Ladies and gentlemen, good day and welcome to Sharda Cropchem Limited Q4 FY 2026 Earnings Conference call hosted by Antique Stock Broking Limited. As a reminder, all participants' lines will be in the listen-only mode. There will be an opportunity for you to ask questions after the presentation concludes. Should you need any assistance during this conference, please signal for an operator by pressing star and then zero on your touchtone telephones. Participants, please note that this conference call is being recorded. I now hand the conference over to Mr. Riju Dalui from Antique Stock Broking Limited. Thank you, and over to you, sir.
Thank you, Farah. A warm welcome to all the participants on Q4 and FY 2026 earning call of Sharda Cropchem. Today, we have Mr. R.V. Bubna, Chairman and Managing Director, Mr. Shailesh [audio distortion], CFO, and Mr. Jetkin Gudhka, Company Secretary on the call. Without any delay, I would like to hand over the call to Mr. Bubna for his opening remarks. Thank you. Over to you, sir.
Thank you, Mr. Dalui. Good afternoon, and very warm welcome to everyone present on this call. Along with me, I have Mr. Shailesh Mehendale, our CFO, and Mr. Jetkin Gudhka, our Company Secretary, and SGA, our investor relations advisors. Hope you all have received our investor deck by now. Ladies and gentlemen, I am very pleased to share that FY 2025-2026 has been, by every measure, the best year in Sharda Cropchem's history as a listed company, despite the global headwinds from tariffs and recent war. We have delivered our best ever annual PAT, our highest ever EBITDA, and our strongest ever revenue performance. This has been achieved with consistent discipline quarter after quarter through a year that presented both opportunities and challenges for global agrochemical industry. The company expects this growth momentum to continue in the FY 2027.
Our performance is the result of years of patient investment in product registrations, a clear and focused business model, and the confidence that our customers and suppliers continue to place with Sharda Cropchem. I thank each member of our team for their dedication and each of you for this call for your continued interest and trust. As you are aware, we are engaged in the marketing and distribution of wide range of agrochemical products, catering to a diverse global customer base. We develop comprehensive dossiers and obtain product registrations in our own name. We continue to allocate substantial resources towards securing registrations, which strengthens our market presence and helps establish a sustainable foothold across the markets. As on 31st March 2026, our total product registrations stood at 3,011. Additionally, 1,004 applications for product registrations globally are in the pipeline.
Coming to the industry dynamics, a global agrochemical market is showing signs of recovery driven by revival in demand, complemented by gradual recovery in the pricing. Inventories have come to normal levels across distribution channels. In Q4 2026, our total revenues have grown by 13% to INR 262,065 crore with annual volume growth at 4%. We have seen volume growth in Europe and LATAM emerging as key contributors. Volume from agrochemical segment grew by 5% and non-agrochemical segment de-grew by 2% year-on-year basis. Our gross margins have expanded by 750 basis points to 37.3%. As guided earlier, we expect the gross margins to be in similar range in FY 2027.
EBITDA for the quarter stood at INR 513 crore, which is a growth of 75% on a year-to-year basis with margins of 24.8%. For FY 2027, we are on track to maintain healthy EBITDA margins in the range of 18%-20%. PAT for the quarter stood at INR 319 crore, showcasing a growth of 57% year-to-year basis. Working capital days stood at 98 days as on 31st March 2026, showing an improvement by [work] 20 days as compared to March 2025. CapEx for FY 2026 stood at INR 505 crore. Looking at the performance, the board of directors have recommended a final dividend for INR 9 per equity share, along with the interim dividend of INR 6 per equity share paid in December 2025.
The total dividend for 2026, FY 2026, this aggregates to INR 15 per share. With this brief overview, I'd now like to hand over the call to our CFO, Mr. Shailesh Mehendale, for discussing our financial performance. Thank you, everybody. Thank you once again.
Thank you, sir. Good afternoon, everyone. Coming to quarter four FY 2026 performance, revenue stood at INR 2,065 crore in quarter four FY 2026 versus INR 1,829 crore in quarter four FY 2025 with an increase of 13% year-on-year. Coming to the split, agrochemical business grew by 14% year-on-year basis to INR 1,927 crores, whereas the non-agrochemical business de-grew by 0.3% year-on-year to INR 138 crores. Gross margin stood at 37.3% in quarter four FY 2026 as against 29.8% in quarter four FY 2025 with an increase of 750 basis points. EBITDA grew by 75%, which stood at INR 513 crore with EBITDA margin at 25%.
