West Africa, and then made an epic flight across the Atlantic to reach the eastern coast of South America! “We usually see butterflies as symbols of the fragility of beauty, but science shows us that they can perform incredible feats. There is still much to discover about their capabilities,” said Roger Vila, a researcher at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Pompeu Fabra University) and co-author of the study. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Harnessing the Saharan winds" comment="subhead" text="Harnessing the Saharan winds">Harnessing the <keyword id="22186920" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Saharan-winds" source="keywords">Saharan winds</keyword></cmsannotation> Elaborating on how they managed this feat, Eric Toro-Delgado, one of the article's co-authors, explained: “The butterflies could only have completed this flight using a strategy alternating between active flight, which is costly energetically, and gliding the wind. We estimate that without wind, the butterflies could have flown a maximum of 780 km before consuming all their fat and, therefore, their energy.” The butterflies likely made use of the Saharan air layer, a conveyor of dust from Africa to the Americas. These wind currents, known to fertilise the Amazon with Saharan dust, also appear to be a highway for living organisms. In fact, this transatlantic flight points towards the existence of natural aerial highways linking continents, which could enable species dispersal on a far greater scale than we ever thought possible. With global warming and evolving climate patterns, scientists warn that we might see more pronounced shifts and a surge in such long-distance dispersal events. These changes could profoundly influence biodiversity and ecosystems across the globe. These findings were recently published in Nature Communications and can be accessed <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-49079-2">here</a>.

These butterflies flew across the Atlantic Ocean, winging their way from Africa to South America!

<ul><li>Pune-based <keyword id="3990962" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="agritech-startup" source="Orion">agritech startup</keyword> <keyword id="13673573" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kisanserv" source="Orion">Kisanserv</keyword> kickstarted an initiative to take the wet waste-turned-compost in urban areas to farmers.</li><li>As per Indian government’s Soil Health Survey 2019-20, <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2021/07/22/creeping-disaster-over-half-of-indias-soil-is-degraded">almost half of India’s soil is</a> suffering from varying degrees of degradation.</li><li>When soil is treated with compost every year, within 3-4 years, its health will improve.</li></ul>One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure. A Pune-based agritech startup has taken this adage literally as it kickstarted an initiative to take the wet waste-turned-compost in urban areas to farmers who are struggling with deteriorating soil quality. Fork-to-farm initiative Niranjan Sharma, the co-founder and CEO of Kisanserv, a tech-enabled full-stack agritech company, observed that most of the 9,000 farmers in the company’s network faced a common issue – increasingly alkaline soil PH, which was making lands almost barren. As per the Indian government’s Soil Health Survey 2019-20, <a href="https://www.newslaundry.com/2021/07/22/creeping-disaster-over-half-of-indias-soil-is-degraded">almost half of India’s soil is</a> suffering from varying degrees of degradation. Sharma blames it on extensive fertiliser usage. “Around 20 years back, if farmers were using 10 kilos of fertilisers or pesticides on one acre of land, now they are using 100 kilos – and that’s a 10x growth. If this is the situation now, what will it be 25 years later?” asks Sharma who has spent over 20 years working in the agricultural sector. At the same time, cities have another problem – increasing waste. Mumbai is offering a 10% rebate on property tax to housing societies that process their wet waste. Pimpri Chinchwad municipality in Pune has made it mandatory for societies that generate more than 100 kilos of waste per day, to process their waste themselves. The societies which have given in to the mandate, however, have too much wet waste that’s turned into compost. “We decided to bridge the gap,” Sharma tells Business Insider India. They started this initiative three months back and currently haul 15 metric tonnes of compost from 200 housing societies and distribute it free to farmers. The target is to bring it up to 300,000 metric tonnes by 2023. While rural areas too can prepare their composts, urban areas, which are consumer centres, produce the most waste. Farmers, Kisanserv says, are thrilled to receive compost. “They also keep asking us for sources to purchase compost from,” says Sharma. Back to nature Compost is prepared using wet waste, which is mostly food waste that has culture added to it. It can later be put through a machine that converts it into compost over time. This simply prepared material can become ‘Sanjeevani to the soil’, as per Sharma. In Hindu mythology, Sanjeevani is a cure-all plant that can even reverse death. As much as 200-300 kilos of compost must be added to one acre of land and this can be repeated every year. If this treatment is continued for three to four years, soil health can change for the better with the necessary nutrients being added in. Moreso, compost-treated farms need less fertiliser than others – in some cases as low as 90% less. This, Sharma feels, can trigger a virtuous cycle where fruits and vegetables produced with less chemicals can make urban consumers healthier. This produce is named ‘natural’ instead of organic where no chemicals are used. Such organic farms, however, suffer from reduced yield. For example, a farm that is fully organic might produce only 1 metric tonne of tomatoes as opposed to 10 metric tonnes from a traditional farm that uses fertilisers. Sri Lanka made the sudden shift to going organic, after synthetic fertilisers and pesticides were banned in 2021. Within six months, the country’s rice <a href="https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2022/7/15/23218969/sri-lanka-organic-fertilizer-pesticide-agriculture-farming">production dropped 20%, forcing</a> the self-sufficient country to import the grain – thereby exacerbating its financial crisis. “Loss of a yield of fully-organic farms is a huge issue. Though there is a class of consumers that pay a premium for organic produce, a large section of farmers going organic will create a hunger problem. So, our objective is to help farmers go natural,” says Sharma. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/india-is-facing-the-worst-shortage-of-nurses-in-recent-years-says-kpmg-report/articleshow/94789539.cms">India is facing the worst shortage of nurses in recent years, says KPMG report</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/infosys-president-ravi-kumar-s-resigns/articleshow/94790847.cms">Infosys president Ravi Kumar S resigns</a>

