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Agro Tech ’14 to be platform for agri, food processing sectors’ growth
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Friday, 31 October, 2014, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Abhitash Singh, Mumbai
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fiogf49gjkf0d Agro Tech 2014, the eleventh essay of India’s premier biennial agro technology and business fair, would take place in Chandigarh between November 22 and 25, 2014. It would be organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Various stakeholders, including technologists, scientists, industries, institutions and farmers would come together at the event, which would focus on the growth of the agriculture and food processing sectors.
At a press conference held in Mumbai recently to brief the media about the event, Zubin Irani, chairman, CII Northern Region, and president, Building and Industrial Systems (India), United Technologies Corporation India Pvt Ltd, while addressing the media said, “The agriculture sectors is one of the key sectors because it adds to our gross domestic product (GDP), but for the last two years, the share of agriculture and allied sectors in the GDP has been declining.”
“The share of the agriculture sector in the gross domestic product has dropped to 13.9 per cent in the year 2013-14 from 51.9 per cent in the year 1951-52. This shows that our productivity is reducing. There is a need for technology and innovation for the growth of the agriculture sector, and Agro Tech 2014 would be the platform for sharing knowledge about the international technology and innovations,” he added.
During his presentation on CII Policy Agenda for Indian Agriculture, Gokul Patnaik, co-chairman, CII Agro Tech 2014 Conferences, and chairman, Global AgriSystems Pvt Ltd, said, “Indian agriculture continues to be the mainstay for more than 120 crore Indians. About 65 per cent of the Indian population depends on agriculture, but millions of Indians still go to bed hungry.”
“The share of agriculture in India’s GDP is declining, and has reached 13.9 per cent. The main reason for this is the lack of technology and marketing. The government of agriculture should lay more emphasis on this sector for the growth of the overall GDP. Agro Tech 2014 would provide opportunities for the growth in agriculture, and the growth in this sector would, in turn, boost the growth of other sector like food processing,” he added.
“In India, the investment in research and development (R & D) is low (just 0.6 per cent) vis-a-vis developed countries, which invest over one per cent. About 30 per cent of the foodgrain is produced in Punjab and Haryana, but other states are lacking in their production, and can learn from the states which are using those technologies to produce more,” Patnaik said.
“Agricultural marketing has been one of the reasons for the decline in the country’s GDP. We are pursuing the government to make the food processing sector tax-free. CII is approaching the private sector to come forward and get involved in framing the policies for the agriculture sector, because the government has failed to deliver what they promised,” he added.
“It is one of the responsibilities of the ministry of agriculture to insure farmers not only against the rains, but also against other epidemics. Aeroponics and hydroponics (soilless farming) are the new technologies in the agricultural sector. But India has not adopted them yet. The country should adopt this technology to increase its productivity,” Patnaik stated.
“There are a lot of gaps in the Indian agriculture scenario. Since its inception, Agro Tech has made significant contributions to the fields of agriculture and food processing,” stated Dr Pawan Goenka, chairman, CII Agro Tech 2014, and executive director and president, automotive and farm equipment sectors, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd.
“Agro Tech 2014 would bring the best in the agricultural sector. International collaborations would take place. The area covered by the exhibition would be about 16,000sq m,” he added.
Dr Goenka informed that 144 exhibitors would showcase their offerings. “Of these, 108 would be domestic participants, the remainder would be from overseas,” he added.
Concurrent events
“There would be eight concurrent shows. These include Farm Tech; Food Expo; Food Tech; Good Earth; Implementex; Livestock Expo; Water and Irrigation Management, and Farm Services. In addition, there would be a live demonstration of Vito oil filtration system,” he added.
“Farm Tech would aim at promoting farm machanisation; Food Expo would focus on processed and packaged foods, and Food Tech would showcase a host of food technologies, equipment and machinery and focus on the food processing sector, which is growing rapidly,” said Goenka.
“Good Earth would emphasise on agri inputs and farming techniques. Implementex would showcase the latest agricultural and farm implements,” he added.
“Livestock Expo would focus primarily on management and production; dairy, poultry and livestock farming; breeding; healthcare products; supplements; feed and nutrition; egg and feed production and animal housing. This expo would also feature live demonstrations of automatic poultry feeding machines and dairy farm development mobile vans,” Goenka added.
Water and Irrigation Management would bring together firms engaged in irrigation systems; farm water management; rainwater harvesting, water conservation techniques and agriculture. There would be a live display of hydroponics and functional solar pumps. Farm Services aims to educate farmers on overcoming operational challenges,” he added.
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