During his visit to the Netherlands, the Chief Minister studied the best practices in the agriculture and industry sectors to benefit the farmers, who have played a key role in making the country self-reliant in food grain production.
Daily Khabra. Punjab News: With the efforts of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, a high-level Centre of Excellence for Basmati will be established in the state, which will promote crop diversity in the state and help strengthen the future of farmers.
During his visit to the Netherlands, the Chief Minister studied the best practices in the agriculture and industry sectors to benefit the farmers, who have played a key role in making the country self-reliant in food grain production.
Netherlands can be a big help to Punjab
He said that for the welfare of the country, Punjab’s farmers have made extensive use of precious natural resources like fertile land and water, due to which it has become the need of the hour to bring farmers out of the wheat-paddy cycle. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that for this, crop diversification needs to be encouraged on a large scale in the state and the Netherlands can greatly help Punjab in this direction.
The Chief Minister visited the LT Foods facility in Rotterdam, where the company touted its presence in over 80 countries and strong relationships with over one lakh farmers. Emphasizing the need for sustainable farming, he said it is essential to reduce the use of pesticides to meet international standards and promote Basmati rice in the global market.
already overused
He said that farming is no longer a profitable business due to declining profits, causing farmers to face difficulties in making a living. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that technologies to increase crop productivity have already been overused.
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The Chief Minister expressed hope that the center would prove to be a catalyst in increasing real farm incomes and curbing overexploitation of natural resources through increased Basmati production. He also visited the Floriculture Auction Market in Aalsmeer, the world’s largest flower and plant market.
Here, he understood the Dutch auction system’s high level of coordination across production, logistics, and global distribution. Bhagwant Singh Mann expressed his desire to adopt a similar model in Punjab, which would strengthen the agricultural value chain and significantly increase farmers’ incomes.
Dutch expertise sought
The Chief Minister also held a detailed meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Natural Resources of the Netherlands Government, led by senior officials, including the Director-General of Agriculture. Referring to the long-standing agricultural cooperation between India and the Netherlands, he sought Dutch expertise to promote water-efficient farming, crop diversification, technology-driven productivity enhancement, and sustainable agricultural practices.
Bhagwant Singh Mann said Punjab is keen to adopt advanced agricultural systems from the Netherlands, including the use of automation, AI, drones, data-driven crop management, as well as innovations in greenhouse agriculture.
The Chief Minister said greenhouse farming, as we know, is ideal for high-value crops with efficient use of water and energy.
He also proposed potential partnerships for applied research, innovation and knowledge exchange between Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and leading Dutch institutions like Wageningen University & Research. During a meeting with the leadership of VNO-NCW (Confederation of Netherlands Industry and Employers), he stressed the need to develop long-term partnerships between Dutch companies and Punjab.
New investment opportunities are expected to emerge
Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) coming into effect is expected to create new trade and investment opportunities. He also said that both Punjab and the Netherlands can benefit bilaterally in sectors such as IT/ITES, dairy, food processing, and the agricultural value chain, including potato production.
The Chief Minister invited Dutch companies to participate in agri-tech and industrial platforms being launched soon in Punjab, including through CII. He said Punjab was becoming one of the most preferred destinations for investment worldwide.
He also informed participants about Punjab’s progressive policy framework, including the Industrial and Business Development Policy 2026 and the FastTrack Punjab Portal. He explained that these policies ensure timely and transparent approvals.