Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute

What Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute does

ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (ICAR-IGFRI), headquartered in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, is India's sole national institute mandated for forage and grassland research. Established in 1962 and administered by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, Government of India, the institute operates through its Jhansi headquarters and four regional stations: Southern Regional Research Station at Dharwad (Karnataka) for humid tropics, Western Regional Research Station at Avikanagar (Rajasthan) for arid/semi-arid regions, and Himalayan stations at Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir) and Palampur (Himachal Pradesh) for temperate agro-ecologies. IGFRI conducts basic, strategic, applied, and adaptive research, development, and training in forage production and utilization, and coordinates the All India Coordinated Research Project on Forage Crops & Utilization (AICRP-FC&U) across 22 coordinated centres and 17 cooperating testing locations nationwide. Over six decades the institute has developed 55 notified forage crop varieties spanning berseem, lucerne, cowpea, oats, bajra, anjan, dhaman, dinanath, and guinea grass, and has produced farm machinery including a patented tractor-operated grass seed harvester (Indian Patent No. 524257), a defluffing machine (88–92% efficiency), a grass seed pelleting machine, and a forage seed coating machine.

The institute's core technologies cover forage crop breeding, agronomy, grassland and silvipasture management, seed technology, animal nutrition (including a Total Mixed Ration formulation for goats with documented 78 g/day average body weight gain), and farm mechanization. Recent certified technologies include Nutrigel for nutrient and water use efficiency, the GRASS methodology for degraded pastureland restoration in Bundelkhand, and seed labelling standards for temperate forages (2025 certifications). IGFRI's primary customer base is fragmented across India's small and marginal livestock farmers, served through government extension channels — Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs), state agriculture and animal husbandry departments, and direct farmer outreach under SCSP, TSP, NEH, and the Farmer FIRST Programme. Secondary customers include State Agricultural Universities, the AICRP-FC&U coordinating network, state government departments, and a small set of licensed private seed companies (Foragen Seeds, Rasi Seeds) and farm machinery fabricators.

IGFRI is funded primarily through ICAR's annual government budgetary allocations, supplemented by externally funded projects from DST, NLM, NASF, SERB, ICARDA, CIAT-Bioversity, and NBPGR. Commercial revenue is limited to breeder/TL seed sales (e.g., Rs 10.86 lakh to Rs 27.30 lakh at Dharwad station in recent years), technology licensing royalties to private seed companies and machinery fabricators, training programme registration fees (Rs 1,000 per participant), and guest house accommodation. Pricing is not published as the dissemination model is subsidized or free through public extension. Strategic alliances include a 2025 collaboration with Reliance Industries Ltd. to establish the Centre of Excellence for Research on Bioenergy Grasses and an Advanced Plant Phenomics Facility at Jhansi, plus MoUs with SEVA and the Foundation for Ecological Security for Sustainable Rangeland Management. The institute's documented net economic impact is Rs 49,639.59 Crore over 1999-2023 from 13 leading forage varieties, translating to 175.09 million tonnes of green fodder biomass per year and 4.54 million tonnes of incremental milk per year.

Name

Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute

Legal name

ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute

Website

https://igfri.org.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute is India's national institute for forage and grassland R&D under ICAR, developing 55+ crop varieties, farm machinery, and feed technologies, and serving farmers, state departments, KVKs, and SAUs through four regional stations and the AICRP-FC&U network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Research and Forage Development

NAICS

Support Activities for Crop Production (11511)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Farm Machinery & Equipment (3523)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYAFAAAEAH

Forage Processing & Conditioning (Kernel Processors, Cut-Length Systems, Blowers)

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Equipment & Technology/Harvesting & Threshing Equipment (Combines, Forage Harvesters)

SECONDARYAFACAJAB

Farm Operations Planning & SOP Development

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Services (Custom Farming, Agronomy, Veterinary)/Farm Management & Operational Advisory Services

