Punjab farmers to cultivate in Ethiopia, import output to India

Punjab farmers to cultivate in Ethiopia, import output to India Published: Monday, Feb 14, 2011, 18:33 IST Place: Chandigarh | Agency: PTI

A group of Punjab-based farmers today said that they are going to grow pulses and oilseeds on 5,000 hectares of land in Ethiopia and import their farm produce to India. "We will start cultivating 5,000 hectares of land in Ethiopia from September this year and plan to cultivate pulses, oilseeds, sugarcane and maize which are always in short supply (in India)," Confederation of Potato Seed Farmers (POSCON) secretary general Jang Bahadur Singh Sangha said here today. Additionally, the group wants the government to exempt their farm produce in Ethiopia from duty when imported to India in order to curtail country's dependence on import of such farm products. "By bringing crops like pulses, oilseeds to India, we will help the country in making it self sufficient in these crops and ensure food security," Sangha asserted. Read More