GANDHINAGAR, 4 July 2025: The Soluble Fertiliser Industry Association (SFIA) concluded its flagship event, SOMS 2025, at the Mahatma Mandir Convention Centre in Gandhinagar, spotlighting “Agri Entrepreneur” as its central theme.
The event brought together agritech innovators, policymakers, academic institutions, and rural media professionals to collaborate on strengthening India’s agricultural future.
Formally inaugurated by Raghavjibhai Hansrajbhai Patel, Gujarat’s Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Cow Breeding and Fisheries, SOMS 2025 underscored the crucial role of agricultural innovation, rural enterprise, and responsible journalism.
Patel lauded the platform for recognising the efforts of agri-entrepreneurs and rural journalists, stating, “New technology is revolutionising agriculture, and soon India will become a leader in fertilisers.”
The event also featured insightful addresses from leading experts. Rajib Chakraborty, President of SFIA, emphasised the importance of nurturing young minds and bridging research with real-world application in the agriculture and fertiliser sectors.
He urged policy reforms to strengthen Indian manufacturing, promote digitisation, and enable parity with global competitors. “Supporting scientifically proven, non-residual SOMS fertilisers trusted by 5 crore farmers will enable large-scale import substitution within 1–1.5 years, promoting sustainable farming and economic growth,” he added.
One of SOMS 2025’s highlights was the “Thesis Showdown” session, which showcased breakthrough research projects by students from leading agricultural universities.
Innovations ranged from biogenic nano potassic fertiliser by the Agricultural College and Research Institute, TNAU, Madurai, to an intelligent sprayer for high-density orchards by Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, and an advanced oxidation process for ammonia recovery proposed by Laxminarayan Innovation Technological University.
A distinguished jury, including senior experts from NRC Grapes, ICAR-ATARI, Jain Irrigation Systems, and BIPA, provided critical feedback and mentorship to the young researchers.
Industry voices at the event called for regulatory reforms to accelerate growth. Rahul Mirchandani, President of the Indian Micro-Fertilisers Manufacturers Association (IMMA), proposed a “One Nation, One Licence” system for fertilisers to simplify compliance and drive innovation.
SOMS 2025 also honoured excellence in rural reporting through the Agri Journalism Awards, recognising journalists for impactful coverage of agriculture and rural development. Among the awardees were Puja Das, Mukund Tayaba Pingale, Himanshu Mishra, Sunil Sushila Sharma, Anisha Jain, Dhananjay Shriram Sanap, and leading national agri-business publications.
The event concluded with a shared resolve to build an ecosystem that empowers young agri-entrepreneurs, supports sustainable technologies, and celebrates high-quality journalism that gives a voice to India’s rural economy. SOMS 2025 left participants energised and committed to a brighter, more self-reliant agricultural future.
