India and Germany to set up joint working group on agriculture

India and Germany will set up a Joint Working Group for cooperation in agriculture and allied sectors. The Working Group will meet twice a year. The proposal emerged at a discussion between Shri Sharad Pawar, Minister of Agriculture and H.E. Mr. Gerd Muller, Parliamentary State Secretary in the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection of Germany here today.

Shri Pawar suggested that areas like agro-processing, farm research, animal breeding have vast potential for bilateral cooperation. A number of reforms have been initiated in the agri-marketing sector to promote corporate investment in the sector. The Minister said the country is looking forward to more proposals for cooperation in the agri-business. He also drew the attention to the difficulties being faced by the country in the market access for our agricultural products in Europe and Germany owing to difference in standards.

At the delegation level discussions held earlier Dr. P.K. Mishra, Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation informed that tremendous emphasis is being laid on increasing investment in rural infrastructure and improving productivity in agriculture. Other key areas include diversification of high value crops, strengthening post-harvest infrastructure, linking agriculture to markets and agro-products. Specific areas discussed relate to cooperation in the field of agriculture research, food processing, animal husbandry, development of plant varieties, seeds and planting material, farm machinery and marketing of agricultural products.

Source : Press Information Bureau

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