SECONDARYAFABAMAE

Decision Support & Prescriptive Analytics (Variable-Rate Rx, Crop Modeling)

Agriculture & Food Production/Agricultural Inputs & Agrochemicals/Precision Agriculture Solutions (Sensors & Data Analytics)

SECONDARYAFAOADAK

Seed Quality Testing & Certification Support (Germination, Purity, Vigor)

Agriculture & Food Production/Post-Harvest Handling & Storage (Grain Elevators, Silos, Cold Storage)/Seed Cleaning, Conditioning & Storage

Keywords

• Forage crop research
• Grassland management services
• Fodder seed production
• Farm machinery development
• Livestock feed research

Headquarters

HQ city

Jhansi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Breeder/Nucleus Seed Production and Sales: The institute produces and sells quality seeds of improved fodder crop varieties (nucleus seed, breeder seed, truthfully labelled seed) to seed corporations, state departments, KVKs, and farmers through its research farms and AICRP-FC&U centres. Revenue varies year-to-year from Rs 10.86 lakhs (2023-24) to Rs 27.30 lakhs (2021-22) at Dharwad station alone.
2. Technology Licensing: Licenses developed technologies and varieties to private seed companies. Examples: Guinea Grass DGG-1 and Fodder Cowpea IGFRI-DC-215 licensed to Foragen Seeds Pvt. Ltd., Hyderabad; Berseem varieties licensed to Rasi Seeds; Defluffing Machine, Grass Seed Pelleting Machine, and Forage Seed Coating Machine licensed to Ashok Verma Steel and Fabricators / New Ashok Verma Industries.
3. ICAR Government Funding: Core funding from Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India for research projects, salaries, infrastructure, and operations. Additional funding from externally funded projects (DST, NLM, NASF, SERB, ICARDA, CIAT-Bioversity, NBPGR, and others).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ICAR-IGFRI conducts basic, strategic, applied, and adaptive research, development, and training in forage production and utilization. It develops and notifies improved forage crop varieties, produces breeder/nucleus/ truthfully labelled seeds, designs and licenses farm machinery and post-harvest technologies, coordinates the national AICRP on Forage Crops & Utilization, runs training and extension programmes, and prepares fodder resource development plans for Indian states.

