HORTI+ 06: Meet Biogrow India’s new Head of Sales

We recently spoke to Biogrow India’s new Head of Sales Manpreet Malanch. Below she tells us about her background and career path leading up to joining Biogrow.

“Thanks to my mother, who was a farmer in Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, I became interested in agriculture early on in my life and for me it was a logicial next step to pursue a career in this sector. I did my post graduate studies in agronomy and then I got the chance to join a hydroponic training course in Delhi, which was a huge opportunity for me and set me on a path to become a full-time agronomist.

In the beginning, it was very difficult, because there were no other female agronomists in my area and it was a real challenge to find companies willing to hire a newly-qualified female agronomist. Eventually, I was offered the chance to work on two semi-governmental projects and I also did a placement with an Indian hydroponic company named “Agrijoy LLP”.

So far, I’ve worked on leafy crops like lettuce, pak choï, basil, celery, thyme, parsley, spinach, etc. and also vine crops like bell peppers, jalapeno, zucchini and cherry tomatoes. All these crops have been grown in hi-tech polyhouses using a wide range of hydroponic systems like NFT (vertical & horizontal), grow bags, Dutch bucket, DFT, Aero towers.

Currently, the Indian agri market is very unpredictable in terms of stock, product, prices and investments. That being said, agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy. Just a few years ago, Indian agriculture was dependent on traditional farming techniques, but since the Covid-19 pandemic swept around the world modern farming techniques are now increasingly being used by Indian growers. Nowadays, people are growing on rooftops, in polyhouses, and they’re using the latest hydroponic techniques and know-how.

On the back of all this recent change, I’m certain that the agricultural sector in India is going to continue growing and developing. All the time we are seeing empty land being transformed into hydroponic farming operations. It’s fantastic to see so many new polyhouses growing vegetables using soilless methods and this is true all over India. It’s an exciting time to be working in Indian agriculture.

I did know about coco substrates before joining Biogrow, but I have to say I’ve learnt a huge amount since joining the company, and especially regarding all the different substrate blends that ensure the growers get the best results possible.

Biogrow’s substrates are very well known and very well trusted by Indian growers, especially the large-scale operations. We have repeat orders year on year and this shows that the substrates are top quality and that our customers are happy with the results they’re getting. The wide range of products we offer combined with the technical support at all stages of the growing process are helping us to achieve excellent results and this is definitely being noticed in the Indian agricultural sector. Our clients are recommending Biogrow products to the people they know and that is great for our development. In India, trust is a very big thing. Our clients trust us and the quality of our products and that’s why they stay with us year after year. We are very happy and proud to be a part of their success story.

As an agronomist, I know that the choice of substrate is hugely important in achieving good results. When I first heard about your products I did some research and discovered that you have an excellent reputation as well as a growing presence in the Indian market. This immediately made me want to know more about you and your products and when the opportunity came along to join your company as Head of Sales for the Indian market it was an opportunity too good to miss!”