PM Narendra Modi visits Danziger flower farm in Israel

JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today visited the Danziger "Dan" flower farm along with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu in Mishmar Hashiva where they were briefed about the latest technologies being used for floriculture.

The Danziger flower farm is one of Israel's leading floriculture companies with approximately 80,000 square meters of state-of-the-art greenhouses specialising in reproduction of plants.

"Beginning with a focus on agriculture... Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the Danziger Flower Farm," Office of the Prime Minister said in a tweet.

"At the Danziger Flower Farm, advanced agriculture technologies were showcased by the Israeli Government," it said in another tweet.

"In another special gesture, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu accompanied Prime Minister @narendramodi to the flower farm.

"The two leaders were briefed about the research technologies being used there for floriculture," the office said in a series of tweets.

The farm, founded in 1953, is located in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva, about 56 km from Jerusalem, in central Israel.

"Reaffirming potential of deeper cooperation in Agriculture! Prime Ministers visit Danziger Flower farm -- a leading facility for Research and Development in plant varieties," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Gopal Baglay said in a tweet.

Soon after landing, Prime Minister Modi visited the Danziger flower farm in Moshav Mishmar Hashiva along with Netanyahu and Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel to learn about latest innovations and advancements in floriculture.

The visit to the farm highlights that one of Israel's key interests in closer cooperation with India is its expertise in agricultural technology, officials said.

Danziger flower farm developed into a company of 200 employee from a small family business, growing and selling cut flowers.

Today, the farm produces young plants and cuttings for the local market and for more than 60 countries all over the world.

Earlier, Modi was greeted by Netanyahu along with the top tier of Israel's leadership -- known as segel aleph -- an honour afforded to only a few select leaders like US presidents and popes.

Modi began his "path-breaking" visit to Israel with his counterpart Netanyahu extending an extraordinary welcome and asserting that "even sky is not the limit" in the cooperation between the two countries.

Modi's three-day visit to Israel is the first by an Indian prime minister to the Jewish nation.

During the visit, the two leaders will discuss common challenges like terrorism and ways to boost the economic ties.

The prime minister will be in Israel till July 6 before travelling to Hamburg in Germany to attend the G-20 Summit.