UK's agro food & drinks, horticulture, dairy and related industry's bigwigs will attend the meet to explore partnership opportunities with Indian industrialists.

"There is considerable scope for extending cooperation in areas like pre-and post-harvest technologies, packaged food, drinks and beverages, horticulture among other related areas,'' said Judi Leon, British Deputy High Commissioner's second secretary (commercial)".

"We are interested in joining hands with committed Indian counterparts engaged in agro food and other related sectors," she said./

Specifically, Hydrosystems, one of the leading companies of UK will soon sign a memorandum of understanding with Baroda-based Vadilal Industries for food processing, frozen and canned food products and setting up a chain of cold storages in the country.

The details of the MoU were being finalised, Leonsaid.

According to Leon, the packaged food industry is fast catching on in India and it is at this juncture that some of the leading UK companies would want to extend their expertise. "Given the low cost of production here, some of these companies may even think of establishing their manufacturing base here so as to re-export the quality products to other countries."

The purpose of food processing technology is to provide, alone or in combination enhanced features such as added value, higher quality, extended shelf-life, improved nutritional value or greater convenience for the consumer. Expertise could be available for processing of crops, commodities, and food stuffs, from the primary (cereal milling) to the secondary and tertiary (convenience foods).

Interestingly, even the UK's ministry of agriculture, fisheries and food (MAFF) will be represented by its export technical adviser, Barry Linton. The MAFF feels UK agro-food production and processing technology are amongst the most advanced in theworld. In turn, UK's support industries too have developed to an equally advanced state and are thus able to provide expertise and technology to satisfy the most exacting needs of third world countries.

The Agro-Food Seminar (on Thursday) will have KK Sridhar, divisional vice president Hindustan Lever as the keynote speaker. Among other speakers include Dr Ronald Watkins, board member of the IBP responsible for agricultural and food industry sector, Chris Bishop reader in Postharvest Technology, Writtle College, Steve Caiger, managing director, Oxford Natural Products and Mike Roberts, TDTI promoter for India from Frank Roberts & Sons.

As regards arable cropping and horticulture, the UK companies are keen on extending their expertise in seeds and genetic material, fertilisers and advanced crop protection chemicals, machinery and equipment for cultivation, crop establishment, application of crop protection chemicals, drying and conditioning at both sophisticated and appropriate technology levels. A few ofthe UK companies engaged in research and development areas like biotechnology and biological sciences are also interested to extend their expertise.