During years 2010 -2013 we- along with Aldnaga company from Sudan have tried to conduct couple of ground level surveys about suitability and adaptability of Indian origin seeds and organic inputs for Sudan agriculture. While doing so, our major focus was not on trade of material from India to Sudan, but Nirmal Seeds was looking for an opportunity to invest in setting up seeds production facility and organic input manufacturing unit in Sudan. So, we did extensive land surveys as well.
-Nirmal Seeds and Aldnaga team surveying land for large scale seeds production facility
Considering the focus on investment opportunity in Sudan we had couple of interesting meetings with private companies, government research organizations (agriculture research corporation ARC), ministers etc. Needless to mention that pro active support from Mr Elsadig was very pivotal and encouraging!!
Insightful interactions with local partner from Sudan for out- grower seeds production model.
Dr Rajput, Director research Nirmal Seeds, observing Banana tissue culture growth at unit in Sudan.
Organic input trials at Kenana Sugar Company Sudan.
Discussions with then Agriculture Minister Sudan about Nirmal Seeds investment proposal.
Unexplored Great- Nile river water flowing through Sudan capital city of Khartoum.
These meetings and exploratory visits to various lands for setting up seed production & Bio input manufacturing facility were very interesting, positive and promising in first one year since we visited Sudan in 2010. However, later in 20111 we started to realize administrative challenges and lack of initiative from government agencies and very poor infrastructure facilities to set up the envisaged unit. Additionally. we faced big challenge with research organizations officials in making them understand about Bio inputs importance for Sudan Agriculture.
We exported one container load of very promising and proven product of Nirmal Seeds namely “Bio power”!! However, with lot of resistance from Sudan customs authorities and lack of technical understanding from government research organisations this container could never be cleared for its trial purpose usage in Sudan. It was blocked by authorities in port of Sudan even after very positive support from Embassy of Sudan in Delhi.
I tried my level best to present and convince authorities for Bio Power usage importance in Sudan, one such communication was as under.
The Bio Products of the Nirmal Seeds Pvt Ltd. INDIA viz Bio Power granules and Bio Force are categorized under the Plant Vitalizer, due to the action of active ingredients of these Bio products at low concentration. Plants cells are activated due to effect of active ingredients of Bio Power granules and Bio Force for mobilization of nutrients from source to sink Hence, Bio Power granules and Bio Force are not categorized as fertilizers. In Bio Power granules the active ingredients are in small quantity which is derived from natural Blue Green algae extracts and bacterial extracts. During formulation of Bio Power granule from extracts, due to special mechanical mixing process the uniform distribution of infinite no of active ingredients in Nano sized particles takes place which are subsequently absorbed by processed Bentonite granules which act as a carrier of active ingredients. Bentonite granules are also processed/ roasted in a furnace at temperature of 350 0C which results in a reduction in moisture contents and increases absorption and adsorption capacity of Bentonite granules to hold the activated Blue Green Algae extracts. Upon application of Bio Power granules near root zone of the plants due to slow release of infinite activated Nano sized particles takes place which plays significant role in the triggering plant cells to absorb nutrients from soil and mobilize to sink. which ultimately results in a increase in yield of the crop. Bio Force contains active ingredients derived from Blue green Algae extracts and Sea Weeds extracts during formulation of Bio Force due to high shearing force the mechanical separation of infinite no of very fine particles of active ingredients present in the extracts takes place which are uniformly dissolved in a Bio Force formulation. While foliar application of Bio Force active ingredients are available to leaves surface where they exert their profound effect at very small concentration which results in increasing residue free yield of the crops.
The Bio efficacy results of the Bio Power granules and Bio Force on various crops conducted at various State Agricultural University and National Research centre under direct control of Government of India also proves the performance of the products. That is reason of issuing “Process Patent” to the production processes of Bio Power granules and Bio force by Government of India.
Nirmal Seeds Pvt Ltd INDIA intends to start the production of Bio Power granules and Bio Force at Sudan by using carriers from SUDAN’s source only and install a production unit set up of around 2 Million USD investments. The free consignment of Bio Power granules and Bio Force forwarded to SUDAN is for conducting large scale trials of product performance at various places in SUDAN
However, lot of communications, follow ups and couple of visits later, could never became fruitful in making our investment model successful in Sudan: and so I say “Sudan- missed opportunity”.
Further we moved to Ethiopia for investment!!!