Punjab and Haryana on Saturday signed various agreements with Ontario province in Canada for collaboration in agriculture and food processing.
While Punjab Government and Government of Ontario province mutually agreed to work in collaboration with each other for giving push to agriculture diversification and food processing industry, the Canadian province and Haryana agreed to constitute working groups to further promote agriculture cooperation.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal met the high level delegation of Ontario province led by Minister of Agriculture Jeff leal, who called on him at his residence on Saturday morning. Guru Angad Dev Animal and Veterinary Sciences University (GADVASU) and University of Guelph (Ontario) signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in fields of livestock Agriculture, Aquaculture, Food Processing and Veterinary Medicine in presence of Chief Minister, Cabinet Minister Adesh Pratap Singh and Ontarian Minister of Agriculture Jeff leal.
During the meeting both the Governments agreed to mutually work to prepare a framework for the support and cooperation of both the States in field of Diversification of Agriculture, Food Processing, Dairy, Fishery and Piggery sector. It was decided that both the States would ensure the mutual trips of faculty, students and progressive farmers for better exchange of expertise in these fields. likewise, it was also decided that University of Guelph (Ontario) and Punjab Agricultural University would also explore the feasibility of better coordination in these fields.
Taking part in deliberations, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said that there was a huge scope of bilateral cooperation in these areas as both Punjab and Ontario had demonstrated their strength and dominance in agriculture and allied farming due to their vast experience and expertise. He said that as both were primarily agrarian economies with very strong agriculture base so as to mutually benefit from technology transfer, cooperation and support.
Taking part in deliberations, Jeff leal said that there was a tremendous potential for the mutual cooperation in the other allied sectors of agriculture and animal husbandry. He also assured Badal of every technical help in the arena of food technology, food processing, nutrition and Agri bio-technology.
Haryana Chief Minister Manohar lal Khattar also held a meeting with the delegation led by Jeff leal and Minister of International Trade Michael Chan. The delegation evinced keen interest in mutual cooperation in these areas and also agreed to lend its support in better management of paddy straw. It was informed that working groups would be constituted for exchanging technical support and cooperation and deliberate on the key areas between both the Governments for
boosting production and productivity in the State.
Khattar said that there is a large scope of joint ventures in agriculture and food processing in the State. Haryana surrounds National Capital of Delhi on three sides and there is a lot of scope to tap the market of fruits and vegetable in peri-urban areas with the best utilisation of technologies. He said that besides, agriculture university, there are Centres of Excellence for fruits and vegetables in the State. As the majority of farmers have small land holdings, the cooperative is also a major sector where both the Governments could collaborate with the active participation of people.
Khattar said that State Government had already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Province of Ontario to further enhance and strengthen economic relations, facilitate knowledge transfer and encourage ongoing dialogue and cooperation and collaborations in various fields.