Product overview

ICAR-Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute (IGFRI) is India's premier national institute under ICAR, mandated for forage research, development, and training. The institute operates through its headquarters in Jhansi and four regional research stations (Dharwad, Avikanagar, Srinagar, Palampur), conducting basic, strategic, applied, and adaptive research in forage production and utilization. IGFRI has developed 55+ forage crop varieties across crops like berseem, lucerne, cowpea, oat, bajra, and grasses, along with multiple farm machines including the Defluffing Machine, Forage Seed Coating Machine, and Grass Seed Pelleting Machine. The institute also coordinates the AICRP on Forage Crops & Utilization with 22 centres across India, offers training programs, and maintains publications including annual reports, newsletters, and state fodder development plans.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Forage Crop Varieties Notified improved varieties of forage crops for cultivation across diverse agro-ecological zones; released for multiplication and commercial seed production by state seed corporations, KVKs, and licensed private seed companies.
• Breeder, Nucleus and Truthfully Labelled Seed High-quality foundation-class seed of improved fodder crop varieties produced on IGFRI research farms in Jhansi, Dharwad, Avikanagar, Srinagar, and Palampur, sold to seed corporations, state departments, KVKs, and farmers. Revenue ranged Rs 10.86 lakhs (2023-24) to Rs 27.30 lakhs (2021-22) from the Dharwad station alone.
• Defluffing Machine Farm machinery to efficiently separate true seeds from fluffy grass seeds, addressing a key bottleneck in seed processing of native and tropical grasses.
• Grass Seed Pelleting Machine Machine that enhances germination of small and light grass seeds by mixing and layering them with soil to produce uniform pellets for sowing in unfertile lands.
• Forage Seed Coating Machine Seed coating equipment for uniform polymer-based chemical application on forage seeds, improving handling, germination, and field performance.
• Tractor-Operated Grass Seed Harvester Tractor-mounted equipment to harvest seeds of Dinanath, Cenchrus, and Guinea grass; granted Indian Patent No. 524257 dated 13.03.2024, developed with ICAR-CIAE Bhopal.
• Evaporative-Cooled Hydroponic Structure Climate-smart hydroponic chamber that delivers year-round green fodder production by maintaining controlled temperature and humidity regardless of external climate.
• BN Hybrid Forage Harvester Single-row harvester designed for hard-stem forage crops such as Bajra-Napier hybrid grasses; capacity 0.20-0.25 ha/h with 0.80 m working width.
• Smoke Water Machine Equipment for producing smoke water from grasses to harness bioactive compounds that improve seed germination; produces 70 L/hour from 10 kg of grasses.
• Animal Feed-Making Machine Integrated system with mixing, compression, and bagging units for compounded animal feed production at 4 q/h, packing 26 bags/hour at 15 kg each.
• Total Mixed Ration (TMR) for Goats Balanced, complete feed formulation for goats that achieves 69% dry matter digestibility and 78 g/day body weight gain (vs 51 g/day control).
• AICRP on Forage Crops & Utilization (AICRP-FC&U) National coordinated multi-location research network for improvement of arable, rainfed, and irrigated forage crops; 22 coordinated centres and 17 cooperating testing locations enable variety testing, breeder seed production, and dissemination across India.
• Training Programmes (EDP, FDP, Winter School, Summer School) Structured training programmes for farmers, students, extension professionals, and agripreneurs covering fodder production, silage and feed production, goat farming, and grassland management, delivered at headquarters and regional stations.
• Fodder Resources Development Plans for Indian States State-level fodder resource development plans prepared by IGFRI for all Indian states including Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Punjab, Karnataka, and others, supporting fodder security missions and state livestock development schemes.
• Central Library Services Reference library with 11,162 books, 6,663 bound journals, 302 dissertations, and 85 PhD theses; provides KOHA OPAC, DSpace institutional repository, and ONOS journal access to researchers and visiting scholars.

