From AI-powered weather and crop disease forecasts reaching millions of farmers to humanoid robots automating crop pollination, agriculture is rapidly moving toward a more intelligent and technology-driven future.
This edition of GrowinAgri Daily highlights major developments across agritech, biosolutions, climate-smart farming, agricultural robotics, food technology and global commodity markets.
Investments in water infrastructure, biological inputs and digital food-safety systems show how innovation is increasingly extending across the entire agri-food value chain.
At the same time, developments in soybean trade, pesticide regulation and India’s cold-chain infrastructure underline the importance of policy, logistics and global market dynamics.
Together, these stories point to a sector where technology, sustainability, infrastructure and global trade are becoming increasingly interconnected.
Study Finds 223 EU-Unauthorized Pesticide Ingredients Still Registered in Brazil
A new analysis has found that 223 of 429 pesticide active ingredients reviewed as registered in Brazil lack authorization anywhere in the European Union, with these substances reportedly appearing in around 1,900 commercial products legally sold to Brazilian farmers.
The analysis highlights several widely used ingredients, including acephate, chlorothalonil, atrazine, S-metolachlor, glufosinate-ammonium and diquat. It also points to a wider regulatory gap between Brazil and the EU, although the figures come from different sources and methodologies and should not be treated as directly comparable.
Brazil uses a three-agency pesticide registration system involving MAPA, ANVISA and IBAMA, while the EU follows a more precautionary, hazard-based approach for approving active substances.
This difference has allowed some pesticides no longer authorised in the EU to remain registered and used in Brazilian agriculture. The issue is particularly significant because Brazil is a major global exporter of soybeans, corn, coffee and orange juice, with the EU an important destination for several commodities.
The regulatory divergence could therefore increase trade friction, residue-compliance requirements and reputational risks for Brazilian agricultural exporters.
Vietnam and France Invest $54 Million in Water Infrastructure to Strengthen Dien Bien Agriculture
Vietnam and France are investing nearly $54 million in an integrated water-resources management project in Tuan Giao district of Dien Bien province, aimed at improving irrigation, agricultural productivity and climate resilience.
The financing includes a $45 million loan from the French Development Agency (AFD), a $1.7 million grant and nearly $12 million in Vietnamese counterpart funding. The project will strengthen water storage, regulation and distribution while addressing drought, erosion and flooding risks across the region.
It is expected to improve irrigation access for around 21,000 hectares of agricultural land, supporting more reliable crop production and encouraging a shift towards higher-value crops such as macadamia.
The programme will also provide stable domestic water access to around 35,000 people and improve connections between local water-management systems.
By combining irrigation development, rural water security, agricultural diversification and environmental protection, the investment aims to create a stronger foundation for climate-resilient agricultural growth across Dien Bien province.
UPL Strengthens Nature-Based Agriculture Push with Investment in Japan’s PhytoChrome
UPL Corp Japan has acquired a stake in Japanese biostimulant and fertilizer company PhytoChrome, deepening a strategic partnership that began in 2023. The investment will strengthen UPL’s NPP Biosolutions portfolio and support the development of nature-based agricultural solutions for climate and soil-related challenges.
The companies will combine their technologies and expertise to improve crop performance, resilience and sustainability. A key focus is the Impact Series, which combines NPP’s GA142 technology, Ajinomoto’s amino acids and PhytoChrome’s innovations to help crops cope with heat, drought, salinity, cold and soil acidity.
The deal also highlights the growing role of biological inputs and biostimulants in climate-resilient agriculture. Through the partnership, UPL aims to expand its presence in Japan’s biologicals market while delivering practical nature-based solutions for more resilient and sustainable farming.
Rovensa Next Secures ₹45 Million FINEP Funding to Accelerate Biosolutions Innovation in Brazil
Rovensa Next has secured R$45 million (approximately US$8.8 million) in financing from Brazil’s Funding Authority for Studies and Projects (FINEP) to accelerate research, development and innovation in agricultural biosolutions.
Approved under FINEP’s Mais Inovação programme, the funding will support the development of technologies focused on bionutrition, biocontrol and adjuvants. Brazil is becoming a key hub for Rovensa Next’s global R&D strategy, supported by its pilot fermentation plant at Monte Mor and Global Research and Innovation Center in Hortolândia.
The integrated infrastructure is designed to accelerate microbial technologies from laboratory research to industrial-scale production. The 16-year financing covers 90% of the total project cost and is expected to strengthen the company’s ability to develop solutions for crop productivity, soil health and sustainable agriculture.
Rovensa Next markets its biosolutions in more than 90 countries, with the Brazil investment aimed at turning local innovation into technologies that can serve growers globally.
OpenAI Foundation Invests $60 Million to Bring AI Weather and Crop Disease Forecasts to 100 Million Farmers
The OpenAI Foundation is investing $60 million to expand AI-powered weather and crop disease forecasting to 100 million smallholder farmers across South and Southeast Asia and East Africa over the next three years.
The initiative aims to provide localized forecasts and actionable advice on planting, harvesting, fertilization and crop protection as weather volatility increases agricultural risks.
