Coromandel International launches 10 new products to boost crop yields

Agro-chemical firm Coromandel International on Friday introduced 10 new products, including patented ones, to boost crop yield and protect harvests from pests and diseases.

The new products include an innovative neem-coated bio plant and soil health promoter and five generic formulations, offering comprehensive crop protection solutions for Indian farmers, the company said in a statement.

Coromandel has partnered with Japan's ISK to launch Prachand, a patented product using Japanese technology to protect paddy crops from pests like stem borers and leaf folders that can cause up to 70 per cent yield losses.

It has also developed a formulation to effectively combat fall armyworm, a highly destructive pest that damages up to 30 per cent of the corn crop annually in India.

Two new patented fungicides aim to improve crop health and yields - one offers long-lasting control of sheath blight disease in rice, while the other provides both surface and systemic action against diseases in potatoes, grapes and tomatoes.

Coromandel's new product launches come as Indian farmers grapple with increasing pest attacks challenging crop output. The company's share of sales from new products stood at 15 per cent in the fiscal ending March 2024.

"This marks the first time that Coromandel has introduced 10 new products in a single year," said Raghuram Devarakonda, Executive Director at the company's crop protection and bioproducts division.

The launches include one product developed through Japanese collaboration and four from in-house research, Devarakonda said, adding that the company remains at the forefront of farm innovation in India.