PAT stood at INR 319 crore versus INR 204 crores last year, showing a 57% growth year-on-year basis. Coming to the full year financial FY 2026 performance, revenue stood at INR 5,268 crore in FY 2026 versus INR 4,320 crores in FY 2025 with an increase of 22% year-on-year basis. Coming to the split, agrochemical business grew by 25% year-on-year to INR 4,717 crores, whereas the non-agrochemical business grew by 1% year-on-year to INR 551 crore. Gross margin stood at 35.9% in FY 2026 as against 29.9% in FY 2025, increase of 600 basis points.
EBITDA for FY 2026 stood at INR 1,040 crore with an EBITDA margin at 19.7%, showcasing 69% year-on-year growth. PAT stood at INR 681 crore in FY 2026 versus INR 304 crore in FY 2025 with an increase of 124% on year-on-year basis. We remain debt-free company and have cash, bank, liquid investment of INR 702 crore as on 31st March 2026. We can now open the floor for question and answers. Thank you.
Thank you very much, sir. Ladies and gentlemen, we will now begin with the question and answer session. Anyone who wishes to ask a question may press star and one on the touchtone telephone. If you wish to remove yourself from the question queue, you may enter star and two. Participants are requested to please use only handsets while asking a question. We will wait for a moment while the question queue assembles. The first question is from the line of Anubhav Mukherjee from Prescient Capital. Please go ahead.
Hello. Sir, thanks for the opportunity and congrats for the great result. My first question is that for the current quarter, the revenue growth was 13% and volume growth was 4.3%. Can you please share, like, what was the contribution of Forex and, like, realization year-on-year for the current quarter?
Mr. Mukherjee, your first sentence was clear and loud, but second and third sentences have become very dim. Can you repeat the second and third sentences of your question once again?
Sure, sir. Sir, I was asking that for the current quarter, Q4 FY 2026, the volume growth was 4.3% and revenue growth was 13%. Can you share the contribution of like, realization increase and Forex year on year, for the current quarter?
Yes, sir. Sir, Please, don't confuse the people. Current quarter is April to June, FY 2027.
Sorry.
We are talking for last quarter. Let us say last quarter and not the current quarter. Anyway, the volume growth for the fourth quarter was +4.3%. Forex impact was +11.7%. Price and product mix impact was -3.0%. Total growth was +12.9%. Thank you.
Thanks, sir. Sir, can you please share the same for the entire financial year?
Yes, please.
For the entire financial year, the volume growth was 13.4%. FX impact was +10.3%. Price and product mix impact was -1.8%, and total growth was 21.9%.
Thanks for the information.
Thank you.
Sir, we have been hearing that prices of agrochemicals from China have been witnessing like a major spike since like the war broke out in Middle East. Are we also witnessing like a major increase in our procurement price from China?
No, sir. I would clarify there is no major increase. There could be a small increase in some products, but it is not an overall trend as on now, up to now.
Get that. sir, the realization and product impact was negative as you mentioned for the current quarter. sir, can you please share what are you witnessing like in terms of price realization in your like major markets like LATAM, and NAFTA and Europe?
There is nothing to worry. The prices have been stable and there has been a slight increase in the prices.
Get that. sir, can you please share the, like, guidance for the revenue growth for the, like FY 2027, and also specifically for each of the regions.
Each of the regions, it will be not proper for me to elaborate because it all depends on many factors which are not in anybody's control, particularly weather and the current war situation and all those things, you know. I can say for the FY 2027, we expect the revenue to grow about 10% to 15%, gross margins to stay around 35% ± a few percent, and EBITDA will be 18% to 20%.
Thanks, sir. Sir—
I'm sorry to interrupt, Mr. Mukherjee. Could you return to the question queue? We have participants awaiting their turn.
Sure, I'll get back in the queue. Thanks.
Thank you. The next question is from the line of [Disha] from Sapphire Capital. Please go ahead.
Hello.
Yes.
Am I audible, sir?
Yes, madam.
