The Israeli Government on Monday proposed to establish two centres of excellence and cooperation in Punjab. The announcement was made by Israeli Agriculture Minister Yair Shamir, who met Union Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Badal in a special meeting on the sidelines of ongoing Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2015.
In total, the Israeli Government would establish 28 centres of excellence and cooperation in agriculture in 10 States of India, out of which two would be set up in Punjab. Shamir stressed on the strengths of Israel in the field of agri-technology, protected cultivation, orchard management, micro-irrigation and post-harvest management. He also informed about the Israeli drip irrigation systems which are now widely used in India.
He also informed Harsimrat that Isarel was contemplating to expand its wings in dairy farming by setting up excellence centres in India as India has great potential in this field, and for which, they would soon chalk out a programme. Harsimrat emphasised on the need to set up a Joint Working Group with Israel on agriculture and food processing as well as to learn about the crop diversification techniques which could be effective in India.
She said with the cooperation from Israel, India could register unprecedented growth in food processing field.