A delegation led by Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Thursday held discussion with Jan-Kees Goet, Secretary General at Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, at Amsterdam in Netherlands on co-operation in the fields of agriculture, horticulture and allied sectors.
The Chief Minister apprised the Secretary General about the immense potential that Himachal Pradesh has been bestowed by the nature in the fruit production.
He said that Himachal Pradesh is known as 'Fruit Bowl' of India and produces varied types of fruits due to its different climatic conditions. He said that there is a vast scope of investment in fruit and food processing.
Thakur said that Dutch has perfection on water management and good innovative practices in agriculture and horticulture by using less land, which can be very beneficial for a state like Himachal.
He invited the Dutch Secretary General and his Ministry to Global Investors Meet being organized at Dharamshala in November 2019, shortly after World Food Expo on November 3-4 at Delhi.
Secretary General at Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Jan-Kees Goet said that Netherlands has created the golden triangle of collaboration between three main stakeholders viz-Government, Research centres and agricultural businesses. He also accepted the Chief Minister's invitation to attend the Global Investors Meet.
Later, the Chief Minister held discussion with King’s Commissioner of South Holland, Provinciehuis, Zuid Hollandlaan, Hague Jaap Smit on scope of cooperation in the fields of Agriculture and Horticulture etc.
Jaap Smit assured his cooperation with Himachal Pradesh in organizing its maiden Global Investors Meet at Dharamshala and to lead Dutch business and trade missions to this mega event.
The Chief Minister and other members of the delegation also visited Greentech exhibition in Amsterdam RAI. Greentech is globally the largest horticulture based exhibition and Chief Minister evinced keen interest in it.
Industries Minister Bikram Singh, Ambassador of India to Netherlands Venu Rajamony, Additional Chief Secretary cum Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Dr. Shrikant Baldi, Additional Chief Secretary Industries Manoj Kumar, Director Industries Hans Raj Sharma, Special Secretary Abid Husain Sadiq and other senior officers were present on the occasion.