October 12, 2010

India, France to boost ties in farm sector

India and France on Friday (Oct 8) agreed to enhance cooperation in agriculture, dairy and poultry sectors.

This emerged at a meeting between visiting France Agriculture Minister Bruno Le Maire and India's Minister of State for Agriculture and Food K V Thomas.

"We have identified areas like meat production, dairy, building cold storage chains and exchange of agricultural technology between the two countries to boost each other's economy," said Thomas.

The French Agriculture Minister said that the meeting was part of the exercise to prepare ground for signing MoUs between the two countries when French President Nicolas Sarkogy visits New Delhi in the first week of December this year.

He identified areas like technical collaboration in agriculture and animal husbandry, increasing investment of French companies in India and running joint ventures in the field of meat production, dairy and building cold storage chains in which MoUs would be signed.

The issues raised in the meeting were also part of preparation for next G-20 meeting whose leadership would pass to France in November, Maire added.

Thomas said presently the balance of trade is in favour of India. While India exported items like frozen shrimps, prawn and vegetables worth about US$2.16 billion, it imported goods like vegetable seeds and animal feeds worth US$41.40 million in 2009.

There are around 600 French companies functioning in India at present.