Besides, the Agro Advantage Maharashtra has also succeeded in evoking response from different foreign investors to agro projects worth Rs 1,000 crore in the state.

Maharashtra Agriculture minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil and Richard Champagane, chairman of the Canadian company signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect this afternoon here during the concluding session of three-day long Global Investors' Convention. The convention was part of Agro Advantage Maharashtra, the state government's effort to promote agro-industries in the state.

Vikhe-Patil said the fund will be raised over a period of 5 years and a special task force will be set up to accelerate investment through this fund. ``The uniquenessof this fund would be that apart from creating a dedicated financial vehicle to participate in units related to agro business, emphasis would be laid for infrastructural development in the field of agriculture,'' the minister said.

Later, addressing a press conference, Vikhe-Patil said that the government of Yugoslavia had shown interest in purchasing cotton from Maharashtra.

``The Yugoslav agricultural minister has had a talk with the chief minister in this connection. However, we will have to seek permission from the union government before taking a decision to export cotton from the state,'' he said. He added that the Middle East Group of companies have indicated definite interest in investing exceeding Rs 200 crore covering tissue culture, spirulina, alcohol based industries, shrimp farming, molasses dairy activities and power generation. ``Some other definite interests in investors are for a $ 18 million power generation plant in Satara, a project worth Rs 50 crore to manufacture particle boardsat Jalgaon''.

He informed that Hollond-based Rabo bank had short-listed different projects for investment which included molasses derivatives, banana processing, comprehensive goat project,, integrated poultry, hatchery broiler and meat processing plant, bagasse based power generation plant, agro-hub projct facility, fruit and vegetable processing plant, orange processing plant and vegetable seed production. Vikhe-Patil concluded saying the Agro Advantage Maharashtra would definitely benefit the farmers.

``New progressive policy framework, made possible by the union government and enhanced by the state government will help the farmer to progress,'' he said.