Afghanistan seeks agriculture tie-ups with India
Mumbai, Sep 15 : Afghanistan on Saturday invited Indian businesses to invest in its agriculture sector, promising to roll out great opportunities in the fields of manufacturing, processing, packaging and marketing of farm products.
Afghanistan's Deputy Minister for Agriculture Naseer Ahmed Durrani said that the country's farm production and exports were growing and urged Indian businesses to explore investment opportunities available there.
He was speaking during the conclusion of a four-day long exhibition and conference "Passage to Prosperity: India-Afghanistan International Trade & Investment Show", organised by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the governments of India and Afghanistan, here.
Durrani informed that agriculture, farming and livestock forms the backbone of Afghanistan's economy contributing 25 per cent to its GDP and involving around 80 per cent of the population.
"Rebuilding trade relationships and expanding export markets for Afghan products are critical for Afghanistan's job creation, capital flows and overall stability, and we are looking for potential investors in these areas," said Durrani.
He said that Afghanistan's agriculture exports were growing and expected to increase by nearly one-third or 30 per cent this year, to touch $260 million, up from $200 million last year.
"We export dry fruits, fresh fruits and nuts to India, which is now increasing with the opening of the air corridors between Kabul-New Delhi, Kabul-Mumbai. Traditionally, the top destinations for Afghanistan exports are Pakistan and India, followed by China, Iran and Turkey," added Durrani.
The Minister said Afghan products like apples, grapes, apricots, pomegranates and raisins were very popular in India and continue to be a staple of Indian hospitality and diet.
With increased capacity of Afghan producers and exporters to deliver the freshest of produce to the markets, these quality products are once again finding their way onto supermarket shelves, he pointed out.
The current bilateral trade between India-Afghanistan is $900 million and expected to touch $2 billion by 2020, he said.
At the four-day show in Mumbai, more than 50 top agriculture exporters and another 150 businessmen from Afghanistan participated to showcase their finest high-value agro-products and explore business ventures with 1,200 Indian and global 100 counterparts.
At the first event held in New Delhi last year, Indian and Afghan businessmen signed contracts totaling over $27 million for raw and processed agriculture products, besides agreements worth $214 million.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Marsh, Markram score half-centuries as LSG make 203/8 against MI
Lucknow, Apr 4 (PTI): Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya scalped his maiden five-wicket haul in T20 cricket in an inspiring bowling performance but Lucknow Super Giants rode on superb half-centuries from Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram to post 203 for 8 in an Indian Premier League match here on Friday.
Pandya returned with magnificent figures of 5/36, taking the wickets of Markram (53 off 38 balls), Nicholas Pooran (12), Rishabh Pant (2), David Miller (27) and Akash Deep (0), putting brakes on LSG's innings after the home team was put in to bat.
LSG were off to a great start with opener Marsh hitting his third half-century in four matches. His 60 came off just 31 balls and was studded with nine fours and two sixes.
With the other opener Markram also in good nick, LSG were 69 for no loss at the end of power play. But MI came back after that with Pandya making crucial bowling changes.
Left-arm wrist spinner Vignesh Puthur, who had starred in MI's win over Chennai Super Kings, was introduced in the seventh over and he gave the breakthrough immediately. He had Marsh caught and bowled, breaking the dangerous-looking opening stand of 76 runs.
Pandya then brought himself into action and had Pooran in the ninth over before getting the prized wicket of LSG captain Pant (2) who got out cheaply once again.
Substitute fielder Corbin Bosch took a fine catch at the mid-off after Pant failed to negotiate a slower ball off Pandya. Pant, who faced six balls, continued his poor form, having scored 0, 15, 2 in his three earlier innings.
LSG were 107 for 3 in 10.4 overs when Pant was out.
Markram, who had been ordinary so far, stood up for his team and held one end together till he was out in the 18th over.
Earlier, Deepak Chahar gave away 15 runs in the second over with Marsh hitting two fours and Markram getting a boundary.
Marsh was on fire as he punished Trent Boult with two clean hits -- one yielding a six and another a four.
The Australian did not spare Mitchell Santner, hitting two fours off the Kiwi bowler and then gave young Indian left-arm pacer Ashwani Kumar, who had starred in MI's previous match, the same treatment.
He hit Kumar for a six and a four in consecutive balls in the sixth over to reach to his fifty off just 27 balls. Kumar bled 23 runs in that over.
MI stalwart and India captain Rohit Sharma, who had struggled in the three matches he had played so far, missed out the match as he was hit on knees at the nets.
Brief scores:
Lucknow Super Giants: 203 for 8 in 20 overs (Mitchell Marsh 60, Aiden Markram 53, Ayush Badoni 30, David Miller 27; Hardik Pandya 5/36).
