The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Ms Tina Joemat-Pettersson, returned from India having participated in a successful state visit from 2 to 4 June. The minister, who was part of a delegation led by the State President, Honourable Mr Jacob Zuma, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with her counterpart in India that will lay the basis of cooperation in the field of agriculture between the two countries.
At its core the MoU recognises the importance of technical and economic cooperation among developing countries through exchange of information, experience and research in the field of agriculture. Its purpose is to promote scientific and technological capacity building, trade in agriculture, animal production and agricultural biodiversity management and conservation.
The particular areas of agricultural cooperation that have been identified among others to include:
* Training, capacity building and development
* Various exchange of programmes involving technicians, researchers as well as animal and plant improvements
* Market development and promotion of agricultural trade
* Study and elaboration of projects of technical assistance
* Utilisation of laboratory facilities involving the participation of private and public enterprises and organisations, including the private sector in the areas of animal and plant production.
The opportunities for fruitful collaboration in the field of agricultural research and vaccine production technology was recognised and the expectations are that the Agricultural Research Council and its counterparts in India will mutually benefit from the cooperation made possible by this agreement.
A joint agricultural working group of senior officials of the two countries will be established to implement the provisions of the MoU.
While bilateral agricultural trade with India has grown in recent years it has by far not reached its full potential and it remains a very small part of overall trade with India. From a South African export perspective the MoU and the ongoing negotiations on a preferential trade agreement with India offer the opportunity of addressing some of the challenges that face agricultural exporters.
During her visit the Minister raised with the Indian authorities South Africa’s objective of negotiating meaningful reductions in high tariffs as well as the numerous tax measures, technical and regulatory restrictions, including of a sanitary and phytosanitary nature, affecting products of export interest to South African producers and consequently hamper fuller access to the Indian market. It was agreed that investigations of these matters will be taken up in the near future in the context of the ongoing bilateral trade negotiations, which the two countries have agreed should now be expedited.
For more information contact:
Tsotso Sehoole
Tel: 012 319 6043/7317
Cell: 083 265 8728
E-mail: CCO@daff.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
8 June 2010
