Sneha Bio Research bags Malaysian govt contract

To provide technology for degradation of oil palm waste

Sneha Bio Research and Development Services, the first biotech company in the city to make and sell bio-pesticides and bio-fertilizers under the 'Biopower' brand name, has bagged a global tender called by the Malaysian government, seeking technology for degradation of oil palm waste in that country.

Sneha is also slated to introduce a healthcare biotech product in the market soon.

The Iranian agricultural authorities have also approached the company for transfer of its technology in agriculture and aquaculture. The company is the first company in the state, which has given money-return guarantee to farmers if its products do not achieve expected results and yields. About 50,000 farmers use 10-12 tonnes of its products every month.

Sneha Bio's managing partner C Venkateswara Rao told Business Standard that oil palm waste was a national problem in Malaysia, the world's number one oil palm producer.

The ratio of carbon and nitrogen in the waste was found at a precarious 70:1 respectively. The tender called for drastic reduction of carbon levels in the oil palm waste. While scientists of other countries could reduce the carbon ratio to 40 in one month, Sneha's technology slashed the carbon to 13 in 12 days.

"The Malaysian officials first did not believe the results. They came to the state, went to the Coconut Board, Eluru, and the Central Tobacco Research Institute (CTRI), Rajahmundry, which adopted this technology, and learnt for themselves the superiority of Sneha's technology and results. Then Falacra, the second biggest government oil palm unit in Malaysia, agreed for a tie-up with Sneha Bio," Rao said.

He pointed out that no company in the country offered farmers unique blends of bacteria, fungus and actinomycetes in bio-fertilizers, bio-pesticides, bio-degraders, bio-converters, bio-remediators and vam fungi that his company was supplying.

He said Sneha Bio's new pro-biotics multi live microbial supplement, meant for human healthcare, was going through final trials. The product, a new concept, would create a revolution in biotechnology.

"Millions of over 500 strains of bacteria and yeast live in the human digestive system. They weigh 1.5 kg (300 ml). These microbes help in digestion by releasing enzymes such as amylase, protease and lipase along with B-group vitamins. The presence of these microbes has come down to 40 per cent over the years due to lifestyles and pollution of all sorts," Rao said.

Medical scientists have traced the reason for the outbreak of a number of deadly diseases and chronic ailments to the alarmingly decreasing levels of these microbes.

"Sneha Bio's pro-biotics product would solve the crisis by producing biologically active lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide and bringing down pH levels below 3 in the intestines. The microbes in the product thus prevent the growth of pathogens such as clostridium, staphylococci, escherichia coli, salmonella and vibrio; resist diseases and helps in the speedy recovery of patients affected with digestive tract infections," Rao pointed out.

The CTRI has used Sneha's technology in the cultivation of tobacco with amazing results and published a paper on its field trial results last year, he added.