November 08, 2003
Source: The Economic Times
Avesthagen may be Agribiotech Park’s USP

M.S. Anand, Hyderabad 7 November
Early this year the state government had planned Agribiotech Parks at the International Crops Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (Icrisat) with an incubation fund Rs 30 crore. Though modalities are still being worked out, the new testing facility set up by Avestha Gengraine Technologies (Avesthagen) at Icrisat could now become the USP for Agribiotech to attract other biotech players.

“Since Icrisat would act as a mentor for Agribiotech players, we have decided to set up Agribiotech Park in the premises of Icrisat itself. Avesthagen’s new facility would definitely become an added attraction to the proposed Agribiotech Park,” government officials told ET.

Avesthagen has tied up with Icrisat for promoting agricultural biotechnology and has set up its facility here to offer GM testing and quality assurance services for both domestic and international markets.

“The company’s Agribiotech services too will move into the same premises as per the agreement signed by us in May this year,” officials at Icrisat said. Avesthagen is currently headquartered in Bangalore’s International Tech Park. The Agribiotech Park was earlier expected to come at Genome Valley for which the Andhra Pradesh government had earmarked 600 square kilometer at Turkapally near Hyderabad. ICICI Knowledge Park and Shapoorji Pallonji Biotech Park have come at Genome Valley, which also houses premier institutes of the likes of IICT, CCMB, and NIN.

“The Shapoorji Pallonji Biotech Park is focused more on pharma biotechnology. Our thrust would be on agricultural biotechnology,” officials said. Icrisat is in the process of setting up a technology innovation centre, which would work out the Agribiotech park as well as in floating an incubation fund.

India, by virtue of being the second largest food producer after China, offers a huge market for biotechnology products, especially Agribiotech products. This, combined with excellent scientific infrastructure in agriculture, rich bio-diversity, and skilled, low cost human-power, make India a force to reckon with, the officials said.