EU Agriculture Commissioner demands business friendly laws

Mumbai, Mar 9 (UNI) In an effort to tap the lucrative agriculture sector in India, the European Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Mariann Fischer Boel today called for urgent elimination of 'unnecessary and outdated restrictions' prevalent in the Indian agriculture sector.

Addressing an interactive session with members of the Federation of Indian Chambers Commerce (FICCI) here she said ''There is a wide spectrum of eagerness and optimism among the members of the European Union (EU) to conduct business with India.'' Fischer, who is on a visit to Mumbai is leading a high-powered 28-member EU business delegation and is undertaking a rapid assessment of the Indian agro sector on the possibility of EU investment in the sector.

Extending full support to the Doha round table talks on agriculture, she said India needs to create a suitable International environment for EU investment and participation in the Indian agro industry.

For, EU, the mixture of framework limits the scope of business, while domestic support on investments can be understood from the viewpoint of bilateral trade agreements, Fischer said.

The European style of green revolution can be replicated in other parts also, but only from the framework of the Doha Summit.

''We are aware of the concerns of the Indian government and the large population, which is dependent on the agro-industry,'' she said.

Stressing on the need for substanial results, Fischer highlighted the openness shown by both sides in trade interactions, which could pave way for better trade related policies in the future.

India is the most valuable and enconomical partner of the West for business in Asia, she said.

Maharashtra Agriculture and Horticulture Principal Secretary N B Patil said the Government of India has undertaken a massive programme called the 'Horticulture Mission'. He said the programme is not just about expanding the sector, but it will also look into the aspects of pre and post harvest issues of farmers.

In addition, the Government is undertaking the Bharat Nirman and the National Watershed mission aimed to make agriculture a viable sector for farmers in the country, he said.

Patil, admitted that there were political challenges in the country on the issue of implementation of policies related to farmers and agro industry. However, partnership in the fields of processing, productivity and cold chain sectors could be looked into within the existing framework, he said.

State Diary and Animal Husbandry Principal Secretary Leena Mehendele said that the Indian government understands the problems faced by global players and steps are being taken to reduce tariff gaps.

She said Maharashtra has a sound Industrial base, specially in the mining sector. While in agriculture, the processing sector is yet to develop and thus holds a great potential to global players and added that such interactive sessions will eventually help the government to frame proper trade-friendly policies to bolster greater trade.

UNI