This agritech is mobilizing wet waste of cities as compost that’s saving crops, soil and farmers in rural areas

This week, the <keyword id="6377129" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="government-of-india" source="Orion">Government of India</keyword> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability/news/lok-sabha-approves-energy-conservation-bill-to-accelerate-climate-action-opens-multi-billion-dollar-carbon-market/articleshow/93479684.cms">passed a bill in parliament</a> seeking to mandate the use of non-fossil energy sources, including <keyword id="568811" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="biomass" source="Orion">biomass</keyword>, ethanol, and green hydrogen. This is the need of the hour to address the growing global climate crisis fuelled by fossil fuels. August 10 also marks World <keyword id="53632" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="biofuel" source="Orion">Biofuel</keyword> Day in memory of Sir <keyword id="9565902" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="rudolf-diesel" source="Orion">Rudolf Diesel</keyword>, inventor of the diesel engine. He is said to have operated the first mechanical engine with peanut oil. Broadly biofuels or non-fossil fuels are a low-cost, renewable alternative to fossil fuels. Biofuel is a wide term that encompasses biomass-derived solid, liquid, and gas fuels (e.g., bio-coal, methanol, ethanol, biodiesel, bio-oil, hydrogen, and methane). Since biomass can be replenished easily, biofuels are considered renewable. While they can be used as a standalone fuel source, they can easily blend with petroleum fuels and thereafter be used in a variety of blending ratios without any change in existing infrastructure. These advantages of biofuels contribute to their fast acceptance! But, there’s a challenge; their production primarily relies on food crops, and unscientific approaches to producing excessive biofuels can drive deforestation, as documented in Brazil. The phrase "conventional biofuels" refers to these biofuels. To tackle these threats, there’s a heightened focus on ‘Advanced Biofuels’, i.e., biofuels derived from lignocellulosic (refers to plant dry matter) biomass. These are being explored as a possible replacement for conventional biofuels. Lignocellulosic biomass is not used as food and is abundant, thereby reducing the risk posed by conventional biofuels to food security and the environment. The use of advanced biofuels in transportation is predicted to reduce carbon emissions as it reinforces the natural carbon cycle, which implies that the carbon emitted during burning is retrieved during photosynthesis. Biofuels answer the twin problems in <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>, where, as per the Government of India, over 350 million tonnes of agricultural waste is generated every year. This waste is generally burnt and can lead to an immense air pollution load. With the current technologies, this can be utilised to reduce the quantity of oil imported by converting the waste to biofuels. As per government estimates, this waste can generate up to 18 GW of power in addition to generating green fertilisers. But the possibility that conventional biofuels could threaten food security has caused many governments to set strict rules about how biofuels can be made. Drop-in biofuels are liquid hydrocarbons generated from biomass that fulfil the standards for current petroleum distillate fuel, for example, ASTM D4814, and are ready to "drop in" to the existing fuel supply and consumption infrastructure. Bio-butanol, liquefied biomass, sugar hydrocarbons, and syngas complexes are all examples of drop-in biofuel options. Biofuels also carry a few misconceptions, such as cellulosic biofuels will always be far from getting commercialized; biofuels can only exist with significant subsidies; the world's ability to produce food would be drastically reduced to meet biofuel regulations, resulting in both a spike in global prices and food riots; instead of reducing carbon emissions, biofuels increase them; biofuels are energy negative, i.e., they consume more energy in getting produced than what they give. None of these is true in the real sense if we adhere to scientifically proven methods of efficient biofuel production. India can generate its energy, cooking and vehicle fuel, and organic fertilizer from locally available biomass wastes using anaerobic digestion in biogas or CBG plants. All kinds of biomass, except wood, can theoretically produce biogas, although biogas production's efficiency depends on the biomass's digestibility. This will enable scientific management of the waste available and help India meet the global target of <keyword id="171507" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ghg" source="Orion">GHG</keyword> emission reduction. When sent to landfills, the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (MSW) would emit methane, which has close to 21 times the global warming potential compared to carbon dioxide. Using biogas plants to deal with organic waste would also keep it from getting into groundwater aquifers and surface water bodies. It's important to know that large-scale use of dig estate from CBG plants can stop soil from getting worse. Biomass generated from agriculture is abundant in various bioactive and nutraceutical substances, including dietary fibre, carotenoids, and polyphenols, among others. This biomass is rich in roughage, and with the addition of requisite nutrients, it is a prospective answer to becoming rich animal fodder. Solid substrate fermentation, ensiling, and high solid or slurry procedures are among the technologies that can enrich agriculture biomass from a fodder perspective. Bio hydrogen is the cleanest energy source as it procures only water vapour and can effectively decarbonise transport, power production, and industrial operations. Compressed Biogas is also carbon neutral and a cleaner fuel as it is sustainable, renewable, and easily transportable through gas pipelines or cylinder cascades. Efforts of the government in India to promote biogas and other biofuels will help meet the stated sustainability goals and the country's energy security. A plus point with compressed biogas is that there are no environmental side effects associated with the biogas plants. The effluent/plant discharge is also recognised as fermented organic manure and can help improve soil health by raising organic matter content. However, if a biogas plant is not designed properly and methane gets leaked into the atmosphere, it can potentially harm the environment from a greenhouse perspective. Proper engineering followed by PESO's (Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organization) norms can derisk it. Space constraints may make it unprofitable in densely populated areas, but modern designs allow for such issues to be addressed. India today generates over 550 million tonnes of biowaste, which can be converted to biogas or biofuels and used to meet part of its energy requirements. Given the unpredictability of oil imports and high costs, the Indian government aims to achieve the target of 20% blending of biofuels with fossil fuels over the next five years. Government regulations and policy enforcement are crucial to reducing fuel imports and meeting carbon emission targets. Gaurav Kedia is the Chairman of the Indian Biogas Association This column is part of a year-long (2022-23) campaign on the theme “ Only One Earth: Sustaining People, Planet and Prosperity” by Business Insider India’s <a target="_blank" class="c-link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sustainability">Sustainability Insider</a>. Disclaimer: The opinions expressed by the author/interviewee do not necessarily reflect the views of Business Insider India. The article has been partly edited for length and clarity

OPINION: World Biofuel Day — Can biofuel help sustainably meet the growing energy needs of India?

