During 1998-99, the company gave a 1:1 bonus, in addition to the 70 per cent dividend on the increased capital. Other income and total expenditure for the year were Rs 5.9 crores and Rs 244.9 crores respectively, while profit before tax was Rs 30 crores. Exports for the year increased to Rs 31 crore from Rs 23.5 crore in the previous year. Market capitalisation for the year ended March 31, 1999, stood at Rs 773 crore, more than double the previous year's figure.

AgrEvo India managing director, KK Unni told The Financial Express that the key drivers of growth include wheat herbicide brand, Puma (with sales of Rs 16 crores), besidesinsecticide brands Decis and Hostathion. AgrEvo's strong branding strategy also recognises the need to achieve a high degree of service levels, he said.

The crop protection business has grown by 29 per cent, way above industry average growth rates of around nine per cent, while the environmental health business clocked a turnover of Rs 26 crores. A company press release said that the company relies on its speciality products for achieving results rather than marketing commodity products with low margins. However, the company lays equal emphasis on turnover gains to improve its market visibility and cost and profit management.

Unni said that to enhance customer satisfaction, the company has established Helpline Centres for farmers throughout the country in 1998-99. These centres, which will be converted into farm health clinics during the current year, had generated lot of goodwill and facilitated image building. "In such clinics, agricultural scientists and extension workers are made available by AgrEvofor diagonising and treating farmer problems with respect to seeds, fertilisers, irrigation systems etc to improve crop productivity. This service is totally free of cost, " Unni said.

The company has also launched a new one-shot, rice herbicide in April and other launches slated for the current fiscal include herbicide Whip Super for the control of grassy weeds and Basta, a herbicide for tea.