Deals worth Rs 29.5 crore signed with Commonwealth countries

By Staff
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Kochi, Mar 30 (UNI) The sixth Commonwealth-India Small Business Development Programme concluded here today as business deals to the tune of Rs 29.5 crore was signed with the Commonwealth countries.

Addressing a gathering at the valedictory function of the programme here, Coir Board Chairman A C Jose said Commonwealth delegation had placed orders worth Rs 29 crore for agro-products and machinery with the Kalady Rice Millers Consortium (KRMC) near here.

He said the President of the Bangaldesh Women's Chamber of Commerce had struck a deal for agro and rice processing machinery and technology from the consortium.

The KRMC and Mauritius SME Chamber of Commerce also finalised a Memorandum of Association to develop the African country's agro-processing sector, Mr Jose noted.

A deal worth Rs 32 lakh for exporting geo-textiles, coir pots, coir piths and gross sticks was signed with various coir companies in South Africa, he said.

Expressing his happiness over the success of the programme, Mr Jose said,'' the Coir Board is willing to assist Commonwealth countries and it requests the Commonwealth Secretariat to play the important role of a catalyst in transfering skill and technology to the member countries across the globe.'' Lauding Indian coir industry, the Chairman said, India's coir industry was well developed and its expertise would be vital to the economic development of other coconut producing countries across the group.

The six-day programme with the theme 'SMEs-- An engine for Poverty Alleviation, Employment Generation and Export Development' was jointly organised by Commonwealth Secretariat, Coir Board and the Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank), focused on issues of sustainable pro-poor growth in the agro and rural sectors.

Sixty-five participants from 34 Commonwealth countries took part in the programme.

During the programme, the delgation visited the Central Coir Research Institute, Foam Mattings India Ltd and coir yarn spinning units in Alappuzha and KRMC in Kalady to study the innovations in agro-industry.

Director of Special Advisory Services Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat George Saibel and Advisor of the Enterprise Development in Commonwealth Secretariat Ram Venuprasad were present on the occasion.

UNI

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