Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, Feb 24: In a landmark moment for India’s animal husbandry and the dairy sector, Leads Genetics, a subsidiary of BL Agro Group, opened its Integrated R&D Centre for Indigenous Cattle Genetics & Genomics at the BL Kamdhenu Farms & Leads Genetics Headquarters, Bareilly.
The Integrated R&D Centre, featuring advanced IVF-ET & pathology laboratories, was inaugurated by Dr. Arun Kumar Saxena, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of Uttar Pradesh, in the presence of a high-level Business and Government delegation from Brazil, senior officials of the Government of Uttar Pradesh, and leading global experts in animal genetics and dairy science.
The centre is built on a strong foundation of India–Brazil collaboration. The inauguration reflects the rapid and tangible realization of a robust scientific and institutional collaboration forged in December 2025, with the signing of a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Technical Cooperation Project between Leads Genetics, Embrapa & Fazenda Floresta at the Embassy of India in Brasília.
Commending the great work by Leads Genetics, Dr. Saxena, said: “Uttar Pradesh is not just India’s largest dairy state. It is India’s single biggest opportunity to redefine how dairy growth, farmer prosperity, and climate resilience are achieved—at scale, sustainably, and with global leadership. With the right genetics the company is indeed aiming at reducing methane emissions further supporting the vision towards reducing environmental pressure.”
Ghanshyam Khandelwal, Chairman, BL Agro Industries, said: “Today, is a historic moment for Indian husbandry that is forged in deep relationship between India and Brazil. The centre is spread across 25 acres and brings together three powerful pillars of next-generation animal science—pathology diagnostics, genomics, and advanced reproductive biotechnology— all under one roof and creating a 360-degree ecosystem for livestock transformation.”
Devendra Pandey, Special Secretary, Animal Husbandry & Dairy Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh, remarked, “The integration of genomics, IVF–ET and pathology at a single, operational facility sets a new national benchmark. What makes this Centre significant is not only its technology, but the speed with which global knowledge has been translated into on-ground outcomes for India’s livestock sector.”
The Centre houses:
· A state-of-the-art Pathological Disease Testing Laboratory, enabling early, accurate and reliable disease diagnostics to strengthen biosecurity, improve herd health, and safeguard productivity
· An advanced Genomic Laboratory, driving breed improvement through genomic selection, elite animal identification and precision breeding for data-driven genetic gain
· A cutting-edge IVF and Embryo Transfer Laboratory, accelerating the scientific multiplication of elite indigenous and dairy genetics
This integrated platform represents a decisive step forward in scientific breeding, faster genetic progress, disease-free herds, and sustainable livestock development aligned with climate resilience.
Arnaldo Manuel de Souza Machado Borges, President, Brazilian Association of Zebu Breeders (ABCZ), stated: “This Centre stands on a strong foundation laid through trust, science and cooperation between Brazil and India. It represents a first-of-its-kind collaboration where globally proven Zebu genetics and breeding systems have been adapted for India’s scale, climate and farmer realities.”
Dr. Roberta Bertin Barros, Founder and Director, Fazenda Floresta, said: “This collaboration is globally proven and India-ready. The speed with which advanced genetics, IVF and genomics have moved from agreement to execution demonstrates what is possible when scientific vision is matched with institutional commitment.”
Leonardo Ananda, CEO, India-Brazil Chamber of Commerce, remarked: “This Centre is a powerful example of how India–Brazil partnerships can move beyond dialogue into delivery.”
Built on a Strong Foundation of India–Brazil Collaboration
The launch has been organised on the sidelines of the visit of H.E. Mr. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Hon’ble President of the Federative Republic of Brazil, to India last week.The timing underscores the deepening strategic partnership between India and Brazil in agriculture, dairy development and animal science.
From Agreement to Impact on the Ground
Since the signing of the MoU, the collaboration has progressed with remarkable speed and scale. The company has successfully implemented the largest single, structured embryo transfer programme involving pure Gir embryos imported from Brazil (done first-time ever) achieving strong non-return rates and high-quality genetic outcomes.
Notably, this initiative marks the first private-sector collaboration by Embrapa with an Indian organisation, and one of its earliest such partnerships in Asia—signifying strong technical alignment, institutional confidence and mutual trust.
The inauguration was attended by senior representatives from the Brazilian Association of Zebu Breeders (ABCZ) and Fazenda Floresta, including:
Mr. Arnaldo Manuel de Souza Machado Borges, President, ABCZ
Ms. Lara Maria Vieira Marquez, President, ABCZ Women
Mr. Ângelo Mário de Souza Prata Tibério, Director, ABCZ, and Dr. Roberta Bertin Barros, Founder & Director, Fazenda Floresta.