Chouhan meets Israeli industrialists

Bhopal, Jan 30 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today said that Israel has made tremendous progress in agriculture despite adverse climatic conditions and Madhya Pradesh could derive benefit in this sector.

''India and Israel have several historical similarities. Both civilisations are more than five millennia old, both nations attained independence at about the same time and both are combating terrorism. Israel's fighting spirit is viewed with great respect in India,'' he said in Tel Aviv, as per an official release issued here.

Mr Chouhan was addressing a bilateral seminar attended by representatives of Israeli trade and industry, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and Indian embassy officials.

The meeting was organised to determine areas of cooperation and decide on the roadmap in that direction. Among those present were Indian High Commissioner Arun Kumar Singh and state Agriculture Minister Chandrabhan Singh.

The areas discussed included agri technology, enhancing productivity by drip and micro-sprinklers, recycling water, tourism, dairy products and real estate.

The Union Agriculture Ministry and Israel inked an agreement in 2005 for exchange of farmers' delegations and university lecturers.

The Israeli companies that made presentations in today's seminar and the topics included Perte Company -- 'Cotton Growing', Dagan -- 'Agricultural Automation', Alfa Everest -- 'Possible Trade Avenues', Plastro -- 'Drip Irrigation' and Lachish Industres Ltd -- Agricultural Products Manufacturing.

Plastro and Netafim are already working in India and the latter has a factory in Gujarat, the release added.

UNI