Mr Arjun Suri, Director at Suri Enterprises deals with seeds, farm inputs and farmers’ mind sets. His primary focus, ever since on board Suri Enterprises, has been to create awareness about organic farming, bio fertilizers etc.
Mr Arjun Suri, can we have a quick introduction about yourself?
Suri Enterprises is primarily a Seeds and Agro-Chemical Wholesaler cum Retailer. We house about 40 companies among which about 15 seed companies and about 10-20 are agro chemical companies ranging from Syngenta, Bayer, etc. We have been working with these giants since 2-3 decades now. We were the first to introduce hybrid seed varieties in North India. That is the primary business that we have. Ever since I got involved, we have been more focussed on bio products. So we deal with companies like International Panaacea; we are working with Patanjali as well because they have come up with bio products. We are doing wholesale and retail for the same. From the very beginning of the cropping season, we associate with farmers. We provide them with the seed as well as the inputs that they need - ranging from insecticides, pesticides, herbicides to bio products that they would need like, bio fertilizers, fungicides, pesticides etc. along with farming equipment. We have been closely working with farmers. Our main focus, despite being a chemical distribution farm, is to get more awareness about bio farming, integrated pest management, etc. as many farms I have visited over the years, have been emphasising on the chemical use. My aim is to eradicate that. Since 2017, the primary focus has been introducing bio pesticides, bio fertilizers and bio fungicides. We have a lot of farmers who have been receptive towards this and we are getting a push through the government as well. The Hon Chief Minister and the Governor has launched a few movements in favour of zero budget and organic farming, namely Prakritik Kisan Kheti Vidhan, Kushal Kisan Yojana, etc. Two of the very influential people in the state being very vocal about this cause, gives us an edge. The government has been introducing a lot of subsidies on this account too. There is encouragement for poly houses, modern equipment etc. We are partnering up with the government and some private firms like Jain Irrigation, to provide farmers with these protective practices and many other facilities that they need.
For Himachal Pradesh farmers, what kind of subsidies are available?
Protective cultivation like polyhouses are being subsidised till about 80%. We are majorly dependant on the temperature that is protective cultivation in terms of monitoring the temperature and enabling you to grow any crop depending on the off season. The region where I come from – Solan, in Himachal, is the major cultivator for capsicum and tomatoes. So, we primarily supply tomatoes but since the last couple of years we haven’t been receiving a good market rate. Protective cultivation enables you to grow anything at any given point in time given that temperature can be regulated. Farmers can actually maximize their profitability by supplying off season vegetables. That is being subsidised by about 80% by the government. Then, there is modern farm equipment; for example, pruning shears (used by apple farmers), power sprayers, power tillers, etc. which also get subsidised by 50-80%. These subsidies reduce the pressure on farmers because about 5-7 years ago people were using those normal hand knapsack sprayers to spray anything on the field. With the power knapsack sprayers coming in the utility has gone up and it is doesn't strain the farmer much. The government again is really focussing on the key aspects of a farmers' needs to increase his yield. Hence, I think focussing on the protective cultivation and subsidising the inputs is something that is really helping the farmer and reducing his burden when working on farms.
Are bio fertilizers as effective as chemical fertilizers?
It depends on the condition of the soil on which that we are utilizing these products. If there has been over utilization of NPKs or urea, then the effect will be less in the beginning. We normally tell farmers that it takes about 3 years for them to call their soil organic or get rid of any chemicals.
To maximize this transition to organic, you need to get a soil test done. The bio fertilizers we are talking about are solubilizing bacteria. If there has been over utilization of sulphur, zinc or potassium, we necessarily have to try and get it down. There is a proper procedure for it. But if it is a piece of land that has not grown anything on it for a long period of time, we can just get that to a very good level and call it organic in about 6 months’ time. So, it depends on the soil and the farming practices that the land has been subject to for the past decade or so. Yes, it is a long process.
Another thing that we have seen is if the farmer has been only focussed on one crop like growing tomatoes after tomatoes after tomatoes, that imbalances the soil. Intercropping is a must. People are really focussed on putting Nitrogen fertilizers because the most over utilized is the macro nutrients that we use. Rather than focussing on the macro nutrients we are focussing on the micro nutrients like zinc, potassium, sulphur, etc. That does work. So to answer your question, it all depends on the soil condition - how over-utilized or over-exploited the soil is.
