AVT Natural Products, formerly A V Thomas Industrial Products, was set up in 1986 by the A V Thomas group, as a subsidiary of Neelamali Agro Industries, to set up a solvent extraction plant in Madhya Pradesh to process soyabean and oilseeds, and produce oilcakes. The company has set up a 200-tpd solvent extraction plant (cost : Rs 4.85 cr) in Madhya Pradesh to process soyabean and other minor seeds. It produces 56,500 tpa of de-oiled cakes for export. In 1994-95, the company launched its coconut oil in Karnataka and sunflower oil in Kerala. The company's oleoresin plant commenced commercial production in Sep.'94. It has also successfully set up an extensive agricultural extension facility to grow marigolds for extraction in the oleoresin plant. The company also exports tea. Due to uncertain conditions in the international market for marigold oleoresin the company is planning to diversify into the production of spic oleoresins.