New Delhi, May 6: Indian Pulses and Grains Association (IPGA), the nodal body for India’s pulses trade and industry, on Wednesday, 27th April 2022, held productive talks with Mr Santiago Cafiero, the Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, and Mr Hugo Gobbi, the Argentine Ambassador.
The meeting, led by Mr Bimal Kothari, the newly appointed Chairman of IPGA, was attended by other delegatory authorities, including Mr Sunil Sawla, the Hon. Treasurer of IPGA; Mr Satish Upadhyay, Core Committee Member, IPGA; Mrs Sonia Kulkarni, CEO, IPGA and Mr Pranav Marne, Deputy CEO, IPGA. The focus of the meeting was chiefly inclined towards promoting relations between India and Argentina and providing an impetus to ongoing trade whilst also opening up potential avenues between the two countries. Mr Kothari, Chairman, IPGA, put forth the potential that the two countries have to foster further the volume of trade in the Agri-products space and pulses, especially lentils.
Mr Santiago Cafiero, the Argentine Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and Mr Hugo Gobbi, the Argentine Ambassador, were keen to have a delegation from IPGA visit the provinces of Salta and Cordoba in July this year and welcome their insights on the overall agriculture system and explore trade opportunities between the two countries.
Mr Kothari, Chairman, IPGA, extended an invitation to many delegates from Argentina to attend the eagerly awaited sixth edition of ‘The Pulses Conclave 2022’ to be hosted by IPGA in September in Mumbai.
All the ideas and concerns put forward by IPGA, as well as its Argentine counterpart, received unanimous support from members and guests present for the meeting, stressing the importance of improving access to markets, achieving a sustainable food future, fostering new opportunities for value-addition, and creating jobs in particularly semi-urban and rural areas.
“We recently held and concluded a productive meeting with Mr Santiago Cafiero and Mr Hugo Gobbi while visiting India. We appreciate not only their presence but also the insights and perspectives that were shared on the Indian-Argentina trade. Both parties discussed avenues further to strengthen the healthy ongoing trade in the agricultural sector and explore the high potential for growth in trade and investments. Members present at the meeting reaffirmed their commitment to enable smoother bilateral trade and investment flows via enhanced and continued agreement. It proves that, through dialogue and the quest for common ground, we can create a new framework that fulfils the end goal set by involved parties.”