The programme brings together the University of Chicago, UC Berkeley, Precision Development, AIM for Scale, Digital Green and CIMMYT to develop and deliver AI-based forecasting services.
Forecasts will cover monsoon timing, rainfall, extreme heat and other weather risks, while CIMMYT will develop AI-enabled wheat disease forecasting using NASA Earth-observation data.
Information will reach farmers through SMS, voice services, chatbots and mobile platforms, including local languages, with Digital Green integrating forecasts into its FarmerChat platform.
The initiative also aims to strengthen long-term public forecasting infrastructure by working with governments, meteorological agencies and development banks to sustain and scale these services beyond the initial investment.
Singapore Agritech Startup N&E Innovations Raises $1.7 Million to Scale Sustainable Food and Agriculture Technology
Singapore-based agritech startup N&E Innovations has raised approximately $1.7 million in a Series A funding round led by Australian agrifood investor Tundra Capital, with participation from SGInnovate, The Radical Fund, Archipelago VC and SG7 Group.
The funding will support the development and commercialisation of the company’s sustainable food and agricultural technology solutions. N&E Innovations’ patented ViKANG technology transforms upcycled food waste into antimicrobial materials for applications including food preservation, packaging, hygiene and agriculture.
The startup aims to use biotechnology and circular-economy principles to turn food waste into valuable resources while helping extend produce shelf life and reduce reliance on conventional packaging. Its technology is also being explored for antimicrobial coatings, eco-cleaning products, plastics and agricultural applications.
The investment highlights growing investor interest in technologies that combine agrifood innovation with sustainability and waste reduction. With the new capital, N&E Innovations plans to expand commercial applications and international markets, building on its recognition in the Food Category of the Zayed Sustainability Prize.
China Develops Humanoid Robot with 92.8% Accuracy for Automated Crop Pollination
Researchers in China have developed GEAIR 2.0, a humanoid robot designed to automate hybrid pollination and support crop breeding using embodied AI.
Developed by the Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the robot can identify flowers, navigate through complex crop structures and perform pollination with limited human supervision.
The upgraded system uses two arms instead of a single flexible arm, improving its ability to move around leaves and branches. Its stigma-recognition accuracy has increased from 85% to 92.8%, enabling more precise identification of the female reproductive structure of flowers.
During its Beijing demonstration, GEAIR 2.0 successfully pollinated tomato flowers in less than 10 seconds per operation, with a single pollen-brush dip capable of supporting around 50 pollinations.
The system combines genome editing with AI-based robotics, using specially developed male-sterile plants with exposed stigmas to make automated pollination easier.
The technology could reduce labour requirements and breeding costs while enabling repetitive pollination tasks at scale, highlighting how robotics, AI and biotechnology are converging to modernise crop breeding.
Google and Mitti Labs Partner to Scale Climate-Smart Rice Farming Across India
Google has entered a five-year carbon credit agreement with climate-tech company Mitti Labs to support climate-smart agriculture across 100,000 hectares of smallholder rice farms in India.
Under the partnership, Mitti Labs will deliver one million high-integrity carbon credits to Google by 2030 while helping more than 70,000 farmers adopt water- and methane-saving irrigation practices.
The programme aims to reduce the equivalent of 3 million tonnes of near-term warming impact while cutting irrigation water use across key agricultural regions.
Mitti Labs’ alternate irrigation approach can reduce methane emissions from rice fields by up to 50% and irrigation volumes by nearly 40% while maintaining yields. Its GeoAI platform combines satellite radar data with field-level information to monitor crop health, soil moisture and flooding across individual smallholder plots.
The partnership will also support further development of AI crop modelling and satellite technology, with Mitti Labs working toward creating digital-twin datasets of rice fields globally.
Since launching in 2023, the company says its programmes have saved 500 billion litres of water, highlighting the potential of combining carbon finance, AI and precision agriculture to make rice production more climate- and water-resilient.
Biorsaf Raises €5.2 Million to Build Italy’s First End-to-End Food RegTech Platform
Italian Food RegTech company Biorsaf has raised €5.2 million in a funding round led by P101 SGR and acquired Cooki to create an integrated digital platform covering food safety, quality, traceability, labelling, food costs and compliance.
The new funding will support a three-year expansion focused on artificial intelligence, product development and market consolidation, with Biorsaf planning to increase its workforce from 40 to 120 employees within 18 months.
Founded in 2021, Biorsaf has developed BS-Safe, a platform used by more than 10,000 customers across restaurants, HORECA businesses and retailers. Cooki adds over 1,000 users and a database of more than 35,000 coded products, strengthening capabilities in traceability, inventory, allergen management and food-cost control.
The combined platform aims to automate traditionally manual compliance processes and turn food-safety and operational data into a digital infrastructure for businesses.
The round was also supported by Maia Ventures, Farming Future and Toscana Next, as Biorsaf targets further growth through AI innovation and consolidation of Italy’s fragmented food technology market.
Jacto Expands Agricultural Drone Portfolio with DJI T55 and Dual-Battery T100
Brazilian agricultural machinery company Jacto is expanding its agricultural drone portfolio with DJI’s T55 and dual-battery T100, targeting greater flight endurance, payload capacity and productivity across large-scale farming operations.
