IG International, one of India’s leading fresh fruit importers, has signed an agreement with Biotech Consortium India Ltd for the cultivation of 2.5 million rootstocks for apples, stone fruits, kiwifruit, and citrus fruits. 

This pact will help India to become a hub for apples over the next decade and also establish Indian agriculture biotechnology as a global leader in the export of planting materials, a statement from IG International said.

Biotech Consortium India Limited (BCIL) is a public limited company, promoted by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India. It has been set up by All India Financial Institutions including IDBI, ICICI, IFCI, UTI and IFCI Venture Capital Funds Limited. 

BCIL has been actively involved in technology transfer, project consultancy, fund syndication, information dissemination, and manpower training and placement related to biotechnology and has assisted thousands of clients.

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BCIL’s key role

BCIL has played a key role in promoting the plant tissue culture sector in India and played a major role in establishing the National Certification System for Tissue Culture Raised Plants (NCS-TCP) in the country by facilitating the development of necessary standards, guidelines and robust traceability portal with support of DBT and the Centre.

IG International has been in the fruit business for over 50 years and its augmented seamless supply chain with a well-connected overseas procurement network enables it to import best-of-breed fruits from 22 different countries.

Tarun Arora, Director of Finance and Operations of IG International, said, “Indian farmers will not have to look outside to get the planting material. This agreement will also offer the best quality rootstocks for the farmers. We are working on the topmost rootstocks for our climatic conditions. This will result in higher yields for existing crops.” 

Shiv Kant Shukla, a noted biotech and plant tissue culture expert who is heading the Plant Tissue Culture Programme (PTCP) of BCIL, said the tissue culture raised rootstock will transform the agriculture landscape, particularly in northern and north-eastern regions and there is a great need to promote adoption of this technology by progressive farmers by making quality plants available. 

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