Shakti Pumps clinches INR 250M solar pump contract from Uganda

INDORE, 21 September 2021: Indore-based Shakti Pumps, has been awarded by Uganda Government to supply and EPC of solar pumps worth INR 250 million, Shakti Pumps chairman and managing director Dinesh Patidar told AgriTimes.co.in.

The company, which has manufactured the country’s first BEE 5 star-rated pumps and is also the first domestic company to produce 100 percent stainless steel pumps and energy-efficient motors in 1995, was founded in 1982 at Pitampur.

This project contract is for the installation and commissioning of 200 solar submersible pumping systems, as it is completely EPC of the solar-powered water supply system. The company will ship a complete solar-powered water system from India to Uganda which includes solar pumps, solar panels, water tanks, pipes, etc.

The production and delivery will be as per the contract schedule, the rest of the contract details are confidential and therefore cannot be shared, as per email confirmation.

Shakti Pumps has previously fulfilled orders from Uganda, but this is the first order from the Ugandan Government valued at INR 250 crore which will help the company's net INR 500 crore from exports this fiscal year.

Shakti Pumps has filed for around 22 patents since it pioneered the solar water pumps in 2010 and it has a team of 150 engineers who only looks out after the R&D of the products.

For R&D the company invests around 5 percent to 6 percent of the total revenue earned for the particular year. As far as the capacity expansion goes the company invests around INR 15 crore to INR 20 crore. Looking at the future expansion company will take stock as per the requirement for the product, Patidar added.

Shakti Pumps has two plants in Pitampur with a cumulative production capacity (solar and motorised) of 500,000 units per annum in three shifts which comes to 135,000 units per shift. The pritampur plant is spread over 13 acres. Its special economic zone (SEZ) unit nearby can produce 150,000 units per annum.

As of now, there is only one and a half shift is going on in both the plants. The total number of employees on contract and permanent basis for both the plants are 2000 in which around 1500 are under contract and 500 are permanent.

Also, the company is under the hiring process for 100 positions. We expect robust demand for solar water pumps this year as there is increasing awareness about the huge financial benefits from them and the good monsoons giving them enough liquidity, Patidar said to AgriTimes.

At present, its products reach to more than 100 countries. The major export is carried out in the Middle East, Africa with 100 percent holding firms in the USA, Dubai, Bangladesh.

The Indian solar water pump market is expected to grow significantly during 2018-2023 due to increasing application in the domestic and agriculture sectors, increasing government support, and low maintenance, according to research and market reports.

In India, a total of 120000 solar PV water pumping systems have been installed in 2016. Maharashtra is significantly contributing to the Indian solar water pump market and in 2016; Maharashtra completed a tender process for obtaining 10,000 solar water pumps.

However, Maharashtra offered approximately 95% of capital subsidy to farmers. Despite subsidy, only 6,500 farmers showed interest and out of them, only 650 provided an advance fund by July 2016 even after the state government signed contracts for the procurement of 10,000 pumps.

The limited interest was allegedly due to stringent eligibility criteria, poor tender design, and lack of awareness amongst farmers.

Ravi Kumar: Reporting and writing news stories on agriculture and allied sectors since 2020 prior to this worked as sub-editor for IIICorp for five years.