OREANDA-NEWS. BASF opened a new Agricultural Research Station in Loni Kand, Pune, India. This new research and development (R&D) center will focus on global agricultural research on herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides, as well as on solutions that go beyond classical crop protection. The facility will employ new experts, including biologists, farm managers, and workers.

In addition to conducting research in areas of global agricultural interest, the R&D center will also investigate scenarios that are unique to India. These include challenges such as India's specific weeds and pests, as well as climate stresses, like drought, flood cycles, and heat stress. Through its extensive research efforts, the R&D center aims to help farmers make better decisions and improve productivity during the entire cultivation cycle.

"Raising agriculture productivity to meet the increasing demand for quality and quantity of food, is one of the most important challenges facing our country. By setting up a new R&D center in India, BASF aims to actively look into both local and global topics and develop sustainable solutions to help farmers to solve their challenges and improve food output to feed the growing population in India," said Raman Ramachandran, Chairman and Managing Director, BASF India Ltd. and Head of BASF South Asia.

Pune has been chosen as the site for the research center because of its ideal location in the southern Indian climate zone. The close proximity to local universities and research institutions makes it possible to generate synergies and promote collaboration in order to build a strong ecosystem that can further boost the agricultural sector.