FSII members pledge over Rs 9 cr towards COVID-19 relief measures

The Federation of Seed Industry of India (FSII) on Thursday said its members have pledged over Rs 9 crore towards relief measures to combat the COVID-19 crisis.

FSII, a 40-member association of R&D-based plant science industry, said the donations have been made towards the PM-CARES Fund, Chief Minister's relief funds in different states and for supply of medical and safety gears like PPE, besides food distribution and awareness programmes.

"This humanitarian aid is for scaling up healthcare support, sanitisation at containment zones, feeding communities and treatment of the disease," FSII said in a statement.

According to the seed industry body, members have donated over Rs 1.97 crore to the PM-CARES Fund and Rs 2.44 crore to Chief Minister's relief funds in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra and Karnataka.

FSII members Mahyco, Rasi, Syngenta, Crystal and Corteva have pledged more than Rs 1 crore each in relief measures.

Additionally, Mahyco is providing food and grocery to villagers, meals to healthcare workers and medical equipment in Jalna (Maharashtra).

The group has also offered an eye care hospital for setting up a COVID-19 treatment facility and a college hostel for quarantine purposes.

Tamil Nadu-based Rasi Seeds has contributed in various ways in the state, like providing boom sprayers for disinfecting places, providing Rs 1 lakh COVID-19 insurance coverage to 2,000 villagers and Rasi employees, relief to women farmers in tribal areas through an NGO ALC, and distribution of 25,000 masks, PPE and sanitisers to villagers and health workers.

Corteva is also donating supplies and materials that can be used by professionals who are working to treat and prevent the COVID-19 spread, the FSII said.

Another seed firm Syngenta has initiated a national helpline to support farmers during these distressing times. Under a rehabilitation program, the company has committed Rs 1.73 crore.

The company is also providing PPE kits to frontline health workers and farmers, undertaking sanitisation drives in Uttar Pradesh, providing relief material such as packed food through an NGO to farmers at mandis and groceries to the underprivileged in villages.

Other FSII members like BASF, Bayer, Bioseed, Enza Zaden, HM Clause, I&B, JK, Kalash, Nirmal, Noble, Rallis, Rijkzwan, Seedworks, Savannah, Takii, Tokita are pledging over Rs 2.56 crore towards the PM-CARES Fund, Chief Minister's relief funds and are also reaching out to the municipalities, health officials and hospitals by providing them with medical and safety gears.

FSII also said its employees have made voluntary contributions for relief funds. Further, the member companies are supporting their employees at their factories with a healthy and safe work environment.

Some of the large seed companies, who are members of the FSII, are donating on a larger scale.

For instance, Bayer India, has dedicated Rs 7.2 crore that includes overall contribution from the company as well as employees.

DCM Shriram group has committed Rs 10 crore towards the PM-CARES Fund, Rs 5 crore for initiatives directly taken up by the company to help communities and towards contribution to the funds set up by state governments. The staff and workers of DCM Shriram have raised Rs 82 lakh from their salaries, which will also be donated to the PM-CARES Fund.

Similarly, JK Group has committed Rs 10 crore towards PM-CARES Fund and is reaching out to communities at various locations.