Syria and India discuss agricultural cooperation

Syria’s agriculture minister, Mohamed Hassan Qatana, and India’s ambassador to Syria, Irshad Ahmed, have held talks in Damascus with the aim of deepening bilateral cooperation in the agricultural sector. The talks focused on agricultural scientific research, product exchange, and the development and implementation of agreements previously signed between the two nations.

Qatana emphasized the potential benefits of making use of Indian expertise in various agricultural domains, including scientific research, and the production and utilization of modern farming technologies. The discussions also covered the importance of working together to train personnel, organizing systems for plant and animal quarantine to ease product exchanges, and employing bartering to secure essential agricultural inputs like fertilizers in exchange for Syrian products suitable for the Indian market.

Ahmed also underscored the need to update and implement existing agreements effectively, indicating that he would relay the outcome of the discussions to the Indian government in order to lay the groundwork for their realization. The meeting marked a step towards closer collaboration between Syria and India in the agricultural field, promising advancements in scientific research, technology application, and trade exchanges, which could be a boon for both countries.