Yes. Congratulations, sir, for a great set of numbers despite the challenging geopolitical environment. My question was again, sir, on the margin as we guided for gross margins to be around 35% and EBITDA of 18%-20%. Sir, what is giving us the confidence of being able to sustain the margin in the back of such volatile environment? Any raw material price increase, will we be able to pass this on completely to customers? If you could just elaborate a bit more on that would be really helpful.
Madam, you have put, three questions in. Please ask one by one. I'll answer you. That will be more precise. Can you repeat your questions one by one?
Firstly, sir, if you could just highlight what is giving us this confidence of being able to maintain high margins in such volatile environment?
Madam, our feel of the market, our communications with our customers on a regular basis and the general situation. That gives us this confidence.
Okay. Sir, this raw material price hikes, will we be able to completely pass this on to the customers? What is the situation there?
Normally, we are able to pass because the competition is limited. We are not dealing with products which are freely tradable and registration process is very expensive and time-consuming and not very interesting to most of the investors. The competition is also limited for the agrochemical products, particularly in developed markets, and that gives us the confidence that any and so far it has been our experience. 80%-90% we have been able to pass the price increase of the raw materials, and the customers have very gracefully accepted it.
Okay.
Unless there's a unique situation where there's a lot of product in the pipeline and in the sort of storage, those are only special. In the normal cases, most of the price increases we are able to pass on to our customers.
Okay. That is great to know, sir. Sir, the next thing was on our revenue growth. In our interview on television, we had mentioned this year we're targeting 18%-20% sort of growth. Right now you just mentioned that we are targeting 10%-15%. Are we being too conservative? How should we look at that?
If I have said 18%-20%, then maybe I misstated, you know. I would say it will be 10%-15%.
Okay. Okay.
I was talking about EBITDA. Those 18%-20% was EBITDA and not the revenue growth.
Okay. 10%-15% is what we should work with, right?
Yes.
Yes. Okay. Just the last question, sir. I was looking at the segmental breakups. In the agrochemical sector, particularly in the NAFTA region, I think we've seen some revenue degrowth of by 6%. What was the cause for that?
No specific cause. It could be based on the weather conditions and the economic situations in the United States.
Okay, but no major challenge as such?
No.
Okay. Okay. That is it from my side. Thank you so much, sir, and all the best.
Thank you.
Thank you. The next question is from the line of Rajat Sethia from ithought PMS. Please go ahead. Mr. Sethia, your line is unmuted. Please ask your question.
Yeah. Hi.
Sir.
Can you hear me?
Okay, yeah. Yes. Please go ahead, sir.
Okay, thanks. Sir, my first question is about the gross margins. If we remove the impact of Forex volatility, what would be the gross margins for the company for the whole year?
Sir, I have stated it'll be around 35%. It could be 36%, 37%, or it could be 34%.
Oh, no, sir. Sorry. I didn't mean for the next year guidance. Like this year we have reported 36% gross margins and—
Yes
there's lot of contribution from Forex exchange movement as well. I'm just wondering, if we strip off the Forex movement, from the numbers, what will be the gross margins?
Sir, this will require some calculations, which I'm not ready during this phone call .
Sure. I understand. Is it possible to touch base on this point later on through the investor relations team or by any other means?
Yes. It is possible.
Sure, sir. Thank you. Thank you. I will touch base on this later on. Sir, what were the gross margins in Europe in this quarter as well as the full year?
One minute. The gross margins in Europe was 41.5% in this quarter. The whole year it was also 42.5%.
Thank you, sir. Sir, what was the volume growth in Europe in FY 2026 full year?
Volume growth was about 16%.
16%. In terms of the outlook for next year for Europe, do you see similar?
Yes
Growth or okay, similar growth.
No, we see the similar.
Okay, understood. Sir, one question about the Forex losses that we reported in Q4. If we look at the USD EUR, you know, euro movement during the last quarter, it was pretty much in a very tight range of 1.15 to 1.7, and yet we reported INR 26 crore of Forex losses. I was just confused or if you can help us understand, despite such a tight movement between USD and euro, there were still losses on Forex side.
I would request Mr. Shailesh Mehendale, our CFO, to answer this question.
Yeah. This particular Forex loss, which is reported in quarter four, is mainly on account of unrealized Forex loss on the realignment of foreign currency trade payables. Right? That is the only. This is unrealized loss, which is accounted to euro USD movement is not really. This is on account of the realignment of USD realignment loss.
Mr. Rajat.
Yeah.
I'll elaborate here.
