Research And Views Archives

Monsanto: Sowing seeds for growth
(Company Info)

Dec 10, 2003

Monsanto India is a 74% subsidiary of Monsanto Company, USA, a global leader in agricultural solutions. Monsanto India is engaged in the business of production and sale of agricultural inputs, i.e., chemicals and hybrid seeds.

Bayer India: Crop science focus
(Company Info)

Dec 9, 2003

Bayer India is a subsidiary of German pharma and crop science major, Bayer AG. Bayer India too, is a major player in the crop protection business.

United Phosphorus: A run down
(Company Info)

Dec 5, 2003

United Phosphorus (UPL) is India 's largest producer of crop protection products like fumigants, fungicides, insecticides, rodenticides and herbicides. It is the world's fourth largest generic agrochemical company and the largest producer of Aluminium Phosphide and Napropamide.

Monsanto: Good times ahead
(Company Info)

May 28, 2002

A good agriculture performance is reflected in encouraging numbers posted by Monsanto India. It may be noted that the company had merged three of its unlisted subsidiaries in May '00 last year. Thus the numbers for the current quarter are comparable on a like to a like basis. The benefit of restructuring excerise carried out by the company and good monsoon effect is reflected in the results. Thanks to the new accounting policy on deffered taxation, there was a sharp jump in tax provision. PBT ho

Monsanto: The monsoon effect
(Company Info)

Feb 15, 2002

The good Kharif season is reflected in the third quarter performance of Monsanto India. It may be noted that the company had merged three of its unlisted subsidiaries in May '00 last year. Thus the numbers for the current quarter are comparable on a like to a like basis. The benefit of restructuring excerise carried out by the company and good monsoon effect is reflected in the results. The company has recorded a 174% rise in PBT. Thanks to the new accounting policy on deffered taxation, there w

Rallis India: Restructuring pays off
(Company Info)

Dec 4, 2001

The effect of restructuring exercise carried out in last one year is getting reflected in the performance of Rallis India. The company posted a PBT of 14 m as against a loss of Rs 86 m in the corresponding period last year. Though operating margins remain far below the desired level, they are showing signs of improvement.

Rallis India: A sharp turnaround
(Company Info)

Aug 30, 2001

Rallis India is the largest agrochemical company in India with a market share of more than 15% in crop protection business. The company has an enviable marketing and distribution network with 4,000 dealers and 30,000 retailers across the country. Rallis India has gone through a major restructuring exercise in last three years.

Biotech in agriculture
(Sector Info)

Jun 25, 2001

Agriculture in India offers tremendous opportunities and challenges. The country is climatically favorable for cultivation of every commercially important plant species grown in other parts of the world. Though the country is among the top three producers of tea, cotton, sugar and food grains, the productivity levels are far from satisfactory. The main challenge for India is to be able to produce enough food for the increasing population. As our population continues to grow, we are fast running

Agrochemicals: Some business basics
(Sector Info)

May 29, 2001

Agrochemicals (popularly known as pesticides) are basically a broad spectrum of chemicals that farmers use to protect crops from a whole host of insects, weeds, and diseases, both before harvesting and post harvesting. Whereas, herbicides are used during the early stage of crop cycle insecticides and fungicides are used in the later stage. The Indian agrochemical market has been pegged at around Rs 35 bn in FY00. Besides being dependent on the vagaries of monsoons, the demand remains skewed in

Monsanto: Integration underway
(Company Info)

May 24, 2001

Monsanto has ended the year with a net profit of Rs 192 m on a turnover of Rs 2.4 bn. The performance for the current year is not strictly comparable with last year figures.This is because, till last year, the company had four entities operating in India. These were Monsanto Chemicals, the listed company which was a manufacturer of herbicides, Monsanto Enterprises a 100% subsidiary of the parent which was into the marketing these products, Monsanto Technologies (another wholly owned subsidiary o

"The adoption of transgenic seeds as a concept will take a long time to get established."
(Interview)

Feb 10, 2001

In an interview with equitymaster.com, Mr. Shroff spoke on the current agricultural scenario, elaborated on the company's efforts to tap the international markets and explained the impact of the introduction of transgenic seeds on agriculture in India.

Monsanto: Merger costs suppress margins
(Company Info)

Jan 22, 2001

Monsanto has declared a net profit of Rs 89 m on a turnover of Rs 1.19 bn for the third quarter of the current year. Though the operating margins for the current quarter vis-à-vis the corresponding quarter have gone up substantially, the results are not strictly comparable.

Monsanto: Inflection time?
(Company Info)

Nov 20, 2000

Monsanto is a global leader in seeds and agro–related biotechnology markets. Internationally, it is a subsidiary of pharma major Pharmacia Corporation (formerly Pharmacia & Upjohn) which holds an 84% stake in the company. Monsanto provides a wide array of integrated solutions to help meet the needs of farmers who need to control unwanted vegetation safely and effectively. The company also provides products to the dairy industry to increase the efficiency of milk production and seeds for several

Aventis: Advantage agrochem
(Company Info)

Oct 9, 2000

An amalgamation of Hoechst, Schering, Plant Generic System and Rhone Poulenc, Aventis Crop Sceince (Aventis) has emerged as the leading global player in the agrochemical industry. In India too the company is among the top three players in the agrochemical sector.

Disappointing results from Bayer
(Company Info)

Jul 29, 2000

Bayer has reported disappointing results for the second quarter with the net level dropping 23% despite a 14.5% growth in the topline. The company has discontinued the marketing of pharma products with effect from July 27, 2000 which have been transferred to the parent's 100% subsidiary Bayer Pharmaceuticals. The company is to receive a consideration of Rs 70 m in lieu of the transfer.

Life Sciences Companies divorce agrochem operations
(Sector Info)

Jul 14, 2000

The wheel seems to have come a full circle for life science companies. The last year has seen an across the board spin off of their agro–chemical arms by the life science (a euphemism for a conglomerate of pharmaceutical and agrochemical operations) corporations.

Genetically modified cotton comes to India
(Company Info)

May 9, 2000

The genetically engineered cotton seed developed by Monsanto has been given a ‘biosafety clearance’ by the Indian government. This paves the way for the cultivation and marketing of transgenic cotton in the country.

RPG to sell out of the erstwhile Searle, says its restructuring
(Company Info)

Apr 1, 2000

The RPG group has decided to put the agro–chemical unit of RPG Life Sciences on the block.

Monsanto integrates agri–business into listed company
(Company Info)

Mar 16, 2000

The agro–chemical multinational Monsanto has announced plans to integrate its agri–business into its listed 40% arm Monsanto Chemicals. The shareholding of the parent would increase to 72% after a share swap.

Doubling of turnover helps Hikal Chemicals turn around.
(Company Info)

Jan 27, 2000

The company has not distinguished between operational turnover and other income. Assuming other income is not substantial the company's turnover has almost tripled. Operational margins have improved to 40% from around 30% last year. The company has turned around by reporting a Rs.46.5 million profit. During the quarter the company has acquired the running agro chemicals manufacturing unit of Novartis.