The Agricultural sector has rich potential for promoting business opportunities in New Zealand and India, in addition to fostering cooperation in research, transfer of technology and related areas, a leading entrepreneur has said.
Wenceslaus Anthony, Chairman of the WAML Group of Companies, said that there are also many other sectors in which cooperation can be promoted between private and public undertakings in both countries.
“While the two governments are currently engaged in talks for a successful Free Trade Agreement, businesses should exercise their own initiatives and explore areas of commercial, industrial and investment interests,” he said.
Mr Anthony, who is also the Chairman of the India-New Zealand Business Council and Director of Bank of Baroda (New Zealand Limited) has just returned from a tour of several countries in the Indian Sub-Continent and the Middle East, including India.
During his stay in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Bangalore, Mr Anthony utilised the opportunity of his private visit to promote business-to-business relationship between entrepreneurs in India and New Zealand.
Strategic Partnerships
At a luncheon meeting hosted by New Zealand’s Deputy High Commissioner Wendy Matthews at the official residence of New Zealand’s High Commissioner in New Delhi, Mr Anthony discussed strategies of private sector partnerships with officials of a number of organisations.
Among those present were Second Secretary Gareth Pidgeon, officials of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FCCI), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), PHD (Punjab, Haryana & Delhi) Chamber of Commerce and Industry and a number of businesspersons.
“INZBC shares the common vision of improved bilateral trade and commercial cooperation between businesses in the two countries with FICCI, CII, PHD and the Associated Chambers of Commerce of India (ASSOCHAM). The visit of Prime Minister John Key to India last year (Indian Newslink July 1 & July 15, 2011) was an important turning point in our bilateral relations. While we agree on the existing and emerging potential, there is a growing need for continuous dialogue and engagement between businesses,” he said.
The challenges
Mr Anthony said that one of the greatest challenges was the Indian perception that ‘New Zealand was too small and too far away to do business.’
“We need to work together to promote positive factors of cooperation and coordination to accrue mutual benefits. It is essential to widen our contacts and achieve better understanding. New Zealand businesses should understand the potential available throughout India, and not just concentrate on New Delhi and Mumbai. I am sure that organisations such as FCCI and CII will facilitate the right initiatives and opportunities,” he said.
INZBC and its members will be happy to provide all possible assistance and appropriate information to Indian companies and entrepreneurs keen on doing business with New Zealand, he added.
Although India’s reluctance to offer concessions on agricultural and dairy imports has been a sore point in the FTA negotiations, entrepreneurs like Mr Anthony believe that there is scope for cooperation in the related fields.
“While there are a number of issues that are being addressed to facilitate a meaningful and workable FTA, New Zealand and India can seek closer cooperation in agriculture within the existing bilateral framework. For instance, India can learn from New Zealand the technique of post-harvest management of apple production, distribution and export. CII has been working in this area by arranging meetings between stakeholders and disseminating information through its network,” Mr Anthony said.
Business delegations
According to Mr Anthony, trade organisations such as chambers of commerce and industry agreed that small business delegations tend to be better focused on business engagement and promotion, compared to large delegations.
“We agreed that businesses that were not aware of the potential in New Zealand should start on a modest scale with small projects and then graduate to handle large undertakings.”
He said the PHD was planning the visit of a delegation to New Zealand in November this year. The visit may focus on diary and agricultural sectors.
“There is increasing awareness on the quality of education, childcare and public health that New Zealanders enjoy and Indian businesses are beginning to evince interest in these areas,” he said.
During his visit, Mr Anthony held meetings with J K Dadoo, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry (New Delhi), Gavin Young, Consul General and Trade Commissioner of New Zealand (Mumbai), Arvind Pradhan, Director General of Indian Merchants Chamber (Mumbai), Dr Tarun Mandol (Member of Parliament) and Dr Amit Mitra, Finance Minister of West Bengal and Steve Jones, New Zealand’s Consul General and Trade Commissioner (Dubai).
