DuPont to set up biotech research centre in H’bad

NEW DELHI: DuPont India, subsidiary of the US-based $29-billion EI Du Pont de Nemours, will set up a plant biotech research centre at the DuPont Knowledge Center (DKC) in Hyderabad. This will be the first plant biotech research centre of DuPont outside the US. The centre will focus on scientific discoveries and develop technologies that will allow Indian farming community to benefit from reduced costs and risks and will help in bringing new crop genetics to the market faster, thus, improving productivity and profitability.

“We have other major plant biotech research centres in the US along with 90 plant genetic centres around the globe. Over 20 genetic scientists have already begun working out of leased facilities near the site in Hyderabad where Rs 100 crore DKC is being set up,” said DuPont India president Balvinder Singh Kalsi. According to Mr Kalsi, expanding presence in India was based on the company’s strategy to expand competitive advantages, increase R&D capacity and grow the agriculture seed sector worldwide. Setting up this research centre in the country also allows the company to access India’s highly skilled scientific talent.

The company has aggressive plans to increase the number of scientists to 100 by this year-end and to over 150 in 2008 as part of its $100-million reinvestment plan to increase its speed-to-market for new seed products. These scientists will work in close collaboration with researchers and pioneer research locations worldwide.

Says DuPont, director (R&D strategy), Richard Broglie, “The plant biotech centre would be a discovery area where scientists will develop biotech traits and technologies that will be incorporated into multiple crops for markets globally. The new technology will help create advanced products to meet the growing global demand for increased food production, animal feed products and energy.” The plant biotech scientists will move into the DKC and company is looking to employ about 300 scientists at the centre that will be fully-operational in Q2 of 2008. Initially, the company will invest close to Rs 100 crore to build infrastructure for DKC.

“Once the centre is built we will invest the same amount annually in bringing world-class technology and equipment to India and expanding the facility,” said Mr Kalsi. Agriculture and nutrition business of DuPont accounts for about 30% of its revenue in India. “With other sectors like infrastructure and automotive sectors booming, we expect the revenue share of other divisions to go up in future. This year, we recorded revenues of Rs 700 crore in India and expect to clock year-on-year growth of 20% in the future,” said Mr Kalsi.