Quite frequently, due to the weather conditions, a lot of grapes are spoiled in India. According to Samir Singh, Director at Unisel Co. / Mersel Foods Pvt. Ltd., which expects to ship around 250 containers of grapes under MERCI brand overseas this season, almost 40% of the export was lost in the 2014/2015 campaign. To tackle this situation, growers have introduced a new product, Bio4. "This made from an organic mineral combination whose main function is to strengthen the plant against the weather conditions, as well as against stress situations, like pests and diseases,” he explains.
Before the introduction of Bio4, a number of similar products were tested in India, but none were as effective. It is the result of the work of Russian scientists, whose plan was to grow plants in space. This led to a special project with a special quality, and absorption of nutrients and minerals is very efficient in Bio4. "We found the product and planned to conduct trials in some farms in India, and so far the results have been very encouraging as regards the general health of the plant, the growth of the leaves and stems and the size of the berries,” affirms Mr Singh.
For now, the system has only been implanted in a limited quantity, as it remains to be seen how it will perform against adverse weather conditions and in case of diseases. “Whether the plants will then remain stable will be the main test, which we look forward to seeing,” states Singh. “We can already see that, with Bio4, the branches are 2 to 3 cm longer and are also much stronger, and the size of the berries is 1 to 2 mm greater. I think it will bring a revolution, as the average cost per farmer now stands at about 3,000 Euro per hectare, while Bio4 costs just 40 Euro per hectare, and by using Bio4 you can reduce the use of pesticides and fertilisers by 25%. Also, the increase in yield will amount to 10 - 30%,” says Singh.
It is also worth noting that Bio4 is not only for grapes but has been tested with other crops, as well. “For example, the tomato season has just ended in India and we also had a trial, and there was a 30% increase in the production. It is very cheap and very efficient, and since it is organic, we don’t anticipate any damage or adverse effect on the crops. [With its introduction to most farms], we hope that the general perception of the quality of Indian grapes will be enhanced and that they will be able to sell for a higher price in the market,” he concludes.
For more information:
Samir Singh
Unisel Co. / Mersel Foods Pvt. Ltd.
Mob: 003712-951-60-75
Email: samir@unisel.lv
www.merselfoods.com
Before the introduction of Bio4, a number of similar products were tested in India, but none were as effective. It is the result of the work of Russian scientists, whose plan was to grow plants in space. This led to a special project with a special quality, and absorption of nutrients and minerals is very efficient in Bio4. "We found the product and planned to conduct trials in some farms in India, and so far the results have been very encouraging as regards the general health of the plant, the growth of the leaves and stems and the size of the berries,” affirms Mr Singh.
For now, the system has only been implanted in a limited quantity, as it remains to be seen how it will perform against adverse weather conditions and in case of diseases. “Whether the plants will then remain stable will be the main test, which we look forward to seeing,” states Singh. “We can already see that, with Bio4, the branches are 2 to 3 cm longer and are also much stronger, and the size of the berries is 1 to 2 mm greater. I think it will bring a revolution, as the average cost per farmer now stands at about 3,000 Euro per hectare, while Bio4 costs just 40 Euro per hectare, and by using Bio4 you can reduce the use of pesticides and fertilisers by 25%. Also, the increase in yield will amount to 10 - 30%,” says Singh.
It is also worth noting that Bio4 is not only for grapes but has been tested with other crops, as well. “For example, the tomato season has just ended in India and we also had a trial, and there was a 30% increase in the production. It is very cheap and very efficient, and since it is organic, we don’t anticipate any damage or adverse effect on the crops. [With its introduction to most farms], we hope that the general perception of the quality of Indian grapes will be enhanced and that they will be able to sell for a higher price in the market,” he concludes.
For more information:
Samir Singh
Unisel Co. / Mersel Foods Pvt. Ltd.
Mob: 003712-951-60-75
Email: samir@unisel.lv
www.merselfoods.com