The proposed investments will include an integrated Breed Improvement Farm, IVF-ET laboratory, Multiple Ovulation Embryo Transfer (MOET) facility, pathology laboratory and genomics laboratory. | Photo Credit: Nikhil Patil

FMCG company BL Agro Group plans to invest ₹1,500 crore in its biotechnology subsidiary Leads Genetics to develop an integrated cattle genetics and reproductive-technology ecosystem aimed at improving breed quality and productivity in India’s dairy sector.

The company is in discussions with Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh governments to replicate the model, which will bring breed improvement, genomics and reproductive technologies under one platform, BL Agro said in a statement.

The proposed investments will include an integrated Breed Improvement Farm, IVF-ET laboratory, Multiple Ovulation Embryo Transfer (MOET) facility, pathology laboratory and genomics laboratory. These facilities are intended to cover the breed-improvement value chain, from genetic evaluation and selection to multiplication and dissemination of superior germplasm.

360-degree milk value chain

The initiative forms part of BL Agro’s broader 360-degree milk value chain encompassing genetics, breeding, animal health, nutrition, milk production, processing and market linkages, supported by farmer extension programmes.

Dharampal Singh, Uttar Pradesh’s Animal Husbandry Minister, who recently was at the company’s function in Bareilly, said India, despite being the world’s largest milk producer, has low per-animal productivity and continues to depend on imported germplasm for high-end genetics. He said domestic production of elite bulls, embryos and sexed semen could contribute to greater genetic self-reliance.

The company unveiled its first Zebu-optimised bovine SNP chip, along with a live demonstration of next-generation sequencing on an Illumina NovaSeq X platform. BL Agro said these developments were linked to the India-Brazil cattle-genetics partnership formalised through an agreement in Brasília.

The genomic chip can assess thousands of genetic markers in cattle, enabling earlier selection of animals for traits such as milk production, fertility, growth, health, heat tolerance and resistance to ticks and parasites, the company said. When combined with IVF, embryo transfer and sex-sorted semen, the technology could accelerate the multiplication of superior genetics compared with conventional breeding.

Hiking productivity

BL Agro Chairman Ghanshyam Khandelwal said the investment would focus on improving milk productivity, reproductive performance and the economic value of cattle, while creating employment opportunities for rural youth.

Leads Genetics plans to scale up embryo production to 15,000 embryos a month by the end of 2027, said Sarvannan Durairaj, Head, IVF-MOET, Leads Genetics. The Centre of Excellence being developed by the company is intended to scale advanced embryo-production technologies and make superior genetics available on a larger scale. The company said the programme would focus on indigenous breeds and climate-resilient livestock.

S.K. Aggarwal, Vice-President, Operations said: “The live birth of these genetically selected elite Gir calves is a significant step towards building a stronger indigenous breeding programme. Our focus is to combine advanced genetics with scientific farm management to improve productivity, reproductive performance and the resilience of Indian cattle.”

Published on September 17, 2026