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Ion Exchange sets the pace

Our Bureau

MUMBAI, Aug. 15

ION Exchange Enviro Farms Ltd (IEEFL), an agri-business subsidiary of water treatment major Ion Exchange Ltd, which was among the first few corporates to undertake large-scale bio-intensive organic cultivation commercially, is upbeat about the future in the context of Government's recent policy support to organic farming.

According to Mr Sreeram Chellappa, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of IEEFL, the company has identified three profit centres as growth areas: a) farm operation; b) consultancy operation (where Ion Exchange consultancy division will help customers to develo p farms and market the produce, both organic and conventional); and c) produce marketing, an integrated structure linking contract farming of organic produce to customers of such products.

Mr Chellappa told Business Line that the company had so far developed 15 farms covering over 1,200 acres of certified farm land spread over Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Goa where horticultural crops such as mango, cashew, sapota (chickoo), custard apple a nd litchi were cultivated.

``Crops chosen are proven in the country for their adoption, productivity and market demand,'' Mr Chellappa pointed out adding ``Banana and pineapples are also cultivated as intercrops and are exported to Europe''.

On the company's consultancy operations, the COO disclosed that eight consultancy projects were currently in operation, of which one was outside the country. ``We help investors by managing their farms and in marketing the produce,'' he said. For the ser vices, the company charges management fee, apart from profit sharing arrangement.

The first corporate to obtain SEBI registration for cumulative investment schemes, IEEFL, has developed two Collective Growers' Group in line with organic principles-- one in Jalgaon in Maharashtra with farmers' association for banana, and another in Tam il Nadu's Kolli Hills covering tribal farmers for pineapples and millets.

According to Mr Chellappa, the country, and indeed the whole world, needs sustainable agricultural development to meet the growing requirements of food and fibre. Results of studies had shown unacceptably high levels of pesticides in food with risks to h uman health; farming based on natural principles alone was sustainable as it produced healthy food while maintaining the environment, he said.