BASF launches insecticide Efficon to tackle sucking pests
Chemical solutions company BASF has launched E¦con, a new insecticide, in India to help farmers tackle sucking pests.
Classified under the new IRAC group 36, the product represents a new class of insecticides (Group 36 — pyridazine) with no known cross-resistance with existing products, making it a superior
Econ represents a new class of insecticides with no known cross-resistance with existing products
insecticide resistance management tool. “Piercing and sucking pests pose a significant threat to crops in India, causing extensive damage amounting to 35 to 40 per cent loss in productivity and yields. Farmers in the country can now manage this challenge with Efficon,” Giridhar Ranuva, Business Director of Agricultural Solutions, BASF India, said.
He along with some Indian and global leaders of BASF launched the product here on Monday. Stating that the company recommends two applications, he said the product starts working on its target in just two hours of its application.
EARLY RECIPIENT
India is among the earliest countries after Australia, where the product was launched in 2023, to get the product.
“It is eective on multiple life stages of target pests like aphids, jassids and white flies. Upon application, E¦con quickly stops insects from feeding and plant injury,” Simone Barg, Senior Vice President, BASF Agricultural Solutions, Asia Pacific, said.
BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division, which generated sales of €10.1 billion, invested 900 million on R&D in 2023.
BASF had 2,335 employees in India with eight production sites and 42 offices. In 2023, BASF registered sales of about €2.4 billion in India.
The USDA post said India’s arabica bearing area is expected to be down by 1 per cent, with yields down 3 per cent to 402 kg per hectare, despite the crop entering its ‘on-year’ of the biennial production cycle. Production for 2024-25 is forecast at 6 million bags of 60 kg each. Arabica production is estimated at 1.4 million 60- kilogram bags (85,200 tonnes) while robusta is estimated at 4.6 million bags (2,73,000 tonnes).
The state-run Coee Board in its initial estimates had projected an output 3.74 lakh tonnes(lt) for 2023-24, comprising of 1.13 lt of arabicas and 2.61 lt of robustas. The final estimates are yet to be declared.