Amsterdam [Netherlands], September 27 (ANI): Netherlands Minister for Food Security, Fisheries and Horticulture Silvio Erkens is undertaking an official visit to India from September 27 to October 2 to strengthen trade relations and advance bilateral cooperation across agriculture, horticulture, sustainable food processing, and innovative value chains.

According to an official statement by the Netherlands government, the visit marks the first time a Dutch government minister has visited India since the announcement of the Strategic Partnership between the two nations during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit in May. It also represents the first visit by a minister from the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature since 2018.

The diplomatic engagement comes following the conclusion of negotiations on the EU-India trade agreement in January 2026, which the Dutch government highlighted as vital from both geopolitical and economic perspectives for the Netherlands, the EU, and India.

Highlighting the economic potential of the visit, Minister Erkens emphasised India's growing global footprint in the agricultural sector.

'India is a rapidly growing country, and the agriculture sector is very important from an economic perspective,' Minister Erkens said in the official statement. 'And when it comes to agrifood innovation, India is quickly becoming a major world player. This presents economic opportunities for the Netherlands, owing in part to the country's scale. We have a lot to offer India in terms of knowledge and innovation in areas such as seed improvement and greenhouses. The aim of this trip is to strengthen our trade relations and our broad partnership and to open the door for Dutch business in India.'

According to the Dutch government, the broader partnership focuses on sustainability, innovation, and trade. Over 350 Dutch businesses currently operate in India, particularly within the potato and seed sectors, poultry, dairy, and horticulture.

Primary opportunities for Dutch entrepreneurs centre around seeds, sustainable crop protection, logistics, technology, and knowledge sharing. A delegation of 18 Dutch businesses and organisations is participating in the trade mission to explore commercial opportunities and strengthen commercial ties in one of the most dynamic economies in the world.

The official itinerary spans multiple key economic hubs across India over the week. The visit begins on Monday, September 28, with a substantive program at the official residence of the Dutch ambassador in Delhi, including meetings with India's Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and officials from the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

On Tuesday, September 29, Minister Erkens travels to Mumbai for a round-table breakfast with key business leaders, followed by the opening of the Anuga FoodTec expo, engagements with the seed sector, and discussions with the Maharashtra state government.

From there, the delegation heads to Bengaluru on Wednesday, September 30, for a trade visit alongside the 18 participating Dutch businesses and an informal meeting with the Minister of Horticulture of Karnataka. On Thursday, October 1, Minister Erkens will open the Agricon HortiConnect Expo and the Dutch pavilion.

His schedule also features a site visit to Breda-based cold chain logistics firm NewCold, which is working to professionalise cold chain transport in India, before concluding the mission with an agrifood innovation event alongside local start-ups and scale-ups. (ANI)