Quantifiable outcome

• 55 forage crop varieties developed and notified (as of 2025)
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature11 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Reliance Industries Ltd. (RIL)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerICAR-IGFRI-RIL collaborative project includes launching of 'Centre of Excellence for Research on Bioenergy Grasses' and foundation stone laying for 'Advanced Plant Phenomics Facility' at IGFRI campus. The collaboration was announced in 2025 with DG ICAR and Secretary DARE present at the inauguration.
• SEVA (Sustainable Ecology and Village Advancement)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU signed for Sustainable Rangeland Management. IGFRI Signs MoU with SEVA for collaborative work on rangeland management and ecological restoration.
• Foundation for Ecological SecuritycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU signed for Sustainable Rangeland Management. Joint initiative for sustainable management and restoration of rangelands in India.
• CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya (CSKHPKV), PalampurcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU between IGFRI-Centre for Indian Himalayan Grasslands, Palampur and CSKHPKV Palampur for collaborative research activities on grassland management, forage crop improvement, and Himalayan agro-ecosystem research.
• Career Point University, HamirpurminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU for collaborative research and academic activities between IGFRI Palampur centre and Career Point University, Hamirpur.
• DST (Department of Science and Technology) - NMSHEcoreOthersExternally funded project on climate resilient agri-based systems for Ladakh, budget Rs 27,192,153. DST is the funding agency with NDRI Karnal as lead centre.
• ICARDA (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas)minorOthersCollaborative project on cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica) as 4F crop (Food, Fodd er, Fertilizer, Fuel) exploring plant density and fertilizer effects. Funded US$ 8,500 in 2023-24.
• CIAT-BioversityminorOthersProject on use and conservation of agrobiodiversity for food and nutrition security, increased agricultural sustainability, and resilience to climate change. Budget Rs 77.61 lakhs (2021-2024).
• NASF (National Agricultural Science Fund)minorOthersMultiple NASF-funded projects including natural grassland ecosystem monitoring system for peninsular and trans-Himalayan India (Rs 106 lakh) and climate resilience in dairy production systems (Rs 134.79 lakh total, Rs 24.67 lakh for IGFRI).
• ICAR-NLM (National Livestock Mission)coreOthersMultiple NLM-funded projects including grassland restoration using remote sensing and drone technologies (Rs 117 lakh), genetic improvement of forage crops (Rs 376.84 lakh), and mass propagation of Bajra-Napier hybrid (Rs 179.39 lakh total).
• SERB (Science and Engineering Research Board), DSTminorOthersSERB-funded projects including hybrid nanofertilizers for sustainable fodder production (Rs 51.51 lakh), genomic research in guinea grass (Rs 35 lakh), pearl millet brown midrib genetics (Rs 36.83 lakh), and abiotic stress tolerance genes in grasses (Rs 34.24 lakh).
• SKUAST-Kashmir (Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAICRP-FC&U coordinating centre at SKUAST-K, Srinagar (start year 2010). Collaborative research on temperate forages, grassland restoration, and pastoralism in Kashmir.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• CIMMYT: International agricultural research centre addressing crop improvement globally, including forages and maize. While broader than IGFRI, CIMMYT shares the multi-location variety testing model and public-good breeding approach with similar international donor/government funding structures.
• Corteva Agriscience / Pioneer Hi-Bred: Global seed and crop protection company with established commercial forage genetics and breeding programmes for alfalfa, corn silage, and grasses. They represent the large-scale commercial alternative to IGFRI's public-sector forage research and seed production model.
• KWS SAAT: Global seed company with a dedicated forage and grass breeding business serving European and global markets. KWS offers commercial forage genetics as one of several crop segments, contrasting with IGFRI's pure-play focus on forage/grassland R&D.
• ICRISAT (International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics): CGIAR centre working on dryland crops including sorghum, pearl millet (bajra), and pigeonpea — crops also relevant to IGFRI's forage breeding work. IGFRI collaborates within the CGIAR peer network and works on similar semi-arid agro-ecology challenges.

Direct peers

• S&W Seed Company: US-listed pure-play forage seed company breeding and producing alfalfa, sorghum, sunflowers, and pasture grass varieties globally. Both S&W and IGFRI are dedicated forage genetics players targeting livestock producers with proprietary varieties.
• DLF Seeds: World-leading forage and turf grass seed company based in Denmark with extensive R&D investment in forage breeding and seed production. DLF and IGFRI both focus on improved forage genetics, multi-location testing, and licensing proprietary varieties globally.
• Royal Barenbrug Group: Global leader in grass breeding and forage seed production with operations in 30+ countries. Both Barenbrug and IGFRI develop improved grass varieties and distribute proprietary forage genetics to seed distributors and livestock producers.
• International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI): ILRI is a CGIAR research centre with a global mandate for livestock and forage research across Africa and Asia, similar in mission to IGFRI but with international scope. Both institutions develop livestock-feeding technologies and conduct forage improvement research at scale.
• ICARDA (International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas): CGIAR centre focused on dryland agriculture with significant work on forage crops, rangeland management, and livestock feeding in arid regions. IGFRI already collaborates with ICARDA on cactus pear research and shares the mandate of developing forage technologies for harsh agro-ecologies.

Regional players

• BAIF Development Research Foundation: Leading Indian non-profit focused on livestock development, fodder production, and rural livelihoods — active across 16+ Indian states. While operating on a development-finance model rather than pure R&D, BAIF deploys IGFRI-licensed varieties and runs complementary fodder programmes serving Indian livestock farmers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IcarIgfri
• Facebookfacebook.com/igfri.jhansi

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute