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Bayer CropScience Ltd. partners with ACI Ltd. for hybrid rice seed distribution

Bayer CropScience Ltd., a Germany based leading agri-input company in Bangaldesh, has joined hands with ACI Ltd., a local leader in agribusiness, for improving rice yields in Aman season. Bayer and ACI will distribute ‘Arize® Dhani Gold’, a hybrid rice variety from Bayer for Aman season, simultaneously in Bangladesh through their distribution channel.

Srinivasa Kumar Karavadi, Managing Director, Bayer CropScience Ltd, Bangladesh and Dr. F. H Ansarey, Executive Director, Agro Division, ACI Ltd. signed a partnership agreement today in Dhaka in presence of officials from the Department of Agriculture Extension and employees of both companies.

The partnership will enable a higher reach of hybrid seed technology to farmers. Arize® Dhani Gold has Bacterial Leaf Blight (BLB) tolerance, which is one of the major concerns for Bangladeshi Farmers in the Aman season. It also has a 20 - 25% higher yield capacity as compared to local High Yielding Varieties. The duration of the hybrid is relatively shorter and can be harvested within 125 - 130 days (Seed to Seed), which means farmers can grow other winter crops like mustard, potato etc. prior to Boro paddy. Arize® Dhani Gold, which was released in Bangladesh a few years back, is gaining popularity among farmers for its unique features.

The Department of Agricultural Extension in Bangladesh is focusing more on improving productivity in Aman season which can reduce pressure on input intensive Boro paddy cultivation. The Bayer-ACI partnership will create a strong synergy to promote this technology to the farming community to increase the overall paddy productivity during the Aman season.

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