The Indian High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago has confirmed that the Manning administration is trying to woo Indian farmers to Trinidad to help develop mega farms. Jagjit Singh Sapra calls it "fantastic".Sapra told the Trinidad Express the the Rural Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago, hosted a meeting last October with various diplomatic missions and proposed that agricultural companies and farmers come to this country and work on the large farms.
Sapra said his office has passed that information to the relevant authorities in India it would be up to the companies and farmers to decide whether they want to come to Trinidad. "It is fantastic, very good.
However, to appeal to the private sector, it has to be a very attractive proposal," Sapra told the paper.
He welcomed the focus on agricultural development and said the High Commission would do what it can to facilitate arrangements and partnerships. However the diplomat stressed that nothing has been decided and no deals have been made yet.
The Times of India carried a report on July 30, 2008 about the T&T Government's proposal to the Indian Government. It's focus was on Andhra Pradesh.
"The government of Trinidad and Tobago has recently sent a proposal to the government of India inviting farmers and corporates to take up farming in their country", the report stated.
"The Caribbean government has decided to lease out to Indian farmers seven plots, each measuring 100 acres, for 30 years...Indian investors can undertake 'investment, development, management and operation of agricultural farms' in the earmarked plots.
"Through the Indian mission in Port of Spain, the Trinidad government wants to reach out to all interested farmers, cooperatives and organisations interested in such ventures.
"But the lack of proper policy to undertake such ventures at the international level has become a stumbling block in sending farmers overseas," it added.
Read the Times of India article
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