CII Agrotech begins today

In the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks, security arrangements have been tightened for the four-day international...

In the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks, security arrangements have been tightened for the four-day international agricultural fair of the CII beginning from Friday. Notably, the fair will witness the highest-ever foreign participation, up by 35 per cent from last year, sources said.

Delegates from across seven countries including India besides farmers are expected to attend the event.

Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar is expected to inaugurate the fair. Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Deputy Premier, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, Province of Manitoba, Canada, Rosann Wowchuk besides Union Agriculture Secretary T Nanda Kumar are among the dignitaries expected to participate in the fair.

Meanwhile, the organisers today met the Chandigarh IGP demanding enhanced security cover at the meet.

8220;In addition to the deployment of our own internal private security, CCTV cameras and patrolling by police, we have been assured of additional forces by the police,8221; sources in CII said.

Companies and delegates from Italy, Germany, Canada, Spain, UK, Japan and Netherlands will be displaying latest global technologies, agri machinery and practices in the areas of food and beverage, dairy, biotechnology, corporate advisory services, post harvest systems and consultancy at the seminar.

Among the states, Gujarat will be participating for the first time while farmer groups from Uttarakhand, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir besides host states Haryana and Punjab will attend the conference, Gautam Thapar, chairman Agrotech 2008, said.

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The focus of the seminar will be on mechanisation of farms, pre and post-harvest technology, better farming practices, strengthening of logistics infrastructure, establishment of state-of-the-art processing facilities and easy availability of finance.

8220;These are important areas that can help Indian agriculture reap the benefits of the rapidly increasing demand in the domestic and international markets and also usher in a new era of prosperity for the farmers,8221; Thapar added.