India, China to cooperate in food grain storage
Friday, 18 June 2010
NEW DELHI, June 17 (Commodity Online): In a new dimension towards Indo-Chinese cooperation, the two neighbours are said to be extending support in the field of food grain storage with technical experts and engineers from India's leading agriculture warehousing and storage agencies visiting China to study modern storage construction and preservation methods for food grain storage.
Briefing the media after a five-day visit to China, Prof KV Thomas, Minister of State for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Thursday informed that India and China will extend mutual support in the field of food grain storage.
The government delegation, led by Thomas, met officials of the State Administration of Grain which is the main agency for coordinating procurement and storage of foodgrains in China.
During the discussions with Chinese officials, it was decided that a team of technical experts and construction engineers from FCI and CWC and some State Agencies will visit China to further study the modern storage construction and preservation methods used for foodgrain storage.
Similarly, a group of technical experts from China will be invited to visit India during October/November 2010 to visit storage facilities in this country and interact with the officials of FCI/CWC.
The delegation also visited the Academy of State Administration of Grain which specializes in grain quality control and research and is the apex grain testing laboratory in China. The Hon'ble Minister also met Chinese Vice Minister of Agriculture, Mr Niu Dun, and discussed matters of mutual importance.
During the field visits to modern foodgrain storage facilites at Dalian port, Shanghai and Guangzhou and the Dalian Commodity Exchange, the members of the delegation witnessed modern technology being used for silos and flat-type warehouses with climate-control and mechanised handling and interacted with field officials on the storage, temperature control and preservation techniques being employed.
Under the 7-Year Guarantee Scheme of the Government, about 12.7 million tonnes of additional storage capacity is to be created in various parts of the country in addition to 5 million tonnes in DCP States. Parts of these new facilities will be created in the form of silos and temperature-controlled warehouses.
Briefing the media after a five-day visit to China, Prof KV Thomas, Minister of State for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Thursday informed that India and China will extend mutual support in the field of food grain storage.
The government delegation, led by Thomas, met officials of the State Administration of Grain which is the main agency for coordinating procurement and storage of foodgrains in China.
During the discussions with Chinese officials, it was decided that a team of technical experts and construction engineers from FCI and CWC and some State Agencies will visit China to further study the modern storage construction and preservation methods used for foodgrain storage.
Similarly, a group of technical experts from China will be invited to visit India during October/November 2010 to visit storage facilities in this country and interact with the officials of FCI/CWC.
The delegation also visited the Academy of State Administration of Grain which specializes in grain quality control and research and is the apex grain testing laboratory in China. The Hon'ble Minister also met Chinese Vice Minister of Agriculture, Mr Niu Dun, and discussed matters of mutual importance.
During the field visits to modern foodgrain storage facilites at Dalian port, Shanghai and Guangzhou and the Dalian Commodity Exchange, the members of the delegation witnessed modern technology being used for silos and flat-type warehouses with climate-control and mechanised handling and interacted with field officials on the storage, temperature control and preservation techniques being employed.
Under the 7-Year Guarantee Scheme of the Government, about 12.7 million tonnes of additional storage capacity is to be created in various parts of the country in addition to 5 million tonnes in DCP States. Parts of these new facilities will be created in the form of silos and temperature-controlled warehouses.