The event was inaugurated in the presence of Rajnath Singh, Union Defence Minister, who attended as Chief Guest. The launch marked the formal rollout of a collaboration between Balrampur Bioyug and the Lucknow Cantonment Board, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding and BCML’s first institutional order for compostable Polylactic Acid (PLA)-based products earlier this year.

Speaking at the event, Vivek Saraogi, Chairman and Managing Director of Balrampur Chini Mills Limited, said the transition from conventional materials to sustainable alternatives was not only an environmental necessity but an opportunity to build new industries, strengthen domestic manufacturing, and create long-term value for society.

Avantika Saraogi, Executive Director of Balrampur Chini Mills Limited, framed the shift to biomaterials as an economic opportunity tied directly to agriculture, saying the move was about empowering farmers and creating new industries. She added that while the last century belonged to oil and petrochemicals, the next could belong to farmers and fields.

Addressing the gathering, Rajnath Singh highlighted the health hazards of microplastics, citing scientific research indicating that approximately 3,50,000 people die globally each year due to microplastic exposure, with the particles found even in the blood of newborns. He said PLA, produced from sugarcane, breaks down completely within 180 days, adding that producing bioplastic domestically would reduce India’s dependence on foreign raw materials and strengthen economic resilience. He noted that India’s existing 20 per cent ethanol blending in petrol had already shielded the country from supply chain disruptions during the recent West Asia crisis, and said raising the blend to 35 per cent would further solidify self-reliance. He also cited economist projections that the global bioplastics market could reach $120 billion in value by 2075-2090.

Two panel discussions were held during the event. The first, titled “Mandate to Market: Unlocking the Bioplastics Value Chain in Uttar Pradesh,” focused on policy support, manufacturing capabilities, and market opportunities for scaling bioplastics adoption. The second, “From Mess to Mission: Bioplastics for Defence,” examined the potential of sustainable materials within defence establishments to support waste reduction and operational efficiency.

The programme also featured the felicitation of meritorious ITI girl students as part of a women-focused skills initiative run by Balrampur Foundation in collaboration with Balrampur Bioyug and ITI Mohammadi in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, aimed at training young women in 3D printing using Bioyug PLA.

The event drew participation from over 2,000 stakeholders across government, industry, academia, defence, and civil society. BCML, one of India’s largest integrated sugar companies, operates ten sugar factories in Uttar Pradesh with an aggregate crushing capacity of 80,000 tonnes crushed per day (TCD), distillery capacity of 1,050 kilolitres per day (KLPD), and saleable power cogeneration capacity of 175.7 MW. The company is also in the process of setting up India’s first PLA plant with a capacity of 80,000 tonnes per annum (TPA)