<ul><li>The current round of funding also saw participation from existing investor Omnivore. </li><li><keyword id="11940625" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bioprime" source="Orion">Bioprime</keyword> develops affordable agri-biologicals that improve crop resistance to insects/pests. </li><li>It aims to utilise the funds for its <keyword id="15213500" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="snipr-biologicals" source="Orion">SNIPR Biologicals</keyword> registrations, advancing the discovery platform, building a strong IP portfolio and increasing production capabilities. </li></ul>Tech-focused venture capital (VC) fund <keyword id="9902884" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="inflexor-ventures" source="Orion">Inflexor Ventures</keyword> led a pre-series A funding of ₹9-crore in <keyword id="6355165" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="agriculture" source="Orion">agriculture</keyword> <keyword id="45082" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="biotech" source="Orion">biotech</keyword> startup BioPrime Agrisolutions. The funding round also saw participation from BioPrime’s existing investor, Omnivore. BioPrime aims to utilise the funds for SNIPR Biologicals registrations, advancing the discovery platform, building a strong IP portfolio and increasing production capabilities. BioPrime – founded by <keyword id="15213499" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="renuka-karandikar" source="Orion">Renuka Karandikar</keyword>, Amit Shinde and Shekhar Bhosle in 2016 – develops affordable agri-biologicals that improve crop resistance to insects/pests and help crops manage abiotic stress such as high temperature, excessive water, drought, etc. These products are non-chemical based, residue-free, organic, and are less expensive than chemical-based fertilisers and pesticides – thereby reducing the overall farm input expenses, claims Pune-based BioPrime. “BioPrime works to transform the way we grow crops, making food more nutritious and residue-free while restoring soil health using cutting-edge technologies and approaches, always keeping sustainability at our core,” Karandikar, CEO of BioPrime Agrisolutions, said. The company was focusing on discovering fundamental aspects of plant communication, developing novel biologicals based on trait-modifying microbes and physiology-modulating molecules, she added. “We believe that the stellar founding team of BioPrime is well equipped to solve the complex food security problem brought to the forefront by climate change. The IP-led, high-throughput biomolecule discovery platform will facilitate faster market access. Such a technology platform fits well with Inflexor’s investing thesis of backing impactful, pure science companies from the Indian deep tech ecosystem,” said Pratip Mazumdar, Partner at Inflexor Ventures. Inflexor has invested in 10 companies so far since November 2020 including Atomberg, <keyword id="9291914" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="gramcover" source="Orion">GramCover</keyword> and <keyword id="3456849" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="kale-logistics" source="Orion">Kale Logistics</keyword>. “BioPrime is an excellent example of an invention designed to improve human and planetary health alongside farmer incomes and we are delighted to back them," Jinesh Shah, Partner at Omnivore Partners said. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/mumbai-international-airport-switches-to-green-sources/articleshow/94761659.cms">Mumbai International Airport switches to Green sources</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/personalities/news/mulayam-singh-yadav-journey-of-samajwadi-party-founder-netaji/slidelist/94755024.cms">From wrestler to veteran politician – Life and times of ‘Netaji’ Mulayam Singh Yadav</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/health/news/heres-how-you-can-cope-with-burnout-at-work/articleshow/94761472.cms">World Mental Health Day: Here’s how you can cope with burnout at work</a>

Agri-bio startup BioPrime Agrisolutions raises ₹9 crore in funding round led by Inflexor Ventures

