India trade mission yields prospects for P.E.I.'s food sector

P.E.I. Premier Wade MacLauchlan, now on day three of a trade mission to India, says efforts to promote the Island are moving forward, particularly discussions related to the food industry.

MacLauchlan and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne are leading the delegation of business, education and government representatives on the 10-day trade mission.

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"One of the areas that has attracted real interest, and where we have some serious work already underway, is in food, agriculture, food processing and storage," MacLauchlan told CBC News Tuesday.

"And there has been real interest in that area especially here in Punjab, which is known as the breadbasket of India. It has about two per cent of India's population and grows about more than 60 per cent of the food. We arrived here with some background work already done. So things are sort of coming ripe, I might say, for further opportunity."

MacLauchlan gave the example of a group that is working on deals to ship apples from the Island to India.

Progress is also being made in promoting P.E.I.'s technology, tourism and education sectors, said MacLauchlan.

New IT jobs possible

The P.E.I. delegation met Tuesday with an information technology firm that intends to set up on the Islandin the next two months, hiring and building on a contract that it landed in the U.S. The company plans to do its work from the Island, he explained.

The University of Prince Edward Island, also part of the mission, hopes to build on agreements with other universities in India and to recruit students, MacLauchlan added.

Travelling with the Ontario contingent cabinet members, as well as business and education leaders who have direct connections with India is definitely opening doors for P.E.I., said the premier.

MacLauchlan said he also expects the trade mission will result innew business opportunities opening up between Ontario and P.E.I.