NEW
CONSUL
India’s newly
appointed Honorary
Consul of India in
Auckland Bhav
Dhillon says with
the implementation
of the new GST
regime in India, the
country can now
boast ‘One Country,
One Tax’.
“There is still
differentiation in
product categories.
With the onset of
the digital economy
and progress in
e-registration of
companies, now
it’s becoming
even easier for
companies to do
business with India.
This is reflected in
the fact that India
has leaped 30 spots
to the number 100
spot in the World
Bank’s latest global
ranking on ease of
doing business,”
Dhillon says.
www.foodtechnology.co.nz 19
KIWI KNOW-HOW
HELPS INDIA FARMERS
A new partnership linking New Zealand expertise with
smallholder farmers and growers in the Himachal Pradesh
province of India will help improve their orchard productivity in
terms of both yield and quality.
The Himachal Pradesh Horticultural Development
project – supported by scientists from
Plant & Food Research, Agfirst Engineering, Fruition
Horticulture and other New Zealand-based
specialists as well as additional support from
the New Zealand pipfruit industry body New
Zealand Apples & Pears and New Zealand
Government agencies – is aimed at being the
start of a much broader relationship with New
Zealand horticulture. The World Bank-funded
three-year project will work with the horticulture
industry in the Himachal Pradesh province to improve
production of the region’s key fruit crops,
including apples, summerfruit and tropical fruits
such as mango. New Zealand Apples & Pears
chief executive Alan Pollard says about 90% of
the Himachal Pradesh population lives in rural areas
and relies on agriculture for their livelihoods.
Apples are the main crop, accounting for 85%
of fruit production in the area and about 30% of
India’s total apple production. “New Zealand’s
apple and pear industry has the highest productivity
in the world, averaging 65 metric tonnes
per hectare per annum which is more than 50%
higher than our nearest competitor,” Pollard
says. “World best production and post-harvest
systems and practices have earned the industry
an international reputation for producing fruit
of the highest quality. This project will provide
growers access to New Zealand expertise to
help improve the productivity of their orchards in
terms of both yield and quality, and subsequently
generate better returns for their growers.”
Plant & Food Research chief executive Peter
Landon-Lane says scientists have been working
with the apple industry for more than 50 years.
“Our research has contributed to the excellent
reputation of New Zealand produce globally. To
be able to share this knowledge to support communities
in developing regions is very rewarding,”
he says. “It also allows our scientists to
extend their understanding of how crops grow
in different geographic regions and environments,
and supports the relationship between
New Zealand and India, and their respective
apple industries.”
Government estimated growth in dairy product
consumption will increase in demand by almost
40% over the next five years. “With Indian dairy
production increasing at about 4% a year - 2017
production was forecast to be 160 million metric
tonnes - meeting increased consumer demand
from domestic production would be extremely
difficult, if not impossible,” Bailey says. India’s
growth is constrained by genetics, diseases,
lack of veterinary and breeding services, and
poor farm management, and while the Indian
Government is attempting to improve these
areas through its national dairy plan, the impact
has been limited. Another difficulty is poor
infrastructure - highly dispersed production,
lack of cold storage and weak procurement
and retail systems – and this will eventually
force India’s Government to begin importing
dairy products, despite current strict import
limitations. An increasingly prosperous middle
class is also looking for value-added dairy
products that are difficult for the Indian food
and dairy industries to provide. At the same
time, consumers have begun to focus more
intently on product safety, another significant
challenge for the domestic Indian dairy industry.
All those consumer changes are positive for
the possibility of increased New Zealand dairy
exports to India, Bailey says.
Professor Bill Bailey, who chairs the agriculture
department at Western Illinois University
has, until recently, been the was professor of
agribusiness at Massey University.
nies at least. Yet, some of
them still hesitate or don’t
really know how to start
their business there. But
coming to India right now is
the best decision one could
make. It’s a matter of figures
and atmosphere within the
country.” Sharma says it
is time for Kiwi exporters
to be adventurous. “India
is the next Eldorado for
the agrifood sector, as the
country is to become the
world no.1 market ahead
of China. We offer companies
the best path to find
their own way to India.”
The SIAL network is the
leading global chain of
shows dedicated to the food
industry, with seven shows
(Paris, Montreal, Toronto,
China, Middle East, Jakarta
and New Delhi) that bring
together 14,535 exhibitors
and nearly 400,000 visitors
from 194 countries.
/www.foodtechnology.co.nz