Advocating genome editing, some scientists have said the target traits should be for genetic improvement of rice, wheat, pulses, oil seeds and even sugarcane to address the issues of climate adaptation of crops, optimisation of shrinking natural resources, and combating malnutrition. For instance, genome editing of rice can be done for water use efficiency, nitrogen use efficiency, abiotic stress tolerance, grain quality and productivity or, for that matter, green gram in pulses can be genome edited for drought and heat tolerance. The scientists have also said it is desired that emphasis will be given more to pulses and oilseed crops for raising productivity levels, improving nutritional quality and developing new varieties resistant to heat and drought stresses, pests and pathogens, to help reduce India's dependency on imports. Genome editing allows modifications in an organism's native DNA at a pre-determined genomic locus in a precise and targeted manner. In many countries, genome-edited crops are treated as non-GMOs because of the absence of foreign DNA in the final product, i.e., the improved crop variety is foreign DNA-free. The Centre recently exempted the SDN1 and SDN2 categories of genome edited crops from bio-safety assessment under the relevant rules of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Scientists K.C. Bansal from the <keyword id="438523" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="national-academy-of-agricultural-sciences" source="Orion">National Academy of Agricultural Sciences</keyword>, <keyword id="14449091" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="viswanathan-chinnusamy" source="Orion">Viswanathan Chinnusamy</keyword> from <keyword id="479670" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="indian-agricultural-research-institute" source="Orion">Indian Agricultural Research Institute</keyword> (ICAR) and Kutubuddin A. Molla from <keyword id="14449092" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="icar-national-rice-research-institute" source="Orion">ICAR National Rice Research Institute</keyword> in their paper 'Genome editing: a boon for plant biologists, breeders and farmers' published on July 10 in Current Science said this is a real boon for Indian plant biologists and breeders to use genome editing tools for basic research in functional genomics and gene discovery as well as translational research for developing high-yielding crop varieties and hybrids to meet the modern day challenges. Genome editing could generate new varieties, which require fewer inputs such as agrochemicals, water and fertilisers, and produce more output enabling the increase in farmers' income. "The technology is beset with great potential for the next agricultural revolution, specifically by developing crops with desired traits for sustainable crop production. Genome editing has successfully generated crops with improved novel traits that were technically difficult through traditional breeding or genetic engineering," the scientists pointed out. The availability of efficient genome engineering tools for precise editing would greatly help Indian agriculture by rapidly and accurately creating useful alleles directly in the elite crop varieties. "While the <keyword id="50335" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="green-revolution" source="Orion">Green Revolution</keyword> resulted in self-sufficiency with regard to food production that enabled the government to enact the <keyword id="145178" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="right-to-food-act" source="Orion">Right to Food Act</keyword>, 2013 to feed millions of people, now is the time of greater concern to address the issues of climate adaptation of crops, producing more from the shrinking natural resources, increasing input use-efficiency and combating malnutrition," Bansal, the lead author, said. According to the recent IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6), India is one of the most economically stressed countries due to climate change. Major emphasis is, therefore, needed for developing climate-ready crops combining field stress tolerance/resistance to abiotic and biotic stress factors with yield enhancement traits like improved photosynthesis, enhanced acquisition and use efficiency of water, nutrients and other natural resources to produce more with less and fewer inputs, the paper said. It is desired that emphasis will be given more to pulses and oilseed crops for raising productivity levels, improving nutritional quality, and developing new varieties resistant to heat and drought stresses, pests, and pathogens, to help reduce India's dependency on imports. "However, the unavailability of functionally characterized genes for these traits limits the application of genome editing. Hence, besides focusing on genome editing for product development, genome editing for gene discovery should be an important thrust area in these and other prioritized crops," the scientists pointed out.

Genome editing can be helpful for climate adaptation of crops, say scientists

New Delhi, Jul 15 () Fertiliser cooperative IFFCO's net profit rose 20 per cent to an all-time high of Rs 1,005 crore during the last fiscal year on record sales of soil nutrients. Its profit stood at Rs 841.58 crore during the 2018-19 financial year. IFFCO's turnover increased to Rs 29,412 crore in the 2019-20 fiscal, from Rs 27,851.74 crore in the previous year. The group turnover of IFFCO, including its joint ventures, subsidiaries and associate companies, rose to Rs 57,778 crore last fiscal, from Rs 50,908 crore in the 2018-19 fiscal. "I am glad that IFFCO could achieve outstanding overall performance for the FY 19-20, which is indeed incredible to accomplish in a year severely affected by global and economic challenges," IFFCO Managing Director U S Awasthi said. IFFCO has achieved highest ever production, sales, profit and despatches of fertilisers for the financial year 2019-20, the company said. Apart from core fertiliser business, IFFCO has diversified into general insurance, rural retail, farm forestry, rural telecom, agrochemicals, rural finance, logistics, SEZ. It has forayed into food processing, organic food and nutrients for urban gardening. The cooperative achieved the highest ever sales of fertilisers at 133 lakh tonnes last fiscal despite difficult market and weather conditions. On operational front, IFFCO's total production of fertilisers increased to 91.42 lakh tonnes last fiscal year, from 81.49 lakh tonnes in the previous year. Urea output increased to 48.75 lakh tonnes from 45.62 lakh tonnes last year, while the production of di-ammonium phosphate/nitrogen phosphorus potassium/water soluble fertilisers (DAP/NPK/WSF) rose to 42.87 lakh tonnes from 35.87 lakh tonnes. IFFCO sold record 133.31 lakh tonnes of fertilisers in the last fiscal year, as against 115.56 lakh tonnes in 2018-19. Out of total sales, urea stood at 86.31 lakh tonnes and DAP/NPK at 47 lakh tonnes in 2019-20. IFFCO, the worlds largest fertiliser cooperative, has five plants at Kalol, Kandla, Phulpur, Aonla and Paradeep in India and two overseas. MJH DRR DRR

