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Our Bureau

Pune , July 19

THE Pune-based Deepak Fertilisers and Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd (DFPCL) has decided to reposition itself from being a fertiliser manufacturer to an integrated nutrient provider as well as provider of agro advisory services.

Speaking to newspersons after the AGM, Mr S.C. Mehta, Managing Director, said that the company would now move to the grassroots level and instead of supplying only fertilisers to the farmers, would now give valuable tips on crop patterns, soil testing, and nutrients required by plants.

After conducting the tests, the company would produce the required fertiliser for the soil and distribute it to the farmers, he added.

Mr Mehta also said that the pilot exercise would begin from the rabi season, November 2005 to February 2006, and the succeeding kharif season from June 2006 to September 2006.

The exercise would initially focus on Maharashtra; the company is in the process of identifying three locations in the State for this. According to Mr Mehta, the company is also looking at a three-way tie-up between farmers, DFPCL, and agro processors, for offtake of the produce.

He said that this value-added service is aimed at enabling farmers provide good quality and improved produce to the agro processor. "Later on, we might even talk to the food retail outlets for the offtake of the produce."

Mr Mehta said that as a leading manufacturer of prilled ammonium nitrate in the country, DFPCL was exploring options to set up additional capacities in order to optimise and leverage its strengths in the segment.

Giving details about the sales in the first quarter of the current fiscal, he said that the company had seen good growth in both sales and net profit over the corresponding previous period.

PAT up 71 pc: Profit after tax rose by 71 per cent to Rs. 22. 62 crore (Rs 13.20 crore) while sales improved to Rs 138.27 crore (Rs 111.96 crore).

The chemicals business remained the primary driver for the growth in net profit and sales.

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