We congratulate and welcome you to India as you will be joining the Netherlands embassy as Counsellor for Agriculture in New Delhi. For the last few years you have been working in China where you promoted Sino-Dutch business co-operation in agri and food sectors. What is your understanding about India and its agrieconomy?
India is growing very fast. Indian agriculture has a high potential. Indian food and retail business seem to be really promising areas to Indian as well as foreign companies. We will be focusing in the next five years on the new developments in food and retail business in the country. I will try to promote agriculture in India and to catch up with the major developments in agri business.

So what will be your main focus-- horticulture, food, dairy or some other segment?
We will be focusing on four or five different markets. Potato, dairy, vegetable seed production and fresh products like fruits & vegetables will be our area of interest. Floriculture will be another major focus which will include greenhouses, greenhouse management, water efficiency management and other things required to produce quality flowers.

As you have worked on the same subject in China, how do you compare Chinese and Indian agri-economies ? What are the differences?
I have been in China for six years as Agriculture Counsellor. In both the countries, developments are taking place faster and people are getting richer. Consumer pattern is also changing. Food habits are changing, that is what I have seen in China. Animal production becomes more and more important. People are shifting from their regular food habits towards more intake of animal proteins; so production of poultry, beef and even pork will become very important for both the countries in coming years.

But India is far behind China, especially in floriculture. Though both the countries started commercial floriculture in early 1990s, now China has over 20000 hectares under greenhouse production whereas India has only 2000 to 3000 hectares. What has been the major drawback for India in comparison to China in this field ?
The major difference is individual entrepreneurship and investment power of the farmers in China. The banking system helps the farmers and the local government as well to invest in floriculture. The local government of China promotes all the schemes for betterment of horticulture. For example, the government builds the greenhouses and the farmers have the permission to use these greenhouses for production of flowers, ornamental plants, fruits and vegetables. It becomes more interesting for farmers because they have to pay only a rental fee and consequently it helps them to earn better profits. Such entrepreneurial skill, along with investment capacity, makes the difference. In China, everybody wants to improve oneself for a better future. People in the countryside try to invest for a better future and for further development. Also, I have seen the government pushes the farmer to shift from rice and wheat to cultivation of high value crops like fruits, vegetables and flowers where one can earn more with the same labour and skill.

What is the size of China's agri-economy?
It is a major part of its economy, contributing around 15-18 per cent to the country's GDP. The government is promoting more industrialized production assistance. Major players in the industrial field are now focusing on agriculture.

Having sound knowledge of agriculture, what kind of support has the Netherlands extended to China to develop its own production facilities in floriculture or horticulture ?
We organised a number of demonstration and training programmes in China. We have established a training centre with Dutch technology and investment. Around 55,000 Chinese farmers, who are interested in floriculture, have been trained in this centre. We also encourage the Dutch companies to invest in Chinese markets. Almost all the major Dutch agriculture companies have their base in China. Here they have their own production facilities also. The Netherlands invests in China and wants to be part of its developments in agriculture.

Would you replicate the same model in India too? In India, your country is not that active as in China. India has its own strong domestic market with educated and disciplined work force and without any language problem. Are you planning to encash on these aspects ?
Yes, we would replicate the same model because India too has the same nature. The main reason I am coming to India is because we want to copy the Dutch-Chinese model here in India. For that, first, we need to solve the market access problem with the Indian government. Secondly, there will be more investments from the Dutch companies to produce in India using Dutch technologies and expertise for the Indian markets. Also, we want to integrate India into a global network, so that we can export products of the Dutch companies in China or in Thailand or in South Africa to India. In developmental perspective, I think India will become the new China in the coming 5-10 years.

What is the total investment of Dutch entrepreneurs in China, especially in horticulture and floriculture ?
It is around US$20 billion.