IFFCO FY'20 profit at record Rs 1,005 cr; turnover up 6 pc at Rs 29,412 cr

<ul><li>The United Nations dedicated May 22 of every year as <keyword id="157760" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="International-Day-for-Biological-Diversity">International Day for Biological Diversity</keyword></li><li>This year’s celebration is special as it will be the first ever online-only campaign increasing awareness during a pandemic. </li><li>The theme for this year is “Our solutions are in nature” — which shows people are a part of nature.</li></ul>The United Nations dedicated May 22 of every year as <keyword id="24375" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="international-day">International Day</keyword> for <keyword id="229835" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Biological-Diversity">Biological Diversity</keyword> to develop awareness about <keyword id="7716426" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="biodiversity-issues">biodiversity issues</keyword>. The first International Day for Biological Diversity, also known as World Biodiversity day, was created in a UN General Assembly in 1993. Since 2001, it is celebrated every year. This year’s celebration is special as it will be the first ever online-only campaign increasing awareness during a pandemic. The theme for this year is “Our solutions are in nature” — which shows people are a part of nature. “Despite all our technological advances we are completely dependent on healthy and vibrant ecosystems for our water, food, medicines, clothes, fuel, shelter and energy,” <a href="https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/biodiversity-our-solutions-are-nature">says</a> Elizabeth Mrema, the Acting Executive Secretary of <keyword id="9265691" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="the-convention-on-biodiversity">the Convention on Biodiversity</keyword>. Avoiding use single-use plastic, reducing food waste, reduced use of pesticide and fertilisers, protecting and planting trees etc. are steps that can protect the biodiversity. What is Biodiversity? Biodiversity or Biological diversity means the life on Earth constitutes a variety of living organisms. There are at least 8 million species on this planet including plants, animals, fungi, bactere to name a few. The biodiversity we have today was formed through billions of years of evolution. Ecosystems like deserts, forests, wetlands, mountains, lakes, rivers are also a part of biodiversity which allows living organisms to form a community and live together. “On land, the most important ecosystems and biodiversity refuges are forests, which are home to most of Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity: 80% of amphibian species; 75% of bird species, and 68% of mammal species,” s<a href="https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/biodiversity-our-solutions-are-nature">ays UN quoting State of World’s Forests</a>. However, one million species are at the risk of extinction and we are losing species at a rate faster than any other time in <keyword id="909170" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="human-history">human history</keyword>, according to the UN. Since human species are all dependent on each other the loss of biodiversity will break the food chain. Why is biodiversity important to our health? A healthy ecosystem can protect us against an outbreak of any infectious diseases. Humans, on an average, struggle <a href="https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/biodiversity-our-solutions-are-nature">with the spread of one new infectious disease</a> in every four months. The spread of these infections are a result of massive destruction caused in animal habitats which increases our exposure to pathogens. As we face a pandemic, the UN says, we all need to take an urgent and collaborative call to build a sustainable economy that preserves nature and biodiversity. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/the-coronavirus-is-giving-the-environment-a-break-but-experts-think-its-unlikely-to-stay-that-way/articleshow/75212316.cms">The coronavirus is giving the environment a break — but experts think it's unlikely to stay that way</a>

Here’s why we celebrate International Day for Biological Diversity every year on May 22

