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Opinion Ethiopia Beckons Punjabi Farmers

Vikram singh

SPNer
Feb 24, 2005
454
412
Jalandhar, June 15
Acknowledging the expertise of Punjabi farmers in making the state the “food bowl of the country”, Ethiopia now wants them to replicate this success in their country. Only 43 per cent of the total land mass of the country was currently under cultivation and the African country has invited farmers to lease huge tracts of arable land in various parts of the country and turn them into green lush fields.

Ethiopian Ambassador Gennet Zewide and Minister for Capacity Building Tefera Walwa, said today that farmers could tap vast agricultural resources available in their country, ample rainfall, power surplus and good quality irrigation network to their advantage. Moreover, the fertility rate of land was over six times that in Punjab, Zewide said. They were in the city on the invitation of the Confederation of Potato Seed Farmers (POSCON), who had shown interest in going there.
Zewide said 1. 7 million hectares were already with the government for allotment in the diverse agro-ecological zones in their country which were ideal to grow almost all crops, including cotton, wheat, pulses, oilseeds and sugarcane. Raising livestock was also a good option with ready markets all around, she said.
Under its user-friendly policy, the country would not charge any lease from farmers for three years and all heavy machinery and inputs required for farming and allied operations could be imported from any country, including India, without duty. Similarly, there would be no duties if the entire produce were exported to India, she said.
In addition to this, there was an option of availing easy loans up to 70 per cent of the project cost and all necessary clearances took only between one to four hours. Labour was also cheap in the countryside, she added. POSCON patron and former Agriculture Minister Surinderpal Singh Thamanwal said farming was fast becoming an unviable proposition in th state.


The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Punjab
 

kds1980

SPNer
Apr 3, 2005
4,502
2,743
44
INDIA
Though it is good but farmers should be careful about the political condition of African countries.Uganda at one time had thrown Indians out of their country.I hope if Punjabi farmers go their then the situation will not become like that again in 20 years Indians will be looted and thrown out of their country
 
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