Thanks.
These losses are calculated for the exchange rate, which is there on the last day of the quarter.
Okay.
This does not reflect the total trend. The last day there could be many reasons. That becomes the key factor.
After Two days, the situation may change if the dollar, euro exchange rate changes. All this is a unrealized loss. It is not actual loss. Understood?
Got it, sir. Thank you. Sir, what was sales return during full year?
Sales return was not very significant. I'm not ready with this information—
Okay
because it was not so significant.
Sure. Sir, if you can help us understand non-agrochemical segment, where we were at, the whole year we grew by probably 1% or so. What's happening in that segment?
I think you can pass to some other speaker. You had many questions.
Sure. Sure, sir.
Wait in the queue for the next round.
Sure, sir. Thank you.
Thank you. Thank you. The next question is from the line of Riju Dalui, Antique Stock Broking. Please go ahead, sir.
Yeah. Hi sir. My question regarding your top line revenue growth. You are guiding 10%-15% of top line growth. If you look at some of the technical prices.
Mr. Riju. Mr. Dalui.
Yes, sir.
Can you speak a little slowly and a little more loudly? Because we are not able to g et your questions. Slowly and loudly.
Okay, sir. Is it audible now?
Now it is more audible, more clearer. Audible was before also.
Thank you, sir. My question regarding the top line growth guidance for FY 2027 that we are guiding 10%-15% kind of a top line growth. If we look at in terms of pre-prices for the agrochemicals, prices of agrochemicals increased by 10%-15% on a sequential basis. Are we expecting only price-led growth and volume growth will be lower? How we are guiding 10%-15% top line growth? That I wanted to understand.
Mr. Dalui, I am not doing all these detailed calculations. I have given you my impression and the feelings that we have about the year, financial year 2027. All these are just impressions. They can change. This is just my impression as on today.
Understood. One question for Shailesh. How much tax rate we can work for 2027 and 2028? Because if I look at last two years' tax rate as percent of PBT, that was roughly 20%. Now how much we can work with?
Yeah. The effective tax rate it could be between 18%- 20%.
18%-20%. Okay. Understood.
Yes, 18%-20% because globally we are having different tax rates applied.
Okay. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Thank you, sir. Thanks. That's all from my end.
Thank you. The next question is from the line of [Vivek Gautam] from [GS Investment]. Please go ahead.
Yeah. Congratulations on a very good set of numbers, sir. My question is, sir, ours is an IP-led Moated Business with getting registration is not that easy. Still, sort of, trading, we are getting, being treated like a trading company and how to counter that. It has been a very hard work of yours, for the last so many years so that we have been able to, reach to this level. How can you counter that impression that it's not a trading company, it's an IP-led Moated Business, sir? The second thing was, y eah, first question is this one, sir. Yeah.
Sir, who has said that we are treating ourselves as a trading company?
No, no.
I always state that we are a marketing company. For this marketing, registrations is the most important and very strong requirement to market the products. We are not doing trading, that buying a few kilograms here and there and selling and all that. We are only selling. We are buying from our regular suppliers and selling to our regular customers.
Yeah, yeah. I agree with that, sir. The numbers also show that ours is a zero debt company, good cash, good ROC. Somehow the perception is there. I just wanted to ask about how to change the perception, sir. That is most important. Second thing.
You talk to the perception, the people who are having the perceptions. We are not having that perception.
Right. Second thing was about this inventory risk at write-off which we had in 2022. What have been the learning from that and how can we be able to counter it? Because ours is an asset-light model, so inventory risk we will have to carry on or sort of, this time we have learned the lessons and it will not be that severe as in 2022.
Mr. Vivek, I don't know whether you've heard us. That inventory situation was not created or caused by any steps by Sharda Cropchem. This was created by the lot of players in the market who had seen a big scarcity of products during the corona and COVID times. When that the hunger for the resourcing the product continued and it got extended very long. Everybody wanted to buy whatever was available. The manufacturers had also increased their capacity, so they were able to de-deliver and supply as much as the people wanted. It was only after some quarters or months the market realized that there's a lot of products in the pipeline and in warehouses. It was not any step done by an individual company like Sharda Cropchem.
We were only facing the situation, but we were not having any contribution to the cause of the situation. Understood?