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5b767d6c04f16230008b5287-1800/gettyimages-994492306 1.jpg" border="0" alt="Theresa May Chequers meeting Brexit" data-mce-source="UK Govt handout, via Getty Images" data-mce-caption="Theresa May addresses members of her cabinet at an all-day Brexit session in Chequers, the Prime Minister's country retreat in Buckinghamshire." /><keyword id="6354868" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="UK">UK</keyword> Govt handout, via Getty ImagesTheresa May addresses members of her cabinet at an all-day Brexit session in Chequers, the Prime Minister's country retreat in Buckinghamshire.</div></div></div><ul><li>The UK government is preparing 84 areas of British life for a no deal Brexit, a new leak reveals.</li><li>They cover a range of areas including bloody safety, pet travel, and tobacco.</li><li>The first set of notes are reportedly set to be published next Thursday.</li><li>Whilst the notes are written in a neutral tone, the government hopes that they can reframe the debate away from no deal.</li><li>Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned on Thursday that leaving the EU with no deal would be "a huge geo-strategic mistake" that the UK "would regret for generations."</li><li>The leaks come as 9,000 border guards are given a post-Brexit holiday ban in case of no deal.</li></ul><hr />LONDON - The UK government's preparations for crashing out of the European Union with no deal cover 84 areas of British life, a new leak has revealed.Theresa May's government will soon publish an array of technical notices for British businesses and households, explaining what contingency plans the UK has in place in the event of a no deal Brexit.These notices - <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7034494/ministers-step-up-war-of-words-eu/?utm_source=POLITICO.EU&amp;utm_campaign=b1eae8cc1a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_08_17_05_36&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_10959edeb5-b1eae8cc1a-190121793" target="_blank" rel="noopener">which government sources insist</a> <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7034494/ministers-step-up-war-of-words-eu/?utm_source=POLITICO.EU&amp;utm_campaign=b1eae8cc1a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_08_17_05_36&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_10959edeb5-b1eae8cc1a-190121793" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a>will show the UK "will be ready" for the hardest of Brexits - come amid warnings that leaving the EU with no deal could trigger chaos, like a shortage in food and medicines.Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt <a href="http://www.itv.com/news/2018-08-16/jeremy-hunt-hints-to-itv-news-that-britain-could-adopt-even-more-eu-rules-after-brexit/?utm_campaign=b1eae8cc1a-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_08_17_05_36&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=POLITICO.EU&amp;utm_term=0_10959edeb5-b1eae8cc1a-190121793" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told ITV on Thursday</a> that leaving the EU with no deal would be a would be "a huge geo-strategic mistake" that the UK "would regret for generations."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><img src="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/5b640ff22be4ab33008b4be6-1200/gettyimages-1004169988.jpg" border="0" alt="Jeremy Hunt" data-mce-source="Sean Gallup" />Sean GallupForeign Secretary Jeremy Hunt.</div></div></div><a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexspence/a-new-leak-reveals-84-areas-of-british-life-the-uk?utm_term=.blb3kRKV5#.xea17NvMo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BuzzFeed has published</a> the full list of the 84 areas of life that May's government is producing no deal Brexit plans for.Around half of the notes cover policies overseen by either the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs or the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy. Matters relating to the Department for Transport are also thought to make up a significant amount of the technical notes.While the government has reportedly written the technical notices in a neutral tone, it is understood that the intention is to reframe the debate by highlighting the potential wide-ranging dangers of no deal.There is increasing concern about the prospect of a no deal Brexit as UK and EU negotiators struggle to agree on a solution to preserving the open border on the island of Ireland<a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/liam-fox-says-there-is-a-6040-chance-of-no-dealbrexit-lpsgm2gdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Earlier this month</a>, International Trade Secretary, Liam Fox, said no deal was the most likely outcome of Brexit talks. <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7020621/chances-of-a-no-deal-brexit-are-now-50-50-claims-latvian-foreign-minister-ahead-of-talks-with-jeremy-hunt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In an interview this week</a>, Latvia's foreign minister, Edgars Rinkevics declared that the chances of a no deal Brexit are 50/50. Meanwhile, according to The Sun, nearly all 9,000 border force staff have been banned from going on holiday for eight weeks from next March in case the UK cannot agree a Brexit deal with the EU.Here is the full list of no deal Brexit technical notices, <a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/alexspence/a-new-leak-reveals-84-areas-of-british-life-the-uk?utm_term=.blb3kRKV5#.xea17NvMo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leaked to BuzzFeed</a>:<ul><li>Air services</li><li>Animal breeding</li><li>Aviation safety</li><li>Aviation security</li><li>Batch testing of medicine</li><li>Blood safety</li><li>Broadcasting</li><li>Chemicals regulation</li><li>Civil judicial cooperation</li><li>Civil nuclear</li><li>Climate</li><li>Commercial road haulage</li><li>Common Travel Area</li><li>Company law</li><li>Competition</li><li>Consumer protection</li><li>Cross-border gas trading</li><li>Customs and borders</li><li>Data</li><li>Driver licensing</li><li>Drugs</li><li>e-Commerce and geo-blocking</li><li>Electricity trading</li><li>Environmental standards</li><li>Equine movements</li><li>Erasmus</li><li>EU citizens in the UK</li><li>EU programmes and structural funds</li><li>EU space programmes</li><li>European regional development fund</li><li>European social fund</li><li>Export control regulation</li><li>Fertilisers</li><li>Financial services</li><li>Firearms</li><li>Fisheries, fish and seafood</li><li>Fluorinated gases and Ozone depleting substances</li><li>Food labelling</li><li>Genetically modified organisms</li><li>Geographical indicators</li><li>Health and identification marks for products of animal origin</li><li>Horizon 2020</li><li>Imports of food and feed</li><li>Insolvency</li><li>Intellectual property</li><li>Life sciences</li><li>Live animals and animal products</li><li>Maritime security</li><li>Motor insurance</li><li>New car and van CO2 emissions</li><li>NGOs</li><li>Nuclear research</li><li>Objects of cultural interest</li><li>Oil and gas</li><li>Organic food production</li><li>Organs, tissue, and cells</li><li>Passports</li><li>Payments to farmers</li><li>Pesticides regulations</li><li>Pet travel</li><li>Plants and seeds</li><li>Procurement</li><li>Product regulation</li><li>Registration of veterinary medicines</li><li>Renewable electricity issues</li><li>Rural Development Programme for England</li><li>Seafarer certification</li><li>Services</li><li>State aid</li><li>Telecoms</li><li>Timber trade</li><li>Tobacco</li><li>Trade agreements continuity</li><li>Trade in endangered species</li><li>Trade remedies</li><li>Trans-European energy infrastructure</li><li>UK citizens in the EU</li><li>UK LIFE projects</li><li>UK trade tariff</li><li>Upholding industrial emissions</li><li>VAT</li><li>Vehicle standards</li><li>Veterinary medicine products</li><li>Workplace rights</li></ul>Our Brexit Insider Facebook group is the best place for up-to-date news and analysis about Britain's departure from the EU, direct from Business Insider's political reporters. Join <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/267178180471848/">here.</a> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-happens-to-north-korea-defector-2018-8">A North Korean defector's harrowing story of escape</a></h3> <div> <iframe class="bijwplayerclass" data-player="jwplayer" src="https://content.jwplatform.com/players/DihAKWFg-CEZHWCBG.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" style="margin:0px;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><script>function receiveMessage(event){ console.log(event.data.fullscreen); Android.fullscreen(event.data.fullscreen); }window.addEventListener("message", receiveMessage, false);</script> </div> </div>

Theresa May's government has no deal Brexit plans for 84 areas of British life - here's the full list

MUMBAI: The markets are on a roll, with the <keyword id="6484188" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sensex">Sensex</keyword> and Nifty making fresh life highs, led by gains in banks, auto and energy counters. 
 
The new life high for Sensex is 26,356.24; and that for Nifty is 7,865.85. 
 
The Nifty extended its winning streak for fifth consecutive session and hit an all-time high as FIIs continued to pump in dollars in Indian markets on expectations of pick-up in economy 
 
Sudip Bandyopadhyay, President, Destimoney Securities, is of the view that the market will continue to move upwards. 
 
“A lot of FIIs money is coming out of Russia into Indian markets through BRICS fund. Domestic investors are also entering the market and that is providing support,” said Bandyopadhyay. 
 
At 2:02 p.m.; the 50-share index was at 7,860.95, up 69.25 points or 0.89 per cent. It touched an all-time high of 7,865.85 and a low of 7,779.20 in trade today. 
 The S&amp;P <keyword id="35140" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="BSE">BSE</keyword> Sensex was at 26,340.82, up 237.59 points or 0.91 per cent. It touched an all-time high of 26,356.24 and a low of 26,075.28 in trade today. 
 
Sandeep Tandon of Quant Broking is of the view that market went through consolidation in the last three months. It is light at the moment and looks set for next leg of upmove. 
 
The CNX Midcap Index rallied 1.27 per cent and the CNX Smallcap Index surged 2.10 per cent. 
 
Among the sectoral indices, the CNX Bank Nifty was up 1.49 per cent, the CNX Auto Index gained 1.02 per cent, the CNX Energy Index rose 1.42 per cent. 
 
