Over the years, the seed industry has evolved side by side with Indian agriculture. The farmers themselves have realized that buying Hybrids is economically sounder. The rising awareness among the farmers regarding hybrid seeds and their substantial impact on per-hectare production has led to growing sales of hybrid seeds and is estimated to reach $166,189.8 million by 2031, registering a CAGR of 9.6 percent from 2022 to 2031.
Siri Seeds is a leading light in this domain with an outstanding track record of more than 2 decades in the manufacturing, R&D, and distribution of high-quality seeds. The firm is successfully steered by a capable leadership team with extensive agricultural experience and expertise.
The founding team of Siri Seeds had a vision for the company from the beginning: to provide top-tier, high-yield, pest-tolerant, and climate-resilient hybrid varieties, with a primary goal of boosting Indian farmers’ profitability. In an exclusive interaction with Asia Business Outlook, Rakesh Reddy, Sales & Marketing Director at Siri Seeds enlightens us more about the company and its unique traits.
What are the flagship products offered by your company?
Siri Seed is a 22 year old company and has been into research all these years. The emphasis is always on product development. Since inception, we have concentrated our efforts on two crops: hybrid paddy and corn. We have developed three hybrids (Siri Sumo, Siri 2288 Star, and Siri 2299) in the area of hybrid paddy that are very unique in terms of yield, grain quality, and productivity.
We’ve developed three major hybrids of corn, Siri 4456, Siri Rider, and Siri 5608, that yield 50 to 55 quintals per acre. The farmer outperforms the competition by about 20 percent, indicating that it has performed exceptionally well. Also, we have developed four new products for fodder, as we know that this is one of the fastest-growing markets, with Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh leading the way.
Shed light on your R&D center located at Danthanpally, Toopran, and the two substations that are equipped with comprehensive facilities.
Our R&D is located in Danthanpally, Toopran, 50 kilometers outside of Hyderabad, and we have two substations with comprehensive facilities. Earlier breeding took place on a large 20-acre farm. In response to product demand, we have established three crop-specific R&D farms in three villages.
Farm 1 solely handles Paddy, Farm 2 Corn, and Farm 3 millet crops. These allow for the management of breeding programs for our products, as well as the testing of new products, the preservation of Germplast purity, and the amplification of breeder seed.
Please walk us through the complete cycle of your client engagement process, right from understanding their specific requirements to delivering the products.
Preseason activities and postseason activities are crucial aspects of our operations and product launches. When we conduct product demonstrations, we keep an accurate list of all the farmers who attended the crop show. We make an effort to contact the farmers before making a purchase in order to explain the features, advantages, and benefits of the product as well as what it means to them. We make an effort to reaffirm the product’s benefits to them. Our slogan is ‘From seed to yield’ we are with the farmers. Siri Seeds is synonymous with high-quality products and people with integrity. From the first day until after the sale, we are here for the farmers.
We try to contact every distributor or dealer who sells our products as soon as the sales season is over. Now, the distributor or dealer tries to keep track of the farmer’s name, his mobile number, and the village number. We have telecallers who stay in touch with the farmers, helping them with issues, guiding them through the fertilization process, and providing them with updates on the market price.
Vivekand Arimilli, Finance Director
We have dedicated field employees who work around the clock and are ready to solve any problems, complaints, or product information, as well as visit farmers’ fields. We hire employees from the villages who have an understanding of the farmer and can grasp the farmer’s language. We do not go for sophistication in terms of fieldwork so there is empathy when a farmer talks to us, and we understand their needs.
Siri Seeds is synonymous with high-quality products & people with integrity
How has been the journey of Siri Seeds since its inception & what is the future roadmap of your company?
Siri Seeds has been steadily growing in terms of turnover as well as market presence and share for nearly two decades. Since its inception in 2001, the journey has been awe inspiring, from three states to expanding our presence across 20 states, spread across India. In terms of product portfolio, we have consistently exceeded benchmarks by introducing new hybrids for various markets and agro-climatic conditions.
Our business strategies have been put into formidable action, turning our goals into accomplishments, owing to strong leadership and vision. In terms of investment, we expanded our crop growing unit last year, and we now employ close to 600 odd employees across India. Going forward we are looking to set up an R&D center for rice in Uttar Pradesh and the Eastern part of Chhattisgarh and a maize research center in Bangalore.
Rakesh Reddy, Sales & Marketing Director
An entrepreneur with 29 years of experience in sales, operational marketing, strategic marketing, and P&L management in the Agriculture industry. Skilled Negotiator, Strategic Management, Business Planning Sales, and Successful Business Development professional with a PGCSM from XLRI.
Vivekand Arimilli, Finance Director
Adopting finance Management practices which support Vendors/Farmers in timely payment will help in long term financial health and continuous growth.
.jpg "Technology in Cancer Care: A story of evolving paradigms")
.jpg "Bringing Shop Floor to Manufacturer's palm: Smart Factory Solutions for tomorrow")
