PUNJAB FARMER IS READY TO COME TO BRAZIL : SUKHBIR

ACCEPTS INVITATION OF BRAZIL GOVERNMENT TO UPGRADE AGRICULTURAL
PRACTICES IN BRAZIL

SHARAD PAWAR FOR MUTUAL COOPERATION INDIA AND BRAZIL IN AGRICULTURAL SECTOR

Brasilia (Brazil), September 10: Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal Deputy
Chief Minister Punjab today offered the services of Punjab
farmers to develop agriculture sector in Brazil in response to the
invitation of Mr. Gustavo Ahrends, CEO of ‘Vision Brazil’ .The
Brazil delegation had earlier invited Punjab farmers to avail
the opportunity of converting low cost non productive scrub
lands available in Brazil into highly productive farm lands.

Mr. Badal who is visiting Brazil these days as part of a
delegation led by Mr. Sharad Pawar, Union Agriculture Minister to
explore possibilities of mutual cooperation. Mr. Badal said that the
farmers of Punjab were ready to come to Brazil to contribute
further in development of agriculture provided suitable and
enabling environment, in terms of availability of land on long term
lease, was created by the Brazilians. The Deputy Chief Minister
said that enterprising Punjab farmers have made India self
sufficient on the front of food security by making Green
Revolution is success story. They had scripted a new history by
converting marshy barren land of Tarai region in India into
productive lands. They have replicated these success stories in
Australia, Canada, USA and other parts of the World by there
sheer hard work and ‘never say die’ attitude.

Mr. Badal emphasized that the farmers of Punjab who are
known around the globe for their hard work were ready to accept
the challenge to work in association with Brazil. Earlier through
a detailed presentation Mr. Badal explained how farmers from

Punjab were contributing to the food security of India. Mr. Sukhbir
Singh Badal also appreciated the work done by Brazil in the field
of agriculture.

Through a presentation ‘Vision Brazil’ the CEO of Vision
Brazil Mr. Gustavo Ahrends intimated that Brazil is gifted with
huge agricultural lands, adequate rainfall, water resources and
stable temperature and weather conditions. He underlined that
there is an opportunity to convert low cost non productive scrub
lands available in Brazil into highly productive farm lands. He
invited the farmers of India and particularly from Punjab to come
and invest in these lands so as to create food security in the world.
He complimented the hard working farmers of India and Punjab
who work in adverse conditions to make India a food surplus state
and extended a hand to them to avail the opportunities available in
Brazil.

Earliar in another presentation made by the CEO of UNICA
(Brazilian Sugar Cane industry association) before the Indian
delegation the CEO explained how Brazil has become number one
country in production and export of Sugar, He also explained how
the Brazilian sugar industry is utilizing sugar to produce ethanol
to discount the fuel cost in Brazil. He explained that in Brazil
every automobile fuel available has 25% ethanol in it. He also
highlighted the fact about introduction of flexi-fuel (100% ethanol)
in the market to which the car manufacturers have responded
with production of flexi-fuel cars. This according to UNICA, has
become possible by achieving a high yield in sugarcane through
introduction of high yielding sugarcane varieties and highly
mechanized farming.

While addressing the meeting Mr. Pawar outlined that there
is a scope for cooperation between the two countries in the field of
production of sugarcane and soya, improvement of cattle breeds
and poultry products. This high level delegation had a series of
meetings with the delegations from the Ministry of Agriculture,

Brazil and leading entrepreneurs in field of agriculture, horticulture
and animal husbandry. Various organizations of Brazil made
presentations to the Indian delegation on the present status of
agriculture in Brazil and on the opportunities in technology and
investment in Brazil agri-buisness.