Netherlands, India to set up 10 centres of agriculture excellence

NEW DELHI: The Netherlands is working with India to set up 10 centres of excellence across the country with an aim to raise agriculture output and introduce modern farm technologies and techniques.

"The work has already been started on three centres, one each in Kerala, Maharashtra, Punjab and the work is soon to be expected to start in Karnataka," the Netherlands Counsellor for Agriculture in India Wouter Vethey told PTI.

He was speaking on the sidelines of an event by the Kerala government to announce the 'Global Agro Meet' in the state from November 6-8.

Vethey added that centre in Kerala and Maharashtra will be for horticulture, while in Punjab the centre of excellence will be for potatoes.

He also said that all the centres will come up in a few years.

For the remaining the six centres, the European nation is looking to set up the centres on dairy, horticulture, floriculture and others.

In June this year, Dutch Ambassador Alhponsus Stoelinga had called on Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and informed him about the developments made in the areas Indo-Dutch agriculture cooperation plan of dairying, post harvest management, including cold chain infrastructure and hi-tech agriculture.