Brad Wall, Premier of the Saskatchewan province in Canada, who was on an official visit to India from November 16-23, said the province is discussing sale of uranium to India as well as partnering in agriculture and clean coal technologies.
Mr. Wall, leading an agricultural trade mission on his second visit to India said: “We are looking for uranium exports to India and have held preliminary discussions with officials of the Atomic Energy Commission and hope to conclude an early agreement.”
On energy cooperation, Premier Wall said that like India, Saskatchewan province too depends on coal for about 50 per cent of its needs and to minimise carbon emissions, a clean coal technology has been developed resulting in significant carbon capture and storage.
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India and China are globally the largest users of coal and shifting to clean coal will contribute to their carbon reduction measures.
Agriculture and trade are major focus areas and Saskatchewan province already caters to the large Indian demand for pulses and potash which is a substitute for urea.
Saskatchewan led Canada’s exports to India in 2013 with $1 billion worth of products. Saskatchewan’s exports to India were $999 million in 2013, an increase of 69 per cent since 2007 while imports from India were $40 million in 2013, an increase of 244 per cent.
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The province accounts for 70 per cent of all Indian pulse imports and Mr. Wall held discussions with the government, traders and farmers to incorporate high-yielding varieties and the latest technologies in agricultural supply chains.