Spread over an area of 16,000 sqm, Agro-Tech would feature major international participants from France. Ten French companies exhibiting at Agro-Tech 2000 represent specialists of dairy products and milk replacers for food and animal feed industries, leaders in design, production and marketing of agricultural machinery and allied agri implements, manufacturers of meat bones, poultry, fish, lamb and soyabean products. The French companies would essentially be looking for potential joint venture partners, distributors and Indian companies interested in marketing and technology tie-ups, informed Mr Piyush Bahl, senior regional director of CII.

Other international firms exhibiting at Agro-Tech either directly or through their trade commissions are from USA, The Netherlands, Israel, New Zealand, Italy, Spain and Russia.

A ten member US delegation specialising in cold chain technologies from the world food logistics organisation and five member company delegation from New Zealand with enormous expertise in the dairy sector would be the other highlights of the Agro-Tech.

Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka have been accorded the partner state and guest state status respectively at the Agro-Tech. While Punjab and Haryana have traditionally been designated as the host states. Other states participating at the five day mega event would include Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir and Tamil Nadu. Mr Rajnath Singh, chief minister of Uttar Pradesh is scheduled to visit the fair on December 2 which has been designated as the UP day. The Himachal Chief Minister, Prem Kumar Dhumal would visit the Agro Tech 2000 on December 3.

Mr Bahl said that a galaxy of luminaries are scheduled to visit the Agro- Tech from the political and corporate world as well as eminent diplomats and technocrats, including Mr Parkash Singh Badal, chief minister of Punjab and one of the hosts of the fest.