The CNX FMCG Index was down 0.75 per cent and the CNX IT Index slipped 0.51 per cent. 
 BPCL (up 5.25 per cent), <keyword id="6355975" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Axis-Bank">Axis Bank</keyword> (up 3.11 per cent), <keyword id="45008" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tata-Power">Tata Power</keyword> (up 3.04 per cent), BHEL (up 2.91 per cent) and Tata Motors (up 2.87 per cent) were among the major Nifty gainers. 
 
ITC (1.92 per cent), Infosys (1.01 per cent), HCL Tech (0.80 per cent), HDFC (0.70 per cent) and TCS (0.68 per cent) were among the index losers. 
 
The market breadth was positive on the NSE with 1090 gainers against 425 losers. 
 
Foreign institutional investors were net buyers worth Rs 625.18 crore and domestic institutional investors were net buyers worth Rs 135.75 crore on Thursday as per the provisional data from the National Stock Exchange. 
 
D-Street highlights @ 2 pm 
 
Cairn India: Plan pipeline to connect field to Gujarat gas grid 
 
Cairn India: Sees significant gas volume potential in Rajasthan 
 
Cairn India: Raageshwari deep field may hold 1-3 TCF gas 
 
ET NOW ALERT: Top Gainer On CNX Small Cap Index Alok Inds Price:12.3 Change: +1.35 Percent Change: +12.33% 
 
ET NOW ALERT: Up For 2nd Day CNX SMALL CAP Price:4979.95 Change: +118.3 Percent Change: +2.43% 
 
ET NOW ALERT: Top Gainer On CNX 200 Index AIA Engineering Price:844 Change: +56.6 Percent Change: +7.19% 
 
Sources Say: JSW Energy in talks to buy Bina, Nigrie power assets of JP Power 
 
Sources Say: JSW Energy says: Continue to evaluate opportunities 
 
Sources Say: Bina Power Plant's EV is pegged at around Rs 3,500 cr 
 
Sources Say: Alert: JP's Nigrie Thermal Power project to have capacity of 1,320 MW 
 
ET NOW ALERT: All 12 lenders in Bank Nifty post gains
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Tata Motors To ET NOW: Plan to increase exports by 25% over the next 3 years 
 
Tata Motors To ET NOW: Co to launch 25 new commercial vehicles in FY15 
 
Tata Motors To ET NOW: Will spend Rs 1,200-1,500 cr this fiscal on new product development 
 
Tata Motors To ET NOW: Expect FY15 M&amp;HCV sales to be 10% higher than last fiscal 
 Adrian Mowat: <keyword id="16898" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Spike">Spike</keyword> in crude oil prices can derail India's growth story 
 
ET NOW ALERT: Hits Fresh Record High SENSEX Price:26297.42 Change: +194.19 Percent Change: +.74% 
 
Adrian Mowat: Underweight on consumer staples, defensive stocks 
 
Adrian Mowat: India's divestment programme has potential to take mkt higher 
 
@ 1 pm 
 
Quant Broking: Bullish on IT stocks on good US economic recovery 
 
Quant Broking: Not optimistic on auto stocks currently 
 
Quant Broking: Positive on mid-cap pharma, cement stocks 
 
Quant Broking: Bullish on pharma, cement, IT banks, PSU oil &amp; gas stocks 
 
Quant Broking: Market is poised for next leg of the bull rally 
 
ET NOW ALERT: Hits Fresh Record High NIFTY Price:7840.3 Change: +48.6 Percent Change: +.62% 
 
JUST NOW: Harsh Mariwala raises stake in Marico Kaya to 2.21% from 1.94% 
 
Atlanta: Signed an agreement with Gujarat Govt to set up entertainment city 
 Fin Min Sources: Alert: In 2008, UTI AMC deferred <keyword id="6354763" type="EVENT" weightage="20" keywordseo="IPO">IPO</keyword> plans 
 
Fin Min Sources: Alert: SBI, BoB,PNB,LIC currently hold 74% stake in UTI AMC 
 
Fin Min Sources: SBI, BoB, PNB to seek board approval to cut stake in UTI AMC 
 
Fin Min Sources: Government looking to list UTI AMC 
 
@ 12 pm 
 
Edelweiss Financial: Q1 IIP growth has been at 4%, indicating a sharp pick up 
 
Edelweiss Financial: Expect exports to grow at 7-8% on a monthly basis 
 
Edelweiss Financial: Need to monitor export demand from US, Europe &amp; Japan 
 
Edelweiss Financial: Trade deficit is not a concern at current juncture 
 
Edelweiss Financial: Agri output remains weak due to delayed monsoon 
 
Edelweiss Financial: Lower crude oil prices will help inflation to cool off as well 
 
Edelweiss Financial: Crude oil prices correcting is positive for twin deficits 
 
Mythili Bhusnurmath: IEA has stated oil consumption may be lower than last year 
 
Mythili Bhusnurmath: Most economic data is within consensus estimates 
 
Mythili Bhusnurmath: Economic data in Q1 has not been disappointing 
 
Mythili Bhusnurmath: Expect EXIM policy to be announced by end of the month 
 
Reliance Comm: Expect to bring down debt by another Rs 10,000 cr 
 
Reliance Comm: Net debt to EBITDA ratio to be below 2.5-3 levels 
 
Reliance Comm: Thrust on CDMA biz has helped achieve a turnaround 
 
Reliance Comm: Had a healthy revenue growth of Rs 4,571 cr, up 2% QoQ 
 
Reliance Comm: Net debt on books at Rs 35,500 cr from Rs 40,000 cr previously 
 
Reliance Comm: Raised Rs 6,100 cr in Q1 via QIP; Promoters invested Rs 1,300 cr 
 
@ 11 am 
 
Meghmani Organics: Have completed investments in capex for FY15 
 
Meghmani Organics: Aim to grow by 25% in topline &amp; bottomline in FY16 
 
Meghmani Organics: PAT likely to be around Rs 55 cr in FY15 
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Meghmani Organics: Expect a topline of Rs 1,550 cr &amp; EBITDA of Rs 250 cr for FY15 
 