Got it, sir. Hope, that is, future is looking quite good for us and I believe with our numbers are quite good and future is also all the best for the same, sir. Thank you very much.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you. The next question is from the line of Madhu Agrawal from Agrawal Family Office. Please go ahead.
Hi, Mr. Bubna. I have a couple of questions. One is on the inventory increase or the inventory normalization that we have seen. Do we have a sense of whether this restocking or it is sell-through demand to the end market?
Madam, I would only comment that today the inventory situation is absolutely under control and very well managed.
Okay. My other one is, we have about 1,000 molecules currently under application. Are there any that we're expecting to come through in this financial year?
Your question is very general, and my reply is yes. We are expecting many registrations to come in this financial year. I have been repeating that the process of registration is full of uncertainties. Nobody can plan and collect, calculate that I'm going to get this registration in this month or this year. The requirements of the authorities keep on changing and the process of registrations also requires a lot of field trials, and field trials have to be repeated. These are all dependent upon the weather conditions and controlled by the bureaucracies in every country that we want to register the product. The bureaucracies are really bureaucratic. Sometimes, I mean, they are supposed to meet once in a quarter, sometimes they don't meet for two, three quarters.
That is affecting the pace and speed of the registration, which, for which we have no control, and that is not the highest priority thing for the bureaucrats. Am I clear?
Sure. Sure, I understand that. The 10%-15% top line growth that we are guiding is not assuming any new molecules, right? It's assuming our current product portfolio only.
No. Your statement is not correct. I have not said that we do not expect any registrations in the current year. I have said I cannot tell you precisely how many. We are definitely going to get registrations during this year, and we are very optimistic about getting good amount of registrations in the current financial year. For financial year 2027.
Understood. Okay. The top line growth then assumes a certain number of registrations will come through. We don't know how many. It assumes current portfolio and new registrations. My understanding is correct now.
Madam.
Yeah.
One minute, [audio distortion]. The top line growth is not fully dependent upon the registrations that we get. This only changes the needs and requirements and other economic factors, but not the growth. The agriculture remains the same, and the agriculture needs agrochemicals as well as fertilizers.
Right.
You understand? They keep on increasing because the increase in the population of the world and need of agricultural products. Understood?
Sure. I think that is all for now. Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you. The next question is from the line of Riju Dalui from Antique. Please go ahead. Mr. Dalui, you can ask your question. Okay, we'll move on to the next question. It's from the line of Rohit Nagraj from 360 ONE Capital. Please go ahead.
Thanks for the opportunity and congrats on a very strong set of numbers. First question is on China sourcing. Post the war, have we seen any challenges in terms of availability of material in China, and that, I mean, in the last, say two and a half months? Thank you.
No, sir. There is no challenges in the sourcing of the products in view of this war or the current situation. Only thing is there's a uncertainty in the minds of the people, that what will happen if this happens or that happens. That has not impacted the supplies till date. Nobody can predict what turn the war will take after 1 week or after one month or after six months. Nobody can predict. Lot of uncertainties there about the war. I am very positive that there'll always be a solution rather than things going so much out of control.
Got that, sir. The second question is, in terms of logistic availability, have we seen any delays of shipments from China to any geography? The higher logistic cost, will we be completely, you know, transferring that to our product incrementally? Thank you.
Sir, you had again two or three questions in this thing. I would say that we are not seen any, what was your first question, Mr. Rohit?
Yeah. Sir, in terms of logistics, have we seen any delays or non-availability of ships from transportation perspective from China to any geographies?
See, I mean, I would say that the delays have been there, but very insignificant. Not impacting or jeopardizing our sourcing or transport. Similarly, there have been a slight increase in the transport cost, but that is very insignificant.
Sure.
None of, I mean, particularly for our business and for Sharda Cropchem, none of the transportation is going through the Strait of Hormuz and Iran and Iraq area. They are going through south of Africa. There's an increase in the time of the transportation, but otherwise things are under control and very normal.
Got that, sir. Thanks for answering all the questions, and all the best, sir.
Thank you.
Thank you. The next question is from the line of [Vedant] from Mass Investments. Please go ahead.
Hi, sir. In last Q3 call, you gave guidance for FY 2027, where you mentioned that 15% volume growth is achievable. The current guidance you have given, 10%-15%, is it the volume growth that you have given?
Sir, I have not said that volume will be 15% and this. I have said the business will grow by 10%-15%. Revenue will grow by 10%-15%.
