CropLife Appoints Crystal Crop Protection Chief as Chairman

New Delhi Oct 21 (PTI) CropLife India, the association representing major crop science companies, on Monday appointed Ankur Aggarwal as its new chairman, as the industry body seeks to address challenges of declining farmland and growing food security concerns in the world's most populous nation.

Aggarwal, who is the managing director of Crystal Crop Protection Ltd, succeeds K C Ravi, who served as chairman for four years, the industry body said in a statement.

The organisation also named Sumitomo Chemical India's Anil Kakkar as vice chairman for a fourth consecutive term, while Bayer CropScience's Mohan Babu was inducted as second vice chairman.

India's agricultural sector faces mounting pressure as farmland shrinks while its population grows at about 0.8 per cent annually, Aggarwal said after his appointment.

"The adoption of sustainable agricultural practices, efficient resource management, and responsible use of crop protection solutions will be essential for maximizing productivity on existing farmland," he said.

CropLife member companies have committed to invest 10 billion euros in precision agriculture by 2030 and an additional 4 billion euros in biopesticides development.

The organisation represents domestic and multinational research-driven crop science companies and works with farmers, researchers and policymakers to address agricultural challenges.