Dutch consortium to analyse business plan

Gangtok, July 28: Sikkim has high potential for production and marketing of horticulture and floriculture products in the international market, Aad Van der Windt, the leader of the visiting Dutch consortium team has said.

Mr Windt told this to media persons here last night after his five member team, which arrived in Sikkim on July 24 to assess the feasibility of undertaking agri-business jointly with the state visited some farms and interacted with the farmers and officials during the last three days.

He said the people of the state had the feeling, confidence and motivation to derive the best out of the proposed collaborations which would be a win win situation for both sides as both the parties stand to gain from it.

However, the consortium would take a decsion on entering the proposed joint venture with Sikkim to produce and market the floriculture and horticulture products of Sikkim only after it discussed all aspects the agribusiness in detail with its business partners, Mr Windt said.

He said he would discuss with other business partners about the viability of the agribusiness with Sikkim and then decide what could be done and how much money could be invested in the state.

Mr Width, who is also the Managing Director of Vaj Rijn, said the state lacked infrastracture facilities like airport, needed for the export of goods.

''The quality of the floriculture and horticulture products were not upto the exportable quality and improvement in quality was needed before embarking upon export of these goods to penetrate the international market,'' he said.

Mr Width, however, said the consortium is ready to share its expertise and techcnology to improve the production and quality of goods.

''We have a worldwide vast network of commercial partners in countries like South Africa and Brazil which could also be used for marketing of horticulture and floriculture products of Sikkim,'' he said.

Mr Width said climatic condition of the state is suitable for production of organic vegetables which has a high demand in the international market. ''The world is screaming for safe food. The water, air and climatic condition of the state is suitable for the production of organic vegetables,'' he said.

He said the consortium would share their expertise and technology with the Sikkim entrepreneurs to grow and market their products particularly in the field of cymbidium cut flower and bulbous flower of lilium in international market.

The team's visit was in response to a Memorandum of Intention of Association signed in Amsterdam with the consortium in March this year during the visit of state Chief Minister Pawan Chamling in a bid to standarise the state's products to international standards and make it ready for export.

State Agriculture Minister Somanath Poudyal said the state was looking for the assistance of Netherland for the establishment of medium sized food processing units, tissue culture, bio-technology units and the production and marketing of flower and organic vegetables as it is considered as a world leader in the field of production and marketing of horticulture and floriculture products.

He said an agribusiness centre would be set up after the modalities for the establishment of a joint-venture prises were finalised.

UNI