During the transition from inorganic to organic, is it true that the yield would fall?
It, most definitely, would! We don't advise farmers to stop using what was being used by a 100%. The switch should be made periodically.
Hence, soil testing is key. If you get the soil tested, you will understand the soil deficiencies that are there in the soil. It is a process. We should keep decreasing the chemical inputs such that in about 3 years or perhaps the 4th or the 5th season of the crop we won't need chemical fertilizers.
We tell farmers to start shifting them a little bit towards the organic spectrum because we have to think about their financial aspect as well. The transition can be done in a certain balance. But there are new inputs that have been entering the market. Even if we talk about insecticides, etc. there are green chemistry products coming in. That is where I see a role to play for people like us even if we are pursuing the farmer to go away from the chemical part of it and we know at a commercial level it is really difficult to even convince a farmer to give it a shot. There are new technologies that are coming in. There are new insecticides that will just impact the pests' neuro-systems. That is something that farmers need to be educated about.
Will there be a decrease in input cost if a farmer switches from chemical to bio-fertilizers?
Definitely, it will. Another point is that we talk about chemical residue is that it is not in the soil, it is what we are spraying on top of it. The problem is with pesticides. Fertilizers can be compensated with things like cow dung etc. The problem is caused because we are going away from conventional ways of farming. We are going away from cow dung and vermicompost. The biggest issue that needs to be tackled is with the pests.
What would be the right advice in terms of going about switching from chemicals to organic? With that in mind, whom should the farmer be approaching - input suppliers/government?
The government is quite vocal about this. In Himachal, we have Krishi Vigyaan Kendras and we have the Directorate of Agriculture who hosts workshops etc. Even people like us - the traders definitely needs more educated people like us because the more I have travelled and the couple of years I have been in this business I have realised that the retailers are there just to sell their product. They do not really care about what is happening, what is getting impacted or who is getting impacted. So, first there needs to be people who are consciously aware about what they are giving to farmers. The second thing is, I see it as a joint effort. The government has to be vocal about it and so do people like us who are agro input dealers and the big manufacturers. It is a three-way process.
The future is with organic farming, crop rotation, multi cropping, etc. that are eco-friendly techniques. What is your take?
Absolutely! We are certainly with the farmers for this. We are working with bio fertilizers. In the very beginning pseudonomas and trycoderma are two products that are used in the nursery itself. We are 100% recommending farmers to focus of turning organic. I think now people are being more receptive towards intercropping because they now understand the concept of over utilizing resources and what the idea of one crop has done to their land. Marigold farming, intercropping etc. are happening but we have a very long way to go. The retailer’s priority is to sell the product that fetches him the maximum benefit - in terms of kind and money. Another problem is that this chemical fertilizers’ lobby is so strong and their campaigning is so massive and outreached. Till about 4 years ago the biggest issue we used to face was that farmers used to believe that organic farming is more expensive. So, the thought of being expensive was so deep rooted that it took a lot of education for them to realize that it actually turns cheaper for them. The reach of chemical giants is so far that they can cultivate a particular mind-set which is easier for the farmer to buy. These are household brands for the farmer. So, their reach and what they have to say gets more vocal than anybody else, no matter how much sense they may make.
Where does organic certification come into picture in terms of a farmer?
When it comes to these companies, there is a proper working that goes into it. There is a functionality in play but it is still in lag. We have collection centres nearby for tomatoes etc. The bigger giants do have machinery using which they can get certifications easily. The state governments are coming with this as well. But there are companies providing organic certification at this point in time, like Indian organics etc.
Is getting organic certification an optional activity?
The farmers, esp. the organic farmers are directly reaching the end user. If you eradicate the middle men:
You get better rates
You are directly reaching out to the consumers
So, they don’t bother much about organic certification because it is on a smaller scale and people like me can vouch for their products.
For example, if my friends are putting up a cafe and need a steady flow of vegetables, I will link them with farmers that I know and am certain of. But then, the game changes when you need to export your products. That is when organic certification comes to play.
