Mr.

RD Shroff, Chairman and Managing Director of India’s largest agrochemical company, United
Phosphorus Limited, has established the global empire, present in over eighty six countries with around
twenty two subsidiaries and twenty one manufacturing bases, present in all seven continents. Besides
building business empire, Sh. Shroff, has been actively involved in furthering the cause of farmers,
agriculture and environment.

He has been successfully pursuing the agenda of creating pro-farmer policies and the industry
engagement with farmers through extension services and farmers field schools.

His own company has been investing heavily in agricultural R&D and innovative extension programs.
Besides, Rajju Bhai has actively pursued industry interests as Chairman of the India’s apex agrochemical
industry association, Crop Care Federation of India, which represents an industry of over Rs. 9,000
crores.

He steered the CCFI into having meaningful engagements with the Central Government, various States
and other stake-holders in agriculture system, including media, NGOs, farmers organizations, research
and academic institutions etc. for overall development of agriculture sector. In an interview with
Agriculture Today, he shares his thoughts on various industry issues, challenges to agriculture and way
forward.

What are the broad challenges to Indian agriculture?

Ans. India has a very bright future in agriculture. Every international visitor such as Bill Gates or Scott
Price of Wal-Mart who studies the situation says that India can be a food basket to the world. We have
enough expertise with Agri Research institutes, Agri Universities and industries associated with the
farmers. Our farmers are ready to learn. The biggest challenge is passing on the better agricultural
practices to the farmers.

CCFI is holding a major conference in Delhi. What objectives does it aim to address?

The main objective is to find ways and means to help our farmers. Today pesticides industry is gong to
the farmers and many places, they have got satisfactory results. Seeds industry has demonstrated great
success in some crops and they are going to take up other crops in a big way. Micro Irrigation has
achieved a landmark in Rainfed areas. Farm Machinery, tractor companies are going out of the way to
help farmers by soil testing and use of right fertilizers. The food processing industry will be able to play a
very important role. This conference is bringing everyone together to meet the challenge of increasing
food production in our country.
How is the whole event shaping up?

We have got a very good response from the industries such as crop protection, seeds, micro irrigation,
animal husbandry, and food processing industry. The President, Minister of Agriculture, Cabinet
Ministers and Chief Ministers of successful states are also participating in this conference. We have
international experts participating in the conference.

What is the contribution of pesticides in Indian agriculture?

Pesticides industry feels that they have to help farmers by training and educating them. To protect their
crops from insects and pests, industry has played a very important role in increasing the food
production. The results are showing as the demand of pesticides is growing.

As Chairman CCFI, what is your vision for industry role in agriculture development?

Crop Care Federation of India has accepted the challenge of Mr. Pawar. We have also got a lot of
inspiration from the President of India, who had a number of meetings with us. We strongly believe that
India can increase food production by more than 50% in most of our crops.

We understand some internal disagreements in the industry. What are the major issues?

Indian Scientists and Engineers have proved that they can manufacture any pesticide in India with their
own technology. Many patent expired pesticides of superior quality are produced in India and exported
at a very competitive price. Also Indian farmers have benefited because of the Indian R & D, when in
same products the Indian companies went to the world market, these MNCs could not compete and
they had to close down their production. Though there are many MNCs with High integrity, some
companies used unethical practices and wanted monopoly even after expiry of patents, where they
have already made huge profits. This is the only disagreement but we strongly feel that if total Indian
and multinational companies work together, there will be a very bright future for the industries, for the
Indian farmers and for the agriculture in India.

The Indian agrochemical industry has grown in strengths, what is the status of the domestic and
export markets?

As mentioned the domestic agrochemical industry is growing very well. The Exports are also increasing.
World market is huge but entering it, there are many trade barriers and small exporters find it difficult
to enter.

What prospects do you foresee for the Indian Pesticide industry?

Pesticide industry has decided to expose some of the anti pesticides NGOs. These NGOs are getting huge
finance, they are cooking up false data of pesticide poisoning, farmers injecting deadly banned
pesticides in fruits and vegetables and totally cooked up data of pesticides residues in human blood.
Some of the industrialists have proved that NGOs have cooked up these data without even testing. If
they are punished and if our farmers get all the help, there is a very bright future for the pesticides
industry and agriculture.

You have emphasized on PPP. How can partnership be taken forward to help farmers?

Ministry of Agriculture has said that Govt machinery and Govt extension work alone cannot be
successful unless private organizations and Govt work together. A lot of work is going on in private
sectors with success. Crop Care Federation of India has requested the Prime Minister to give Ist, IInd &
IIIrd award for the Best Extension Work in private and private public partnerships. Not only pesticides
industry but seeds, fertilizers, farm machinery and even micro irrigation industry are going to
demonstrate in this exhibition their activities and how they will take if further.

United Phosphorus Ltd has been on the forefront of extension work. As its Chairman, Can you share
little details?

United Phosphorus Ltd strongly believes that there is a very bright future for agriculture in the country.
We have expertise in ICAR and in Agri Universities. It has to go to the farmers. We are running farmers'
field schools in different parts of the country. We have large demonstration farms to show them, teach
them how they can get higher yields in their own farms. We have kept hostels for the farmers to stay for
a few days. We have some of the best research foundations, considered to be the best in Asia. This Jai
Research Foundation conducts test, generates safety data on the pesticides. Even officers from other
country such as Thailand come and get training. United Phosphorus Ltd has a big field research team,
who understand the problems of farmers and develops new products for them. Today United
Phosphorus Ltd has more than 40 patents in India and 8 patents in USA on pesticides.
What is the global business presence of UPL and the businesses it operates?

United Phosphorus' global business is growing very well. We have 92 peoples' team in USA with US$200
million growing at 10 to 15% a year. In Europe and U.K. we have 5 factories also business offices' in Latin
America, we have our own companies and two factories in Argentina, Seed farm and strong R & D in
hybrid seed. We have production facilities in Columbia, we are having industrial units in Vietnam, China
etc. Our total turnover was Rs.5500 crores - 20% India 80% world.

UPL is understood to have pioneered some R&D work with strong results in sugarcane and few other
crops?

In India our research institutes are doing very good work but their work has to reach farmers. We have a
good team; our scientists are in touch with sugarcane research institutes. Agriculture university
professors also visit our R & D and demonstration farms. Not only planting but we have developed farm
machinery for small farmers. In sugarcane and now also in rice, farmers yields have gone up by nearly
400%. Even in oil seeds with better seeds they are able to get high yield of edible oilseeds.

What strategy would you suggest on improving productivity of our major crops?

We have gathered almost everyone involved in agriculture in this conference. Pesticides industry
including small and big industries, everybody agrees that there should be some more efforts like visits to
the farmers fields along with the pesticide dealers, they should give information to the farmers about
the pesticides, importance of soil testing, use of right crop protection products, better spray equipment
and farm machinery, proper irrigation systems, understand problems of farmers, after this the
productivity will go up very fast.

How India can take advantage of post WTO opening of global markets for Indian agriculture?

Because of WTO and because of some trade barriers, CCFI is now concentrating on international
treaties. We have experts who are working with ICC and Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.