KF Bioplants

Debt : December 2014

BIO has granted a EUR 2.1 M loan to KF Bioplants, an Indian company specialised in the propagation of flowers, vegetables and fruits.

Amount

€ 2,100,000.00

Type of investment

Debt

Development impacts

Local economic growth
Private sector consolidation/innovation
Food security & rural development

Beneficiary locations

Asia: India

Investment field

Enterprises

Activity

Agribusiness - farm products

Organisation

KF Bioplants

Website

https://www.kfbioplants.com/

Domicile

India

KF BIOPLANTS (KFB) is an Indian Company established in 1997 as a Joint Venture between FLORIST from the Netherlands and Indian shareholders, with the initial objective to propagate the Gerberas designed by Florist and address both the export markets and the Indian domestic market. Gerberas are ornamental flowers from the sunflower family. FLORIST provides KFB the mother plants, which are then multiplied in India.

Over the years, the company developed new collaborations with European breeders: other flower varieties, vegetables, fruits such as bananas and strawberries. KFB is now able to offer a broad portfolio of products to clients wishing to diversify their production.

Propagation is a labour intensive activity. In India, where wage scales are lower than in developed countries, plants are being produced at much cheaper rates. Most of the operators are women. It is quite unlikely that the process could be automatized in the future. KFB employs almost a thousand workers out of which 85% women.

Development impacts

Local economic growth
Labour-intensive activity.
Private sector consolidation/innovation
Technology transfer to company and to growers.
Food security & rural development
Improved economic opportunities for farmers: Inputs to smallholders. KFB helps its clients (mostly small farmers) with technical assistance and plays a leading role in consolidating the floriculture industry in India.

Employment creation in rural areas: Creation of employment for low-educated women.