Mrs. Margaret Beckett, British Secretary of State
for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs met Union Agriculture
Minister Shri Ajit Singh here to discuss subjects of mutual cooperation.
Shri Ajit Singh apprised Mrs. Beckett of the research
being done in seeds to improve their quality and production. He
said that the use of genetically modified seeds has been allowed
in the country after extensive testing. While the British Minister
explained European Unions’ stand on WTO Agreement on agriculture,
Shri Ajit Singh commented that in any negotiation India will have
to keep in mind the interest of the majority of its people who
were dependent on agriculture. British Minister evinced keen interest
in the way problem of salinity was being dealt with in India.
Senior officials of the Ministry of Agriculture
were present during the Meeting.