NARMADA COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT
(Academic Year – 2025-’26)
Report on Industry Visit to GNFC Neem Plant and Tissue Culture Laboratory Marketing Specialization Batch
Date and Time of Visit: 28th August, Thursday, 2:00 to 4:00 PM
Introduction
As part of our Marketing Skills Council, an industrial visit was organized to the Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Limited (GNFC). The visit aimed to provide marketing students with practical exposure to industrial processes, research activities, and sustainable practices. The team visited two major facilities of GNFC: the Neem Plant and the Tissue Culture Laboratory.
Objectives of the Visit
- To understand the marketing and production of neem-based products.
- To learn about the market potential of tissue culture-based plants
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- To observe techniques and methodologies used in plant tissue culture.
- To bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and industrial application.
At the Neem Plant, students were introduced to the process of making neem-based soap, shampoo, facewash and other fmcg products. The neem project of GNFC was started to avoid the misuse of fertilizers by industry by spraying neem oil in the fertilizers: It involved the below activities
- Procurement: Neem seeds are collected from local farmers, ensuring community participation and additional income generation.
- Processing: Seeds are cleaned, dried, and processed to extract neem oil and by-products.
- Applications: Neem oil is used in agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Neem cake, a by-product, is utilized as an organic fertilizer and pest repellent.
- From the neem oil GNFC made multiple fmcg products and successfully sold them in the market
- Sustainability: The initiative supports women’s empowerment and rural livelihoods, aligning with GNFC’s inclusive growth model.
The students were exposed to the production, distribution and marketing of neem based fmcg products and the underlying supply chain of these products.
Visit to Tissue Culture Laboratory
The Tissue Culture Lab provided insights into advanced biotechnology practices in agriculture. The visit highlighted:
- Introduction to Tissue Culture: The use of plant tissue culture for producing disease-free, high-yielding plantlets.
- Processes Demonstrated:
- Initiation: Selection and sterilization of explants.
- Multiplication: Rapid clonal propagation in controlled conditions.
- Rooting and Acclimatization: Development of roots and transfer to soil under greenhouse conditions.
- Applications: Tissue culture is applied in producing banana, sugarcane, and other economically important crops.
- Quality Control: Emphasis was given to maintaining aseptic conditions and monitoring genetic fidelity.
Learning Outcomes
- Enhanced understanding of neem-based product manufacturing and its socio-economic benefits.
- Huge Marketing Potential of Tissue Culture based plants
- Practical exposure to plant tissue culture techniques and their commercial applications.
- Awareness of sustainable and innovative practices in agro-industries.
- Inspiration to integrate classroom knowledge with real-world industrial practices.
Conclusion
The industry visits to GNFC’s Neem Plant and Tissue Culture Laboratory proved to be highly informative and enriching for the Marketing students. It provided valuable insights of Marketing applications in agriculture, and socio-economic development through farmer and community engagement. The experience strengthened our practical understanding and motivated us to explore further Marketing innovations in agriculture and allied sciences.