Okay. This includes volume plus price both.
Yes.
Okay. I was recollecting from the Q3 call where you mentioned 15% volume growth is achievable, so wanted to clarify on that.
I'm very happy that you're remembering these questions. I'm very happy. Thank you.
Thank you, sir.
Thank you. The next question is from the line of Khush Bafna from Bafna Brothers. Please go ahead.
Good afternoon, sir, and congratulations on a great set of numbers. Sorry, I am coming back to this point, but I had attended the previous con call after quarter three, and one Mr. Anubhav Mukherjee, if I remember the name right, had asked guidance for FY 2027 revenue, and you had mentioned 15%-20% that time. I just rechecked the transcript, and I saw that. That guidance is being changed now to 10%-15%, right? I just wanted to confirm that.
I don't remember when I mean, maybe last time I said 15%-20%. Today, for the coming year, my feeling is that it'll be about 10%-15%. It could go up, and we will not stop if it goes up.
Yes, sir. Right, sir. Thank you, sir. Thank you. All the best.
Yes.
Thank you. The next question is from the line of [Vijay Yadav]. Please go ahead.
Sir, what would be the volume growth for FY 2027, sir?
Sir, I can only project. I don't have detailed calculations to tell you what it will be. It should be around 15%.
Volume growth?
Volume growth, yes.
That means, when the revenue grows by 10%-15% and the volume is growing by 15%, that means there is a drop in realization?
I cannot comment on that. I've just given you an impression.
You are not expecting any Forex impacts in the next year?
I've never said so. This Forex impact is not under my control. We only have to face the situation and handle it as and when the situation unfolds in front of us.
This 10%-15% is on the lower side or that or, is that, is our best chance, sir?
I have said 10 %- 15%, but I have also said it can go up, and it can also go down, depend upon a lot of factors which we cannot foresee today.
Okay, sir. Thank you so much.
Thank you.
Thank you.
The next question is from the line of Anubhav Mukherjee, Prescient Capital. Please go ahead.
Sir, thanks for the follow-up opportunity. Sir, the strong revenue growth that the company has shown in the last two years, have we benefited from, like, launch of, like, any generic for any agrochemical that has gone off patent in the last two years in North America or Europe?
See, I think there are some products which have gone off, you said off patent?
Yeah.
This is a normal trend in the market. Some products go off patent, and some products go even banned, and new products come in with the new registrations. This is a normal process. There's nothing very specific or very sort of controlling that I can point out to you. This is a absolutely normal process.
Okay, sir. Sir, will it be possible to share the contribution of, like, top five or 10 products to our revenue?
I think it would be possible. Give me a few minutes. It's about 22 or 36. Sir, the top five, the contribution is about, he says it's 22%, but I think it could be more.
Okay.
Yes.
Sir, the contribution, has remained in the same range over the last two, three years, or have we seen, like, some particular molecule, like, contributing a lot or growing here?
Mr. Mukherjee, this is a business, so the contribution keep on going up and down from product to product depending upon supply and demand and many other factors. I cannot say specifically that this is because of this factor.
Great. Thanks, sir. I'll get back in touch.
Thank you.
Thank you. Next question is from the line of Rajat Setiya, ithought PMS. Please go ahead.
Thanks, sir. Sir, what would be the revenue from new products that we would have launched in the last three years?
What did you say? New products in the last three years?
Yes, sir. The revenue from those products, let's say last three, four years.
I can make a guess. It could be about 30%.
Okay. Sure, sir. Sir, if you can also share the region, might y ou have shared Europe, gross margins in Europe. If you can also share gross margins in other geographies for the quarter as well as for the whole year.
Yes, sir. Now, I had given you the figures for Europe.
Yeah.
The gross margin in NAFTA region was 28% in the quarter four, and 25% for the year FY 2025-2026. For LATAM, it was 28% and 25%. Rest of the world it was 46% and 43%.
Sir, Europe for the full year?
Europe for the full year was 42%.
Okay.
42.5%. Approximately 42%.
Right. Sir if you can also talk about the non-agrochemical segment little bit. How are you seeing the outlook now? Last year was pretty flat in terms of our volume growth or the overall revenue growth, business growth.
Yes. I would say we should be able to grow about 5%-10%.
Okay. Sir, how is the pricing scenario there or the margin overall? How are you seeing?
