Italian trade commissioner Giorgio Pietropaoli took some time off his busy schedule during the workshop to give an exclusive interview to The Financial Express. Following are the excerpts from the interview:

In India the standard of agriculture machinery and the range of products are very low. There is a need for not only updating the technology but also diversifying the products range.

In view of the wide scope for the farm machinery market in India under the liberalised economic system, the Italian Trade Commission has decided to penetrate deeper into the Indian market. Already, certain joint ventures are in place and many more are in the pipeline. In view of the expandingmarket, Indian industrialists can utilise this opportunity to not only update their tractor technology, but also the components manufacturing segment of the market.

It is to this end in view that the Italian Trade Commission organised a two-day workshop on farm machinery technology in which about 50 Indian and Italian companies participated. Many business deals were discussed in one-to-one business meetings between Italian and Indian company representatives. However, the quantum of the deals finalised can be ascertained only at some later stage as the deals are in still under process.

The Italian Trade Commission is also establishing a promotional fund for major joint ventures. As part of trade promotion, the commission is organising Agrotech 1998 in Chandigarh in December. It has plans to organise more educative business workshops of this nature in different parts of India.

As of now, among others, New Holland India, a 100 per cent Italian holding company, has a tractor assembly unit at Noida which hasbeen in operation since April 1998. Besides, SAME of Italy and Greaves joint venture has been in operation since 1995 for the manufacture of tractors. Many Italian corporate representatives came to India looking for partners. Both countries can mutually benefit from such technical/industrial collaborations.