Trade with India to cross 1 bn euros in 10 yrs: Netherlands

Bilateral trade in agri-products between India and the Netherlands is expected to cross 1 billion euros in the next 10 years, a senior agriculture official from the European country said.

"Last year, the total trade between India and Netherlands was around 345 million euros. We are expecting and targeting to take this up to one billion euros in the next 10 years," Netherlands Counsellor for Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (India and Sri Lanka) Henk Van Duijn told reporters here.

He said at present, India exports agri-products worth 300 million euros to the Netherlands, which is a major trading hub in Europe, and total imports from the European country into Asia's second-fastest growing economy amount to around 45 million euros every year.

"We are now targeting to triple it in the next five to ten years' period," Duijn said.

In the coming year, the Netherlands is looking to import vegetables, fruits, potatoes and vegetable seeds from India, he said.

The Netherlands is also a partner country at this year's Flora Expo and Horti Expo 2011, scheduled to be held in New Delhi from January 7 to 9.

"...There are possibilities of collaboration between the two countries, especially with trade in agriculture products in general and trade in floriculture and horticulture products in particular," Netherlands Ambassador to India Bob Hiensch said.