Jamaica’s commerce minister Aubyn Hill said that the talks for importing wheat from India are ongoing.
Speaking to news agency, Hill on Wednesday expressed concerns regarding food security as fallout of the ongoing war in Ukraine
“We have enough wheat imports today, but we don’t know what will happen tomorrow as the world changed on February 24. Russia now has a war engagement with Ukraine. So we are opening discussions with our friend, India,” Hill said on the sidelines of President Ram Nath Kovind’s four-day visit to Jamaica.
Hill’s comments over wheat imports come as India on May 14 temporarily suspended wheat exports in an apparent bid to curb the local price surge. However, a day later, commerce secretary B.V.R. Subrahmanyam said that the Modi government would keep a window open to export wheat to needy countries, a report by news agency Reuters said.
Apart from wheat imports, the Jamaican commerce minister told news agency that discussions were also ongoing for import of fertilizers and farm equipment from India.
“We are seeking to establish a distributorship for Indian trucks and buses…seeking a commercial and investment relationship to benefit both the countries,” Aubyn Hill said.
“As we come out of the pandemic, we are looking at inviting Indian investors and pharmaceutical companies… we are preparing to be a logistics centre for your pharmaceutical companies,” he added.
Meanwhile, President Ram Nath Kovind arrived in Jamaica on May 15, the first visit by any Indian president to the Caribbean country. Kovind held bilateral meetings with Jamaican Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen, Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Mark Golding.
On Tuesday, President Kovind gave a speech where he said that trade and economic cooperation are vital pillars of friendship between the two countries.