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India-EU FTA Could Boost Agricultural Innovation and Food Trade
A Dutch agriculture minister is visiting India to discuss farming and food trade.
He said a planned India-EU trade agreement could help India and Europe sell more processed food to each other.
He also said the agreement could encourage countries to work together on better farming technology.
India and the Netherlands want to develop crops that need less water and can survive hotter weather.
Greenhouses and other closed farming systems may also save water.
The minister is traveling with Dutch companies and organizations that want to find Indian business partners.
The delegation will visit New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
The trade agreement has been negotiated, but it has not been officially signed yet.
Dutch Minister Silvio Erkens said an India-EU free trade agreement could expand processed-food trade and agricultural innovation.
India and the European Union concluded FTA negotiations in January, but the agreement has not yet been formally signed.
Erkens called for cooperation on climate-resilient agriculture, water-efficient cultivation, improved seeds and greenhouse farming.
An 18-member Dutch delegation is accompanying Erkens to explore partnerships in India’s seed, horticulture and food-value sectors.
His September 27-October 2 visit includes meetings and events in New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
- Who
- Dutch Minister for Food Security, Fisheries and Horticulture Silvio Erkens, Indian agriculture officials, and an 18-member Dutch business and organizational delegation.
- What
- Discussions focused on the India-EU free trade agreement, agricultural innovation, food trade, climate resilience and water-efficient farming.
- Where
- New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, India.
- When
- Erkens is visiting India from September 27 to October 2; he spoke in New Delhi on September 28.
- Why
- To strengthen India-Netherlands trade relations, explore business partnerships and improve agricultural resilience, productivity and farmer incomes.
Key facts
- FTA status
- India and the European Union concluded negotiations in January, but the agreement has not been formally signed.
- Visit dates
- September 27 to October 2
- Visiting minister
- Silvio Erkens, Netherlands Minister for Food Security, Fisheries and Horticulture
- Delegation size
- 18 Dutch companies and organizations from the seed, horticulture and value-chain sectors
- Priority technologies
- Improved seeds, greenhouse farming and controlled cultivation systems
- Water resilience
- Cooperation is examining crops that can withstand reduced rainfall, water stress and higher temperatures
- Planned locations
- New Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru
Quotes
Silvio Erkens
Dutch Minister for Food Security, Fisheries and Horticulture
“If we develop seeds that can handle less water, a drought period of no rain, it can really help a lot. Secondly, closed agricultural systems such as horticulture will actually need a lot less water to produce the same kind of crop that you will need in an open field.”
theprint.in
“I think it will be two things that will benefit from that (India-EU FTA). First of all, I think it is trade in processed food products, which I think will both diversify the European and Indian supply chains.”
theprint.in
Sources
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