The margins have improved in the last year compared to previous years.
Okay. The reason would be our product mix or the pricing scenario has changed?
Reason for which, You mean agro or non-agro?
For margin improvement. Non-agro margin improvement.
Non-agro is a special kind of a business. I mean, we are not stocking and selling. Every time the customer gives us a requirement, it's a specific requirement for every customer, you know. Depending upon the specification, width, length, and content of the conveyor belts. After we receive an order, we conclude all, we get quotations, then we start manufacturing. Goods are manufactured after having received a confirm order.
Sorry, sir. I was not able to hear your last line.
What I'm saying, like, unlike agrochemicals, the conveyor belt business is goods getting manufactured to the specific requirement of the customers. You understand?
Sure. Yeah, yeah.
The goods are manufactured after the specifications are concluded and finalized.
Hmm. Hmm. Sure.
Sooo-
You mean, it's a customized product?
It's a made to order.
Okay.
Not already made and then supplied.
Sure. Sure. Sir, what led to margin improvement? I was not able to understand that part.
See, what did you say? Margin improvement.
Yeah. What is driving the improvement in margin?
Now we are seeing the trend, we are having very good demands, more requirements, and we are able to improve on the margins because the demand is also improving.
Got it. Got it, sir. Sir, over the next two, three years, what is the kind of opportunity that exists from the products which are going off patent and are we registering for such products?
Mr. Sethia, this process is not done by us. We are only seeing our innovators, our gurus who invent the products. They are planning much ahead in advance. They are doing all the R&D and developing the products, and then they also have an exposure of selling those products under patent for the first 10 years.
Right.
Our role comes only thereafter. We choose and select from what is available to us and what is presented to us by the innovators.
Right. Right. Yeah, sir, that is what my question was. Like, what is the opportunity you see from these products going off patent in the next two, three years?
Some products will continue to go off patent because as the technology is developing, some products which were having used in the past, they also have some weaknesses, some side effects on the health or climate and so many things. Innovators try to find out the products similar to them, but without those weaknesses.
Sure. Sure. Sir, [Foreign language] last question.
I'm sorry to interrupt, sir. Please return to the question queue.
Sure, thanks.
Thank you. The next question is from the line of [Vivek Gautam] from GS Investments. Please go ahead.
Sir, I just wanted to understand, are the tailwinds for the agriculture and agro chem sector back and much better than past? It's helping us and companies like us. Ukraine war, any impact has been? Because Ukraine used to be the granary of the world and Europe, sir.
You'll be very much surprised, Mr. Vivek. We continued, we've been supplying our goods to Ukraine for the last five years, even now. They are buying from us. Their ports have been destroyed, but the goods are getting transported to European ports. From European ports, the trucks come from Ukraine and pick up the goods. We are paying for the cost, then we are able to pass it on to our customers. Our business in Ukraine is going on. We are getting orders on time, and we are getting payments on time. This is a very big surprise to the world, this is what is happening in agrochemical business.
No, I totally got it.
People need food, and they need food and they need also agrochemicals. I have not heard in the war that some fields, agricultural fields have been got destroyed or damaged in. They damaged a lot of other things, but not the agricultural fields.
We, other than Ukraine also, the same situation is prevailing in Western Europe and U.S. market and NAFTA and Brazil, helping us have our subjects.
Yes, sir. We are also supplying our goods to Israel, to give you an example. We are also selling to Israel.
Okay, okay. The elements are quite strong for our sector, for agriculture and for agrochem as such worldwide.
Yes, sir.
Yeah, that is the key reason we.
As the world population is increasing, the demand of agrochemical for agrochemical products is also agricultural products is also increasing.
Correct, sir. Correct, sir. Okay, sir. Thanks a lot.
Thank you.
Thank you. The next question is from the line of Sameer Deshpande from FAIRDEAL INVESTMENTS. Please go ahead.
Hello. Thank you for the opportunity.
Yes, absolutely.
Bubna ji, this is really I would like to congratulate you for the stupendous success and for the first time we crossed INR 5,000 crore. That has been a big achievement for the company, the consistency is also really appreciable. As you mentioned, we are really surprised to understand we have been supplying to Ukraine, Israel and almost how many countries do we supply? Any rough idea?
Beg your pardon?
Our exports are happening to.
Yeah.