The additions complement Jacto’s existing T70, T25P and Mavic 3M models, covering applications such as spraying, solid-material distribution, imaging and cargo transport. The T55 offers a 50-litre spraying capacity, up to 55 kg for solid-material spreading and a 40 kg lifting payload, while its single-operator design is aimed at flexible field deployment.
The dual-battery T100 is designed for larger operations, increasing flight time by 50% for the same cargo and supporting up to 100 kg of solid-material payload and an 80 kg lifting capacity. Both models incorporate technologies for obstacle avoidance, precision operations and improved field safety.
The expanded portfolio reflects Jacto’s strategy to make drones a more integrated part of farm operations, with productivity, precision and reduced downtime becoming increasingly important as agricultural aerial automation scales.
Japan Designates Hokkaido Region as First AI-Powered Agriculture Strategic Special Zone
Japan has designated 19 municipalities in Hokkaido’s Tokachi region, including Obihiro, as national strategic special zones for AI-powered agriculture, creating the country’s first special-zone initiative specifically focused on agricultural AI and automation.
The framework will ease rules governing autonomous tractors on public roads and drone-based pesticide spraying, helping move automated machinery beyond individual fields into wider farm operations.
Under the new rules, driverless autonomous tractors will be permitted to travel on public roads in convoys with crewed vehicles, while requirements for communications infrastructure supporting uncrewed operations will also be eased.
The initiative targets labour shortages and the operational challenges of managing large farms, where current regulations can limit the benefits of autonomous equipment. A government survey and demonstration project is scheduled to begin in the region, with a symposium planned in November.
By combining regulatory reform with AI, autonomous machinery and connected infrastructure, Japan aims to use Tokachi as a test bed for a new model of automated agriculture that could eventually scale across the country and internationally.
China’s Soybean Imports Stay Strong as Brazil Dominates and US Trade Deal Faces Tariff Hurdles
China imported 12.14 million metric tons of soybeans in August, down 1.1% year-on-year but up 5.7% from July, with Brazil continuing to dominate its import market. China’s soybean imports from January to August reached 74.11 million metric tons, up 1.1% from the same period last year.
Brazil has supplied close to three-quarters of China’s soybean imports over the past year, supported by its large 2025/26 harvest, while Argentina and Uruguay have helped cover supply gaps. Meanwhile, Chinese state-owned buyers have purchased around 11 million metric tons of US soybeans under the bilateral trade agreement, which includes a commitment to buy at least 25 million metric tons annually through 2028.
However, a 10% Chinese retaliatory tariff on US soybeans remains in place, keeping US supplies at a price disadvantage against South American origins. The tariff situation and China’s strong demand could continue to influence global soybean and soy oil prices, particularly as Brazilian old-crop stocks tighten ahead of the new harvest.
For India, which imports around 60% of its edible oil requirements, changes in global soybean trade, Chinese demand and the US-China tariff situation could directly affect edible oil costs and the country’s import bill.
An ASSOCHAM-ASCELA report estimates India’s annual post-harvest losses at nearly $18.5 billion
India’s cold-chain sector needs to shift its focus from simply increasing storage capacity to improving connectivity, integration and utilisation across the agricultural supply chain. An ASSOCHAM-ASCELA report estimates India’s annual post-harvest losses at nearly $18.5 billion, while only around 4% of perishables move through organised cold-chain networks.
India currently has 8,815 cold-storage facilities with a combined capacity of 40.22 million tonnes, but experts say infrastructure alone is not enough. The report calls for multi-temperature and multi-product facilities and stronger links between farms, processors, warehouses, transport networks and markets.
Better cold-chain integration could help preserve agricultural value, improve farmer incomes and strengthen food security. With foodgrain production at about 358 million tonnes and horticulture output around 371 million tonnes in 2024-25, efficient logistics will become increasingly important.
The report highlights integrated, sustainable and resilient cold-chain infrastructure as a key priority for reducing post-harvest losses and improving India’s competitiveness in global agricultural markets.
Indian State-Backed Hub Develops Six Plant-Based Protein Bars from Local Pulses
The Bangalore Bioinnovation Centre, in collaboration with Karnataka’s agriculture department, has developed six plant-based protein bars using locally grown pulses from Kalaburagi. The ready-to-eat products include variants based on toor dal, black gram, green gram and Bengal gram, along with a multi-pulse and higher-protein version.
The initiative is part of the Kalyana Karnataka Bio-Economy Mission, which aims to move beyond selling pulses as raw commodities by creating higher-value food products and strengthening local agricultural value chains.
The bars use pulse crisps along with peanuts, jaggery, oats and pumpkin seeds, without artificial colours, flavours or chemical preservatives, with the higher-protein variant providing 4.85g of protein per 30g bar. The project is also designed to create opportunities for farmer producer organisations, self-help groups and MSMEs to participate in processing and value addition.
With growing demand for plant-based protein in India, the initiative highlights how local crop processing can create new markets while increasing value capture for farmers and regional businesses.