NEW DELHI, 24 May 2018: Indian Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Radha Mohan Singh recently met Ms. Carola Schouten, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Netherlands in Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi and expressed his desire to further strengthen the existing partnership between the two countries in agriculture and allied sectors. 

Singh reiterated the Government’s resolve to double the income of farmers by 2022 and the initiatives taken & stressed on the need for infusing modern technology in India’s agriculture. He further added that Netherlands is a global leader in construction of greenhouses as well as in the cultivation of flowers, plants and vegetables, and the diversification of agriculture sector into areas like livestock and plant-cultivation sectors.” 

Expressing happiness at the regular convening of Joint Working Group, Singh said that the 5th having been held in March 2018, where discussions on a wide range of issues took place and extended the Action Plan till 2021.  

Agriculture Minister said a major success of the Indo Dutch collaboration has been the commissioning of the Centre of Excellence (CoEs) for vegetables at Baramati in Maharashtra. The second CoE for flowers at Talegaon, Maharashtra will be ready soon. Others are in various stages of completion and the focus is on making technology affordable to the small and marginal Indian farmers.  

Singh said other identifiable areas of interest for further cooperation such as technology for crop residue management and cooperation in the field of bovine breeding; dairy development, animal health and porcine development etc. are also being looked into.

Photo Caption: Indian Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Radha Mohan Singh meeting the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality of Netherlands, Ms Carola Schouten in New Delhi on 24 May 2018. The Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, S.K. Pattanayak is also seen