| Proposed Product Structure: AZADIRACHTIN (AZA). |
Azadirachtin is the most potent tetranortriterpenoid isolated till date from Neem Seeds. It, together with other limonoids present in neem seeds has proven to be very effective against more than 300 insect species as antifeedant, repellent and as an insect growth regulator at the same time not affecting the life cycles of beneficial insects like honey bees, spiders and butterflies. Perhaps the only product presently available which does not build resistance in insects. |
| Establishment of Physical Facilities |
The Company has established world class facility in Raigir village, close to Hyderabad in India for extracting and formulating AZA. The Company during 1994-96 worked on a pilot plant wherein the product was extracted for various trials.
The facility established will procure neem fruit from various locations depulp them and store the seeds after drying in a 5000 ton silo provided with sophisticated aeration system. This is essential since the availability of fruit is seasonal (May through October).
The seed potential in India is 400 million tons of which only 25% are collected. The seed collection is organised since the oil extracted has been traditionally used in soap manufacture. This facility has the capacity to extract 10,000 tons of seeds with an output of 10 tons technical Azadirachtin a.i. Thus all operations from fruit depulping to the final product isolation are under one roof. The facility has state-of-the-art equipment including a decanter from Westfalia, Germany and continuous evaporation systems under vacuum.
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| EPA/EEC Registration: |
The Company's product Fortune Aza Technical and a 3% EC have received US-EPA's approval to market in the USA Reg. Nos. 71038-3 ,71038-4 respectively. The product has been registered in Italy, Reg. No. 10305.
Toxicology data generation was carried out in Huntingdon Life Sciences Ltd. U.K and product chemistry package was prepared by Hauser Chemical Research, Denver, USA. |
| Efficacy Trials |
Trials in lab as well as in field conditions including green houses are underway since 1995 in India and the USA, and from 1998 in Mexico, Spain, Italy, Canada, Australia, Thailand and Israel.
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| Market Domain |
North America, Mexico, South America, Australia and Europe provide the widest opportunity for the product. In addition, Potential exists in major countries in the Asia-Pacific region. There are a number of countries to which exports can be effected with simple registration formalities. The Company's products will only address the tip of the iceberg as huge potential exists for botanical pesticides in these markets.
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| Project Outlay: |
The cost of the project is Rs.340 million (in the range of United States Dollars 7.8 million). The means of finance has been structured with a combination of debt and equity. The project was lead appraised by ICICI Venture Funds, a premier Venture Capital body promoted by the leading financial Institutions of India. ICICI Venture Funds and RCTC another venture capital organisation have invested Rs.30 million each in the equity. State Bank of India, ICICI, ICICI Merchant Banking division, SBH and IREDA sanctioned term loan.
The project is the FIRST OF ITS KIND to visualise global export of value added botanical pesticide. It has all the potential to emerge as a global leader in this segment.
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| Patents |
A patent entitled "Shelf stable insect repellent, Insect growth regulator and insecticidel formulations prepared from technical Azadirachtin isolated from the kernel extract of Azadirachta Indica." has been patented in the USA. (Patent no. 5,827,521) |
| Research and Development |
The company's R&D facility has received approval from the Department of Science and Technology, Govt. of India. |
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| Efficacy Trial Data |
| USA |
Trials were conducted on Insects infesting field crops, green houses and nursery and forest plants. |
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| Field Crops: |
Trials were conducted on Potato (Idaho and New York), Tobacco and Chrysanthemum (N. Carolina and Georgia), Artichokes, Tomatoes, Cucumber (California), Poinsettia, Crab Apple (Ohio). |
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| Green Houses: |
Trials were laid out on Poinsettias (California and Ohio) and Mushrooms (Delaware). |
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| Nursery and Forest Pines: |
Scots Pine and White Oak (Ohio), Pine Plants (Nursery, Ohio). |
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In all trials Fortune Aza proved to be equal or superior to comparative Azadirachtin products, BTs and Chemical Insecticides. In some trials, a combination of Azadirachtin and BT proved better.
For Phytotoxicity, nine species of bedding plants were selected and trial laid out in Utah. Fortune Aza at ten times the recommended dilution, did not inflict damage whereas, with comparable products, scorching was observed at three times the recommended usage rate.
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| India |
| Tobacco: |
A two year trial conducted by Central Tobacco Research Institute, Rajamundry, has amply demonstrated Fortune Aza's efficacy on spodoptera. |
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| Tea: |
Trials were conducted in nine tea estates in Assam and Darjeeling and Fortune Aza effectively controlled all pests infesting Tea including termites. A combination with a fourth of the normal usage rate of chemical pesticide in combination with Neem gave 90% control. An increase in tea growth was observed in Fortune Aza treated plots. |
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| Cotton: |
All pests on cotton were effectively controlled using Fortune Aza. Trials conducted in seven different locations in Adilabad proved that Fortune Aza treated plots gave a 15-40% increase in cotton output. |
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| Fruits and Vegetables: |
Trials were completed on Cabbage, Tomato, Chillies, Okra and Mango, with effective control. |
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| Product List |
- Azadirachtin Technical (aflatoxin free) 10 - 20% a.i.
- Emulsifiable concentrates with an ai, of ;
- 3.0%
- 1.5%
- 0.25%
- 0.15%
- 1.0% EC
- 3.0 % E.C
- Neem Kernel Powder.
- Neem Amino Acid Concentrate
- Debitterised and Deoiled Neem Cake.
- To prevent Urea a Neem Limonoid coating for Urea losses by inhibiting nitrobacter and nitrosomonas.
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