Canada keen to partner with India in agriculture and processing sectors

NEW DELHI: Canada is keen to partner with India in the agriculture and processing sectors, particularly in pulses and canola (rapeseed). More than 50 per cent of the total pulses imported by India comes from Canada. India is the biggest producer of pulses in the world at 19 million tonne and their biggest importer – 3.5 million tonne.

A Canadian delegation, headed by Brad Wall, premier of the Saskatchewan province of Canada, met agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh on Wednesday. As India aims to increase productivity per hectare of land and ensure food security, Saskatchewan wants to partner both at farm and processing level, Wall said.

“We see a growing market in India – 79 per cent of lentils and 61 per cent of yellow peas imported to India come from our province,” he said. Canada is the biggest exporter of yellow peas and lentils to India with imports just from Saskatchewan touching 1.5 million tonne.

“One of the largest-selling pulses companies from Canada is keen to invest in a processing unit in India. It sees good potential in the snacks business followed by other value-added products,” said Wall, who sees pulses consumption increasing in India.