Farm products to have easy entry

An Indo-US agreement on agriculture signed today paves the way for opening the US market to Indian mangoes and other agricultural products besides launching a "knowledge Initiative" to promote collaborative research and education in the sector.

The accord on bilateral agricultural trade recognises India as having the authority to certify that shipments of Indian agricultural products, including mangoes to the US, meet the organic standards laid down by the US department of agriculture (USDA).

It also provides for discussions on the current regulations affecting bilateral trade in fresh fruits and vegetable, poultry and dairy products.

The proposed knowledge initiative seeks to expand cooperation in agricultural research and education. It envisages a three-year financial commitment to link the universities and technical institutions, besides businesses, in the two countries to support education, joint research, and capacity building projects in different areas.

Collaborative research on biotechnology will also form part of this initiative which was originally conceived during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the US in July 2005.

It envisaged the setting up of a knowledge initiative board with two co-chairs, the director-general of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and the administrator of the USDA.

Both sides were to nominate seven members each for this board.

The objectives of the initiative included promotion of public-private partnership in agricultural research and education and a host of related activities between the agricultural universities of the two countries.

Under this, the private sector could help identify research areas that had the potential for rapid commercialisation with the ultimate objective of developing commercially-viable technologies for the advancement of agriculture in both the countries.

The Union Budget for 2006-07 has made a token provision of Rs 5 crores for this initiative. The actual financial commitments from both sides for the first three years were to be decided through mutual discussions.