Punjab farmers ready to farm in Brazil: Badal

Badal, who is visiting Brazil these days as part of a central delegation led by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, said Punjab farmers had proved they were very progressive.

Although the state had a small geographical area compared to bigger states in India, Punjab led in foodgrains production, he said.

Badal was speaking at a presentation on the scope of agriculture in Brazil made during the delegation's visit to Brasilia, the capital of Brazil.

Punjab farmers have been invited to Brazil to help convert low-cost non-productive scrub lands in that country into highly productive farm lands, a Punjab government spokesman said here.

Badal said the farmers of Punjab were ready for Brazil if suitable and enabling environment, in terms of availability of land on long-term lease, was created by the Brazilians. 

He said Punjab farmers had made India self-sufficient in food. They had replicated these success stories in Australia, Canada and the US besides other countries.

At the presentation, the chief executive officer of "Vision Brazil", Gustavo Ahrends, said Brazil was gifted with huge agricultural lands, adequate rainfall, water resources and stable temperature and weather conditions.