Australian Consul General in South India, Silai Zaki, visited the Kochi office of Harrisons Malayalam Limited as part of Canberra’s initiative to strengthen bilateral trade relations with the South Indian States.
She has offered support needed to market horticultural products from India to Australia. She will also examine the possibility of implementing Australian research and development standards in India.
Zaki said trade between India and Australia has increased by 67 per cent in the last five years and there is great potential for further growth.
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The Consul General has praised the sustainable development programmes implemented in Harrisons Malayalam plantations and the use of artificial intelligence. She also discussed the export of commodities like tea, rubber, fruits, and spices to Australia and highlighted massive demand for value-added products there.
Harrisons Malayalam CEOs Cherian M George and Santhosh Kumar said they had a detailed discussion on the problems in the plantation sector and emerging opportunities.
HML officials made a presentation on the production, marketing, and quality standards of its plantation crops, including tea.