Meeting of DST-Sponsored Project Held at ICAR-CIRCOT

The Launch Meeting of the DST-sponsored project was held on 17 July 2026 at the Video Conference Hall of ICAR-Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology (ICAR-CIRCOT), Mumbai.

Dr. S. K. Shukla, Director, ICAR-CIRCOT, formally welcomed Dr. Indra Mani, Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, VNMKV, Parbhani and Dr. H. K. Kausadikar, Director Research, VNMKV, Parbhani by presenting bouquets.

Dr. A. K. Bharimalla briefed about the status of the fund received by both the institutes and also initiation of the recruitment of the project staff. 

Dr. Manoj Mahawar presented the objectives and plan of the DST project. During the meeting, Dr. Indra Mani appreciated the concept of the project and emphasized the need to develop a cost-effective, high-quality and farmer-friendly product. He advised the project team to adopt a practical and field-oriented approach to facilitate the effective adoption of the developed technology by farmers.

The meeting also discussed the importance of considering logistics, transportation and storage requirements during product development to ensure easy handling and facilitate future commercialization. After detailed discussions, it was decided to focus on the development of formulations based on four key nutrients, namely Sulphur, Boron, Zinc and Iron.

The members recommended initiating field trials during the current cropping season to evaluate the performance of the formulations under actual field conditions. The project team was also advised to procure the required raw material, including rock phosphate and iron oxide, at the earliest to ensure the timely commencement of the experiment. The meeting was concluded with a commitment of undertake coordinated efforts for the timely implementation of the project and development of farmer-friendly technology.