Photo credit : Gawrav Sinha
Contact :
Mr. Arjun Suri
Suri Enterprises
The Mall, Solan - 173212
HIMACHAL PRADESH
Email: surienterprises@ymail.com
Mobile No.: 8091577777
Mr Arjun Suri, can we have a quick introduction about yourself?
Suri Enterprises is primarily a Seeds and Agro-Chemical Wholesaler cum Retailer. We house about 40 companies among which about 15 seed companies and about 10-20 are agro chemical companies ranging from Syngenta, Bayer, etc. We have been working with these giants since 2-3 decades now. We were the first to introduce hybrid seed varieties in North India. That is the primary business that we have. Ever since I got involved, we have been more focussed on bio products. So we deal with companies like International Panaacea; we are working with Patanjali as well because they have come up with bio products. We are doing wholesale and retail for the same. From the very beginning of the cropping season, we associate with farmers. We provide them with the seed as well as the inputs that they need - ranging from insecticides, pesticides, herbicides to bio products that they would need like, bio fertilizers, fungicides, pesticides etc. along with farming equipment. We have been closely working with farmers. Our main focus, despite being a chemical distribution farm, is to get more awareness about bio farming, integrated pest management, etc. as many farms I have visited over the years, have been emphasising on the chemical use. My aim is to eradicate that. Since 2017, the primary focus has been introducing bio pesticides, bio fertilizers and bio fungicides. We have a lot of farmers who have been receptive towards this and we are getting a push through the government as well. The Hon Chief Minister and the Governor has launched a few movements in favour of zero budget and organic farming, namely Prakritik Kisan Kheti Vidhan, Kushal Kisan Yojana, etc. Two of the very influential people in the state being very vocal about this cause, gives us an edge. The government has been introducing a lot of subsidies on this account too. There is encouragement for poly houses, modern equipment etc. We are partnering up with the government and some private firms like Jain Irrigation, to provide farmers with these protective practices and many other facilities that they need.
For Himachal Pradesh farmers, what kind of subsidies are available?
Protective cultivation like polyhouses are being subsidised till about 80%. We are majorly dependant on the temperature that is protective cultivation in terms of monitoring the temperature and enabling you to grow any crop depending on the off season. The region where I come from – Solan, in Himachal, is the major cultivator for capsicum and tomatoes. So, we primarily supply tomatoes but since the last couple of years we haven’t been receiving a good market rate. Protective cultivation enables you to grow anything at any given point in time given that temperature can be regulated. Farmers can actually maximize their profitability by supplying off season vegetables. That is being subsidised by about 80% by the government. Then, there is modern farm equipment; for example, pruning shears (used by apple farmers), power sprayers, power tillers, etc. which also get subsidised by 50-80%. These subsidies reduce the pressure on farmers because about 5-7 years ago people were using those normal hand knapsack sprayers to spray anything on the field. With the power knapsack sprayers coming in the utility has gone up and it is doesn't strain the farmer much. The government again is really focussing on the key aspects of a farmers' needs to increase his yield. Hence, I think focussing on the protective cultivation and subsidising the inputs is something that is really helping the farmer and reducing his burden when working on farms.
Are bio fertilizers as effective as chemical fertilizers?
It depends on the condition of the soil on which that we are utilizing these products. If there has been over utilization of NPKs or urea, then the effect will be less in the beginning. We normally tell farmers that it takes about 3 years for them to call their soil organic or get rid of any chemicals.
To maximize this transition to organic, you need to get a soil test done. The bio fertilizers we are talking about are solubilizing bacteria. If there has been over utilization of sulphur, zinc or potassium, we necessarily have to try and get it down. There is a proper procedure for it. But if it is a piece of land that has not grown anything on it for a long period of time, we can just get that to a very good level and call it organic in about 6 months’ time. So, it depends on the soil and the farming practices that the land has been subject to for the past decade or so. Yes, it is a long process.
Another thing that we have seen is if the farmer has been only focussed on one crop like growing tomatoes after tomatoes after tomatoes, that imbalances the soil. Intercropping is a must. People are really focussed on putting Nitrogen fertilizers because the most over utilized is the macro nutrients that we use. Rather than focussing on the macro nutrients we are focussing on the micro nutrients like zinc, potassium, sulphur, etc. That does work. So to answer your question, it all depends on the soil condition - how over-utilized or over-exploited the soil is.
