Agriculture Takes Center Stage: India, Moldova Explore Cooperation in High-Level Meeting

Shobha Karandlaje, Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, and Vladimir Bolea, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Agriculture and Food Industries of Moldova, met at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi in a significant move aimed at enhancing bilateral ties.

The meeting began with Minister Shobha Karandlaje warmly welcome the Moldovan Deputy Prime Minister and his delegation. She emphasized India and Moldova’s long-standing and amicable diplomatic relations for the past 31 years. She expressed her joy at the recent launch of the Moldovan Resident Mission in New Delhi, which is intended to strengthen collaboration between the two countries.

One of the key points of discussion during the meeting was the declaration of the year 2023 as the International Year of Millets (IYOM) by the United Nations, on the proposal from the Government of India. Minister Karandlaje underscored the numerous health and environmental benefits of millets and their potential to contribute significantly to food security. Both Ministers acknowledged the importance of this initiative and explored ways to collaborate on promoting millets and exchanging knowledge and technology related to their cultivation and utilization.

The officials from both sides recognized the immense potential for increasing bilateral trade in agricultural commodities. They explored avenues for mutual cooperation in the agricultural sector, aiming to boost agricultural productivity, enhance food security, and explore new markets for agricultural products.

In a noteworthy proposal, Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea expressed Moldova’s interest in exporting vegetable oils to India and importing fertilizers and pesticides from the country. He emphasized that Moldovan products adhere to EU standards, ensuring their safety and quality for Indian consumers. Furthermore, he underscored Moldova’s cultural heritage in producing wine and apples and expressed interest in exporting these products to India.

Minister Vladimir Bolea also congratulated India on becoming the world’s fifth-largest economy and commended India’s role as the G20 Presidency. In addition, he extended Moldova’s support to India’s bid for a seat on the UN Security Council in 2027.

To formalize and streamline their agricultural cooperation, the two Ministers proposed signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Moldova. This MoU will serve as an institutional mechanism to foster collaboration and exchanges between the two countries.

In response to the proposal, Minister Shobha Karandlaje expressed her agreement and offered to share a draft MoU with the Moldovan side in the near future. She also invited Moldova to propose areas of cooperation in exchange for technology and knowledge transfer, further solidifying their partnership in the agricultural sector.

The meeting concluded on a positive note, with Minister Shobha Karandlaje accepting the invitation extended by Deputy Prime Minister Vladimir Bolea to visit Moldova. Such high-level engagements are expected to pave the way for increased bilateral cooperation and mutual benefits in the realm of agriculture and beyond.