Spain has evinced keen interest in assisting Haryana in promotion of citrus and olives farming.
A Spanish delegation comprising government officers and other entrepreneurs will visit Haryana in the month of October this year in this regard.
This was informed at a meeting with Fernando J Burgaz Moreno, Director General, Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Environment, Ministry of Spain held under the chairmanship of Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, OP Dhankar, in Barcelona, Spain on Wednesday.
Dhankar, who is leading a delegation to Spain, had also participated in World Union of Wholesale Markets (WUWM) Conference being organized held at Barcelona.
After the meeting, Dhankar said that Spain, which is leading in farming of citrus fruits such as orange and lemon, has also showed keen interest to assist in India International Horticulture Market which is being set up at Gannuar in Sonipat.
Notably, though Spain is about six times smaller than India in terms of size, it has produced three crore tonnes of oranges and two crore tonnes of tangerine, besides 77 lakh tonnes of lemon.
On the pattern of Israel, Centre of Excellence in collaboration with Spain could also be established in Haryana. Representatives of both Haryana and Spain have also reached out to explore this opportunity, said the Minister.
Principal Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Abhilaksh likhi, Chief Administrator, Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board, Mandeep Singh Brar and other officers were also present in the meeting.