During the transition from inorganic to organic, is it true that the yield would fall?
It, most definitely, would! We don't advise farmers to stop using what was being used by a 100%. The switch should be made periodically.
Hence, soil testing is key. If you get the soil tested, you will understand the soil deficiencies that are there in the soil. It is a process. We should keep decreasing the chemical inputs such that in about 3 years or perhaps the 4th or the 5th season of the crop we won't need chemical fertilizers.
We tell farmers to start shifting them a little bit towards the organic spectrum because we have to think about their financial aspect as well. The transition can be done in a certain balance. But there are new inputs that have been entering the market. Even if we talk about insecticides, etc. there are green chemistry products coming in. That is where I see a role to play for people like us even if we are pursuing the farmer to go away from the chemical part of it and we know at a commercial level it is really difficult to even convince a farmer to give it a shot. There are new technologies that are coming in. There are new insecticides that will just impact the pests' neuro-systems. That is something that farmers need to be educated about.
Will there be a decrease in input cost if a farmer switches from chemical to bio-fertilizers?
Definitely, it will. Another point is that we talk about chemical residue is that it is not in the soil, it is what we are spraying on top of it. The problem is with pesticides. Fertilizers can be compensated with things like cow dung etc. The problem is caused because we are going away from conventional ways of farming. We are going away from cow dung and vermicompost. The biggest issue that needs to be tackled is with the pests.
What would be the right advice in terms of going about switching from chemicals to organic? With that in mind, whom should the farmer be approaching - input suppliers/government?
The government is quite vocal about this. In Himachal, we have Krishi Vigyaan Kendras and we have the Directorate of Agriculture who hosts workshops etc. Even people like us - the traders definitely needs more educated people like us because the more I have travelled and the couple of years I have been in this business I have realised that the retailers are there just to sell their product. They do not really care about what is happening, what is getting impacted or who is getting impacted. So, first there needs to be people who are consciously aware about what they are giving to farmers. The second thing is, I see it as a joint effort. The government has to be vocal about it and so do people like us who are agro input dealers and the big manufacturers. It is a three-way process.
The future is with organic farming, crop rotation, multi cropping, etc. that are eco-friendly techniques. What is your take?
Absolutely! We are certainly with the farmers for this. We are working with bio fertilizers. In the very beginning pseudonomas and trycoderma are two products that are used in the nursery itself. We are 100% recommending farmers to focus of turning organic. I think now people are being more receptive towards intercropping because they now understand the concept of over utilizing resources and what the idea of one crop has done to their land. Marigold farming, intercropping etc. are happening but we have a very long way to go. The retailer’s priority is to sell the product that fetches him the maximum benefit - in terms of kind and money. Another problem is that this chemical fertilizers’ lobby is so strong and their campaigning is so massive and outreached. Till about 4 years ago the biggest issue we used to face was that farmers used to believe that organic farming is more expensive. So, the thought of being expensive was so deep rooted that it took a lot of education for them to realize that it actually turns cheaper for them. The reach of chemical giants is so far that they can cultivate a particular mind-set which is easier for the farmer to buy. These are household brands for the farmer. So, their reach and what they have to say gets more vocal than anybody else, no matter how much sense they may make.
Where does organic certification come into picture in terms of a farmer?
When it comes to these companies, there is a proper working that goes into it. There is a functionality in play but it is still in lag. We have collection centres nearby for tomatoes etc. The bigger giants do have machinery using which they can get certifications easily. The state governments are coming with this as well. But there are companies providing organic certification at this point in time, like Indian organics etc.
Is getting organic certification an optional activity?
The farmers, esp. the organic farmers are directly reaching the end user. If you eradicate the middle men:
You get better rates
You are directly reaching out to the consumers
So, they don’t bother much about organic certification because it is on a smaller scale and people like me can vouch for their products.
For example, if my friends are putting up a cafe and need a steady flow of vegetables, I will link them with farmers that I know and am certain of. But then, the game changes when you need to export your products. That is when organic certification comes to play.
Photo credit : Gawrav Sinha
Contact :
Mr. Arjun Suri
Suri Enterprises
The Mall, Solan - 173212
HIMACHAL PRADESH
Email: surienterprises@ymail.com
Mobile No.: 8091577777
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