Meghmani Organics: Target a business of Rs 600 cr for agro chemicals segment 
 
ET NOW ALERT: 1.21 Lk Shares Trade In A Block Axis Bank Price:382.7 Change: +4.9 Percent Change: +1.3% 
 <keyword id="6358584" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="HSBC">HSBC</keyword> AMC: Constructive on select financial stocks 
 
HSBC AMC: NPAs for banks will remain a overhang till economy recovers 
 
HSBC AMC: Expect a real change in economy only by 2015 
 
ET NOW ALERT: 50,000 Shares Trade In A Block Ambuja Cem Price:214.85 Change: +3.95 Percent Change: +1.87% 
 
HSBC AMC: Recommend being invested in quality stocks 
 
HSBC AMC: Will remain selectively invested in consumer stocks 
 
HSBC AMC: Oil &amp; gas stocks will move up if under-recoveries continue to fall 
 
HSBC AMC: Upside in auto stocks seem to be overstated 
 
HSBC AMC: Will adopt a wait &amp; watch strategy on oil &amp; gas stocks 
 
RCF Says: Need to look for overseas JVs for phospahtic fertiliser 
 
RCF Says: Govt is looking at restarting urea plants which have shutdown 
 
RCF Says: Gas availability &amp; pricing issues need to be sorted for fert sector 
 
@ 10 am 
 
Reliance Capital: Waiting for all bank licence guidelines before applying 
 
Reliance Capital: Expect profit growth of 15% to continue for AMC biz 
 
Reliance Capital: Commercial finance loans have grown by 10-11% on YoY basis 
 Reliance Capital: Premium growth in general <keyword id="35450" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="insurance">insurance</keyword> at 11% in Q1 
 
Adi Godrej: Govt's reforms need to be implemented quickly 
 
Adi Godrej: Hope GST is implemented by April 2015 
 
Adi Godrej: PM Modi's August 15 speech will have an impact 
 
Dimensions Consulting: Have been building position in Reliance Infra 
 
Dimensions Consulting: Jubilant Foods is an expensive stock at current levels 
 
Dimensions Consulting: Prefer Indian Oil &amp; BPCL to ONGC 
 
Dimensions Consulting: Remain bullish on Pharma, FMCG, IT sectors 
 
Dimensions Consulting: Will focus on quality stocks which aren't highly leveraged 
 
ICICI Direct: Prefer TCS to Infosys at current juncture 
 
United Bank: Bank consolidation will be positive for the sector 
 
ICICI Direct: New management of Infosys will be positive for stock 
 
United Bank: Bhushan Steel remains a standard account 
 
United Bank: Bankers to meet on Bhushan Steel loans today 
 
United Bank: Set a target of Rs 1,200-1,300 cr for recovering bad loans 
 
ET Now spoke to various experts and here's what they have to recommend for today's trade: 
 
Ashwani Gujral of ashwanigujral.com 
 
Yes Bank Ltd is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 575 and a stop loss of Rs 540 
 
Bharat Forge Ltd is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 790 and a stop loss of Rs 766 
 
IndusInd Bank Ltd is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 575 and a stop loss of Rs 540 
 
RIL Ltd is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 1040 and a stop loss of Rs 990
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Sandeep Wagle, Founder &amp; CEO, Power My Wealth 
 
Yes Bank Ltd is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 575 and a stop loss of Rs 544 
 
BPCL is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 688 and a stop loss of Rs 623 
 
AIA Engineering Ltd is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 910 and a stop loss of Rs 826 
 
Tata Motors Ltd is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 528 and a stop loss of Rs 480 
 
Prakash Gaba, CFT, prakashgaba.com 
 
HDFC Bank Ltd is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 845 and a stop loss of Rs 825 
 
Tata Motors DVR is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 370 and a stop loss of Rs 345 
 
ZEE Entertainment Ltd is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 285 and a stop loss of Rs 273 
 
Abhishek Karande, CMT, Technical Analyst - Institution Research, SBICAP Securities 
 M&amp;M <keyword id="6354241" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Financial-Services">Financial Services</keyword> Ltd is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 300 and a stop loss of Rs 248 
 
HPCL is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 465 and a stop loss of Rs 409 
 
UltraTech Cements Ltd is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 2850 and a stop loss of Rs 2610 
 
Mayank Mehta, Derivative Analyst, KIFS Securities 
 
IndusInd Bank Ltd is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 575 and a stop loss of Rs 525 
 
Hero MotoCorp Ltd is a 'SELL' call with a target of Rs 2450 and a stop loss of Rs 2600 
 
Lupin Ltd is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 1225 and a stop loss of Rs 1150 
 
A K Prabhakar, Independent Market Expert 
 
L&amp;T Ltd is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 1600 and a stop loss of Rs 1480 
 
Yes Bank Ltd is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 610 and a stop loss of Rs 538 
 
Rallis India Ltd is a 'BUY' call with a target of Rs 254 and a stop loss of Rs 214 
 
(Views and recommendations expressed in this section are the analysts' own and do not represent those of EconomicTimes.com. Please consult your financial advisor before taking any position in the stocks mentioned.)

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