What total number of countries, any idea?
About 70-75 countries around the globe.
Okay. Really good. The niche we have developed with the new product registrations, et cetera, which last year also we have, I think, secured some 40, 50 registrations from 2,950 to 3,000+ . As you mentioned, the pace is unpredictable. It is good that slowly if we are in a position to grab more, it is going to benefit us more because of the limited competition which our registered product face in the countries. It is nice to hear the Middle East crisis is not affecting our exports because we were fearing that maybe the Strait of Hormuz is likely to affect our export to Europe. I think you mentioned that it is not at all affecting us.
Our freight costs are also in the similar range or so not affecting our gross margins. I, our gross margin guidance is around 35% ?
Yes, sir.
For the next year. Good.
Yes, sir. Yes, sir.
Okay. Congratulations. We'll be happy to see the company growing at this brisk pace. Thank you.
Thank you, sir. We need your good wishes and—
Yes, yes. Surely.
motivation.
Surely. Surely.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you. The next question is from the line of Madhur Rathi from Counter Cyclical Investments. Please go ahead.
Sir, thank you for the opportunity. Sir, as I look at our registration pipeline as well as the products that are registering as well as pipeline. The amount of intensity for incremental registration that we receive YoY as well as the registration that are in pipeline, sir, were very stagnant for the past three, four years. Sir, how should we look at our business going forward? Because one, we say that the competition approval by authorities has stretched. How should we look at our competition going forward?
Sir, there was a echoing in your voice and, the question came very low.
Sir, I'll repeat my question. I'll repeat my question. Sir, I wanted to.
It's good to hear from everyone.
Yes, sir. I'll , sir.
The same.
Yes. Sir, I was trying to understand, sir, the registration that we have. Sir, YoY incremental whatever, they were like 2,700 during FY 2022. Right now they are 3,000. There has not been a lot of jump over these five years. At the same time, our pipeline has been closer to 1,000 or 1,100 registration that we are planning to add. Sir, the incremental addition has got very slowed down versus what it was earlier. Sir, how should we look at our business going forward? Because on one side we mentioned that because of authorities stretching the registration timeline, competition is limited, but also our own registration pipeline is getting impacted. How do we look at our business going forward from this perspective?
Mr. Madhur, it's just like when you go to have your meals or food. Sometimes you are able to get some sweets, sometimes you get a special dish, sometimes third special dish. All those foods are capable of filling your stomach and satisfying your hunger. These products that are new products are coming, they're more sophisticated, more safer to use, and more effective. If they don't come, that does not mean the agricultural stops. Agricultural still continues with the older products. This has nothing to do with the growth of our business. You understand? There were some products which are being used, I know, for last 20 years or 25 years, were all of a sudden banned, that they say they are carcinogenic.
They're still being used for a lot of times, a lot of period in the history.
Yes, sir.
Yes.
Sir, I was trying to understand. Yes, sir. Please go. Sorry.
No, I'm listening.
Yes, sir. I was trying to understand that going forward, should we look at our realizations improving because of limited competition because due to the lower approvals by these authorities? How should I look at, like, that whatever new registration will come, their value as well as volume growth would be much higher for us going forward. How should I look at our business? I was trying to understand on that front.
Mr. Madhur Rathi, we are having not more than 5% of that market share globally. You understand? We have a lot of scope to improve our market share. If it goes from 5% - 6%, it's almost 20% increase in Sharda Cropchem's business. These are not dependent upon a particular product or particular registration. It is mainly dependent on our contacts, market share, and the confidence that the customers are having in Sharda Cropchem's ability to supply the promised product in promised time and at promised value. The new registration is not dictating the growth in the volume of the business. Is it clear?
Yes, sir. Sir, that was from my end. Thank you so much and all the best.
Thank you.
Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, that was the last question. I now hand the floor over to the management for closing remarks.
Okay. I would like to thank everyone who have joined us and for having spared their time to take part into this conference call. I hope we have been able to answer all your queries. We look forward to such interactions in the future. We hope to meet your expectations in the future also. In case you require any further details, you may contact us or our Strategic Growth Advisors, this is SGA, our investment relations partners. Thank you very much. Have a nice day.
Thank you very much, sir. On behalf of Antique Stock Broking Limited, that concludes this conference call. Thank you all for joining us, and you may now disconnect your lines. Thank you.
Thank you.