India discusses food trade opportunities with Brazil

Both Ministers affirmed that agriculture is a priority for both Brazil and India

The Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Narendra Singh Tomar held a bilateral meeting with the Brazilian Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply Tereza Cristina Correa da Costa Dias at KrishiBhawan in New Delhi to discuss various bilateral trade opportunities, interests and issues.

Both Ministers affirmed that agriculture is a priority for both Brazil and India and resolved to strengthen cooperation in the agriculture and allied sectors.  The strong bilateral relations between India and Brazil have continued to strengthen and deepen over the years and were reiterated.  

Tomar said that the bilateral trade at US$ 1045 million in 2018-19 is way below potential and is not reflective of the strengths of both economies and there is a need to encourage more trade given the huge complementarities and synergies that exist between India andBrazil.

He said that India is interested in diversifying the commodity basket with regard to agricultural exports to Brazil. Brazil imports onions, fresh and dried grapes, wheat and meslin, maize, rice, soyabean and cotton from other countries of the world. The Union Agriculture Minister requested Brazil to explore sourcing these agricultural items from India.

Both the sides agreed to expeditiously finalize the Work Plan under the MoU between ICAR and Brazilian Agricultural Research Cooperation (EMBRAPA) to ensure organized and sustained engagements in the suggested sectors.

Tereza said that Wheat, Rice, Millets, Sorghum are some of the products that India would like to export to Brazil and that she will try to move forward on this as far as possible.

She also said that Brazil is keep on exporting Avocadoes and Citrus to India and is looking forward to expand the relationship in other products as well.