India, Israel planning to create $50 mn agriculture fund

May 2, 2011, 11.26pm IST
NEW DELHI: India and Israel are in talks to create a fund worth $50 million for mutual cooperation in the agriculture sector.

Both the governments are planning to create a fund dedicated to agricultural co-operation with each side contributing $25 million each, Israel Agriculture Minister Orit Noked said here today.
The minister was speaking at an interactive session on Indo-Israel Cooperation in Agriculture and Food Processing organised by the industry chamber CII.

India is a huge market and has a great potential in the agriculture sector, while Israel has strengths in the areas of research and development, irrigation technology, dairy and biotechnology, Noked said.

There is a scope for both the countries to collaborate in this area and learn from each others expertise, she added.
Israeli Ambassador Mark Sofer said, "The key areas for co-operation are management of water resources through efficient irrigation technology, agro technology, post-harvest know-how to minimise wastages and dairy development through breed improvement."
Last month, Haryana and Israel had formed a joint working group to promote agricultural co-operation between the two nations.
Under this, Israel would train Haryana's agricultural development officers and the state would emulate Israel's model of building reservoirs for rain water harvesting.
During 2009-10, the bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $3.8 billion.
India's major exports to Israel include precious stones, metals, chemical products, textile and textile articles, while imports comprise chemical and mineral products, base metals, machinery and transport equipment.
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-05-02/news/29496287_1_agricultural-co-operation-agriculture-sector-dairy

Organize agro-tech fair in Guj: CM to Israel

May 4, 2011, 11.45pm IST
AHMEDABAD: Chief minister Narendra Modi told visiting Israel consul general Orna Sagiv on Wednesday that farmers in Gujarat were eager to adapt new technology in farming. "If business houses of Israel involved with agriculture arrange an agro fair in Gujarat, the state government will give full support to them," Modi said.

"Partnerships in developing human resources in the area of agricultural technology, water, power and safety were discussed," a press release issued here said. Earlier, Sagiv told TOI that Israel has for the first time launched a specific travel campaign targeting Indians when 40,000 people from India have reportedly visited Israel in 2010, the highest in Asia.
"We realize that Gujaratis constitute a big per cent of outbound tourists from India. More Gujaratis should visit Israel. We also have a range of vegetarian food, including those for Jains, as Israeli cuisine is an amalgamation of food from over 75 countries," Sagiv said, during her visit to the city on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the consul general said that Gujarat will soon see a number of Israeli companies establishing businesses in Gujarat, majorly in the areas of water treatment, agriculture and ports. A number of companies had expressed interest during the Vibrant Gujarat summit. "Nearly 75 per cent water in Israel is recycled, the highest in the world. Next comes Spain which recycles 17 per cent of water used," Sagiv said.



Organize agro-tech fair in Guj: CM to Israel