T&T gifted oil, rice by Indian firm

Jul 29, 2024

A gift of rice and oil has been made to Trinidad and Tobago by the largest apex cooperative in Haryana, India.

Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley said Cabinet had agreed to accept these items which will be distributed to the needy in Trinidad and Tobago.

Speaking yesterday at the post-Cabinet news conference at the Office of the Prime Minister, Rowley said his recent visit to India attracted the interest of Haryana officials who in turn visited Trinidad.

He said three important people came from Haryana—the chairman of the Haryana State Cooperative Supply and Marketing Federation Ltd (HAFED) and two managers.

Rowley said HAFED is a major producer in Haryana as it processes 2.3 million metric tonnes of commodities annually and has an annual turnover of approximately US$1.6 billion.

He said HAFED held some meetings with public and private entities in Trinidad and it is actively considering the establishment of a rice mill in Trinidad.

Minister Dr Keith Rowley, right, chats with Minister in the Ministry of the Attorney General Stuart Young during a post-Cabinet news conference at the Diplomatic Centre, St Ann’s.

Rowley said the cooperative issued invitations for the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries and National Flour Mills (NFM) to visit Haryana to tour their facilities in August.

He said by letter dated July 4, 2024, HAFED advised that it will donate a container of 25 metric tonnes of premium quality basmati rice, 20 tonnes of parboiled rice five metric tonnes of steel rice, and a container of edible oils to this country.

“This is a gesture which I welcome on behalf of the people of Trinidad and Tobago,” said Rowley.

Rowley said the Trade Ministry will take steps to receive the shipment and the Social Development and Family Services Ministry will come up with a program to distribute these items to needy people.

He said there is strength in agriculture because there are possibilities that Haryana would work with universities in Trinidad as well as agricultural equipment.

“Together we can do something that can benefit the farmers in T&T,” he added.

HAFED is the largest apex cooperative federation of Haryana State in India. It came into existence on November 1, 1966, with the formation of Haryana as a separate state. Since then, it has been playing a leading role in serving the farmers of the state as well as customers in India and overseas by providing hygienic and safe quality consumer products.

What they do:

• Largest supply chain network up to the village level in Haryana state for distribution of agri inputs like fertilizers, certified seeds, pesticides, etc.

• Largest food grains procurement agency in the state.

• A premier warehousing agency of the state for scientific storage of food grains.

• Largest chain of agro-processing units in the state.

• Major supplier of quality, hygienic, and safe consumer products, and cattle/animal feeds in the domestic and overseas markets.

Source: Daily Express