A delegation of INC leadership members recently held a series of strategic meetings in New Delhi with senior officials from India’s Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare. Led by INC Chairman Ashok Krishen, the group—which included Executive Committee members Pratap Nair and Michael Waring, as well as INC Ambassador to India Raju Bhatia—met with Horticulture Commissioner Dr. Prabhat Kumar and Joint Secretary Shri Priya Ranjan.
During the meetings, the INC leadership members advocated for free trade as a critical mechanism for maintaining balance between global supply and demand. They also emphasized the need to increase India’s domestic consumption through improved market access and enhanced consumer awareness of the health benefits and versatility of nuts and dried fruits. The delegation also highlighted the INC’s willingness to support the Indian government in implementing its plan to boost the cultivation of nuts in key producing regions. Both the Horticulture Commissioner and the Secretary of Agriculture put forward to the INC delegation certain suggestions and ways in which, in their opinion, the INC could collaborate with the Indian Ministry of Agriculture improving yields and farmer education in modern agricultural techniques in India.