Pralshar Bio to launch bio fertiliser 'Planto'

Vijayawada-based Pralshar Bio Products Private Limited, a bio fertiliser and pesticide product company, has recorded a turnover of Rs 5 crore turnover for the year 2003-04 as against a sales of Rs 3 crore recorded during 2002-03.

Its sister concern, Shipar Biotechnologies, recorded a turnover of Rs 40 lakh for 2003-04.

The managing director of the two companies, B V S T Sai, told Business Standard that Pralshar's flagship bio fertiliser, 'Planto', would be soon introduced in the markets of Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Punjab.

Planto is already marketed in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka, Sai said.

Planto has a shelf-life of minimum five years while conventional bio fertilisers have a shelf-life of only six months to one year. Planto, according to Sai, was developed using Government of India owned technology and Pralshar was only commercialising it.

He said field trials were successfully conducted with Planto by seven agricultural universities in the cultivation of cotton, grapes, bengal gram, soyabean, paddy and banana. These experiments confirmed that with Planto, farmers could increase yields by at least 17-30 per cent.

In paddy, they harvested 12 quintals more than the normal yield. In grapes, sweetness increased and acidity decreased.

"Most importantly, the crop developed drought tolerance and become pest and disease resistant," Sai said.

"Planto helps in the assimilation of large amounts of potassium in the plant leaves, which facilitates photosynthesis, the most essential metabolic process. A farmer, using Planto, can earn between Rs 3 and Rs 5 for every Re 1 he spends," he added.

Sai said results with Planto were submitted by scientists at an international symposium organised recently in Turkey. The company would soon bring out five bio pesticides, he added.

Shipar, which is a biotech firm, has products for both the agri and aqua segments. One of its products, Pro-Remid contains 100 crore multiple strains of patented proprietary bacteria, enzymes, vitamins, glucans, yeast and mould stimulating hormone enhancers.

The product checks the outbreak of diseases caused by vibrio, fungus and zoothamnium.

Another popular product 'Aquanto' helps in the healthy and early development of export quality prawns, hastening harvesting by 10-15 days before the normal schedule. 'Aquanto Granules', which cleans pond bed effectively, 'Aqua Power' which helps in balanced and sustainable growth of plankton are the other fast moving products from Shipar.