On Friday, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry Minister, Oneil Carlier, will be flying to India for a 9 day trade mission.

While in India, he will give a keynote address at India Pulse Conclave 2018, promoting the pork and swine industry at an event, and renew a memorandum of understanding promoting agriculture cooperation with the Indian state of Meghalaya.

Last year, Alberta's trade in agriculture with India was worth about $82 million.

India is Alberta's largest export market for pulses, and is also a major market for canola meal, lentils and malt.

Amid the tarriffs on peas, and trade issues with the fumigation of pulses, Carlier says, it's a large order to think he would have the authority to change India's mind with one speech.

"But I am hoping that addressing them, addressing all the delegates, over 1,500 going to be at this Conclave, that we can start to turn the corner. I have no doubt that the India processors realize the importance of the Canadian pulse crop to not only their economy, but to the feeding of their people, and that we are able to continue doing what we can to turn that corner, working with the federal government that we get some of these trade issues somewhere down the line favourable to our own producers here in Alberta."

Minister Carlier made the announcement yesterday with Chair of Alberta Pulse Growers, D'Arcy Hilgartner, and Chair of Alberta Pork, Frank Novak.

This is Carlier's second trip to India, with last year being the first time an Alberta Ag Minister visited India on a trade mission.

"Our local producers want predictability of markets to insure that they have clear signals for their planting intentions, so they can be best prepared to provide products to a receptive market place."

The estimate total cost of the trip is $36,500.

Carlier and his team will be flying back to Edmonton on February 17.

 

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