New Delhi, Jan. 12 : Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Gerry Ritz, and his Indian counterpart, Minister for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Sharad Pawar, will meet in New Delhi on January 13, 2009, and sign the first comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on agriculture between Canada and India.

The bilateral MoU on agricultural cooperation encourages sharing of knowledge on emerging technologies, agricultural marketing, and animal development. This cooperation will lead to increased exports between the countries by creating new marketing opportunities for farmers from both countries.

The MoU also creates a framework for Canada and India to discuss areas of interest to the two countries in working groups comprised of both government and private enterprises. Canadian agricultural exports to India are currently worth Canadian dollars 445 million annually.

With Canadian pulse crop exports to India worth 342 million dollars, pulses and wheat constituted the top Canadian agricultural exports to India in 2007.

Canada is also a source of other high-quality agricultural and food products of interest to India, including canola oil, livestock genetics, and value-added food products.

The two ministers will sign the MoU on Tuesday, January 13, at 11:45 at the New Delhi Oberoi Hotel, Connaught Room. The event is open to the media. (ANI)