Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shobha Karandlaje, held a productive meeting with the Brazilian delegation led by Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, and Food Supply, Carlos Favaro, showcasing the growing collaboration between India and Brazil in the agriculture sector.
The meeting commenced with a warm welcome extended by Shobha Karandlaje to Carlos Favaro. During the discussion, MoS Shobha Karandlaje expressed gratitude for Brazil's support to the Indian Presidency in the G20 Agriculture Working Group Meetings. She also conveyed her regret regarding Favaro's absence at the G20 Agriculture Minister's Meeting in Hyderabad. Despite this, she emphasized the importance of the visit in further strengthening the bilateral cooperation between India and Brazil in the agriculture sector.
Highlighting the flourishing bilateral agriculture trade between the two countries, Shobha Karandlaje emphasized the potential for enhancing cooperation in various areas, including food processing, agro-industry, and agricultural research and development. Notably, she pointed out the growing demand for avocados in India, presenting an opportunity for importing this fruit from Brazil. She assured Brazil of India's full support for a successful G20 Presidency.
Carlos Favaro expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and conveyed warm greetings from President Lula. He underscored Brazil's commitment to strengthening relationships within the BRICS framework and with nations in the Global South and the Middle East. Notably, Brazil's approach prioritizes environmental protection while emphasizing that environmental concerns should not hinder international trade. Mr. Favaro further stated Brazil's intention to increase food production and expand its agricultural area without resorting to deforestation or causing harm to the environment.
Favaro stressed that both Brazil and India face similar challenges in the agricultural sector, which present opportunities for finding common solutions. Highlighting the paramount focus on the fight against hunger in Brazil, he expressed a strong desire to collaborate with India through technology transfer, knowledge sharing, and cooperative efforts to combat hunger.
The meeting also saw discussions on promoting bilateral trade, with Brazil expressing its willingness to open its market to various agricultural products and expedite negotiations related to Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) standards to facilitate trade. The Brazilian delegation extended an official invitation to India for the forthcoming 2024 G20 presidency.
Other members of the Brazilian delegation shared valuable insights into their agricultural best practices, such as the use of drip irrigation in the horticulture sector, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in fruit production. The President of Apex Brazil stressed the need for the existing trade relations between India and Brazil to match the potential of both nations. Apex Brazil is actively engaged in identifying investment opportunities in both countries and encouraged the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare to provide their insights.
The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare mentioned the possibility of forming a joint working group between the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and the Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying to facilitate more efficient future discussions with Brazil.
