BASF India : supports farmer safety with new Sanrakshan Kit

• High-quality personal protection equipment available at affordable, subsidized prices
• New kit offers enhanced protection for farmers and agricultural sprayers in the field

Mumbai, India- BASF India Limited today launched a new version of its 'Sanrakshan Kit', an affordable, high-quality set of personal protection equipment designed to encourage good agricultural practices and promote safety in the field in the presence of Shri. Ashwani Kumar, Joint Secretary (Plant Protection), Department of Agriculture & Farmer's Welfare, Government of India.

Sanrakshan in Hindi means 'protection'. BASF launched Sanrakshan Kit in 2013, to meet the safety requirements of farmers and agricultural sprayers. The kit has the additional bonus of being affordable (through subsidized pricing) and comfortable to wear. The new kit contains an apron, trousers, a pair of nitrile gloves, particulate filter masks and protective eye wear, along with an easy-to-understand graphical instruction manual.

With a shelf life of at least two years, the kit is sufficiently robust to endure rigorous use over a single season. All the components in the kit are packed in a sturdy and compact fiberboard box, weighing less than a kilogram.

'Farmer safety is of utmost importance to ensure sustainable agricultural practices, and personal protection equipment plays a pivotal role in this. We hope that the new kit introduced by BASF will help us to achieve our goal of implementing safe agricultural practices within the farming community,' said Shri. Ashwani Kumar, Joint Secretary (Plant Protection), Department of Agriculture & Farmer's Welfare, Government of India.

'BASF puts a strong focus on providing support and expertise to the farming community. We believe that safety is at the heart of more sustainable - and more productive - agriculture. Our Sanrakshan kits help ensure that farmers and sprayers have both the tools as well as the knowledge needed to achieve this in India,' said Rajendra Velagala, Director- Crop Protection, BASF India.

The Sanrakshan Kit supports BASF's 'Suraksha Hamesha' program, meaning 'safety all the time'. The program aims to create a platform for educating farmers and agricultural sprayers about the nine steps of responsible use of agrochemicals and personal protection measures. Through Suraksha Hamesha, BASF has successfully engaged with more than 71,000 farmers and 11,800 agricultural sprayers across the country since 2016. During these meetings, BASF also involves the state and central government's farm extension teams to support and promote farm safety.

The new Sanrakshan Kit will be available from January 18, 2018 and can be purchased at agricultural supply outlets around the country.

About BASF's Crop Protection division
With a rapidly growing population, the world is increasingly dependent on our ability to develop and maintain sustainable agriculture and healthy environments. BASF's Crop Protection division works with farmers, agricultural professionals, pest management experts and others to help make this possible. With their cooperation, BASF is able to sustain an active R&D pipeline, an innovative portfolio of products and services, and teams of experts in the lab and in the field to support customers in making their businesses succeed. In 2016, BASF's Crop Protection division generated sales of €5.6 billion. For more information, please visit agriculture.basf.com.

About BASF in India
BASF has successfully partnered India's progress for more than 125 years, with all global businesses maintaining a presence in India today, except for Oil & Gas. At the end of 2016, BASF in India had 2,356 employees at ten production sites & ten offices, as well as two R&D centers, located in Mumbai and Mangalore. In 2016, BASF registered sales of approximately €1.1 billion to customers in India. Further information is available on the Internet at www.basf.com/in

About BASF
At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. The approximately 114,000 employees in the BASF Group work on contributing to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio is organized into five segments: Chemicals, Performance Products, Functional Materials & Solutions, Agricultural Solutions and Oil & Gas. BASF generated sales of about €58 billion in 2016. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (BAS). Further information at www.basf.com.