Skipper-Metzer India LLP, which is a partnership between Skipper, one of the significant players in water infrastructure of India and Drip Irrigation major Metzer, Israel announced the grand opening of its new factory in Hyderabad, India. The company held an on-site ribbon-cutting ceremony on 29th April 2019. The facility was inaugurated by Dr Hugo Chaufan, Chairman of Metzer Group and Mr S.K. Bansal, Managing Director of Skipper Limited in presence of other senior members of both the JV partners Mr Shmuel Schupak, CEO, Mr Cohen Israel, CFO, Mr Tzur of Metzer and Mr Devesh Bansal, Director, Mr YP Jain, E.D., Mr Sanjay Agrawal, CFO of Skipper Limited, dignitaries and customers from various states.

The 2.50 acres facility stands at the forefront of Drip Irrigation manufacturing and engineering expertise in India, with an annual manufacturing capacity of 880 Lakh meters /annum of various drip and sprinkler irrigation products. The state of art plant incorporates cutting-edge Israeli technologies and has been designed with the flexibility to enable smart, connected manufacturing technologies which will support improved process efficiency, delivery and quality.

The plant is strategically located at Hyderabad to serve the potential markets in India. The first phase of the project includes an investment of Rs. 20 crores and a projected expenditure of Rs.130 crores in a decade. Since announcing the company has hired several categories of manpower across India and locally too. Production from the project’s first phase will begin later this year.

The plant is intended to manufacture and supply full range of Drip and Sprinkler Irrigation Systems to Indian Farmers in various states under the PMKSY and as well in open markets. The facility will also serve the markets in the neighbouring SAARC countries explained Mr K Radha Krishna, CEO, Skipper Metzer India LLP.

Due to unpredictable Monsoon and recurring droughts, micro-irrigation has become a policy priority in India. The new catch-phrase in one of the central government’s schemes, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY or Prime Minister’s Agriculture Irrigation Programme), is “Per Drop More Crop”. Apparently, the shift towards micro-irrigation is thought to “save” water and boost crop yields. Drip irrigation delivers water, through pipes, along the rows of crops, directly to the root zone. It has the potential to reduce water consumption by 50% - 70% and also increase yield by 25- 30%.