President Nambaryn Enkhbayar made a request in this regard to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the sidelines of the 7th ASEM Summit in Beijing today. It is perhaps for the first time in recent years that a Head of State has requested an Indian Prime Minister to make available the services of Punjab farmers. The response of Dr Manmohan Singh, sources said, was positive.
Mongolia has thus joined a select band of nations which want Punjab farmers for cultivating their fields and making their countries’ farmers either self-sufficient or even exporters of foodgrains. Australia, Argentina and certain other nations have already formulated their immigration policies to facilitate the state’s farmers.
Recently, some African nations through a World Bank initiative wanted Indian dairy farmers in general and those belonging to Gujarat in particular for replicating a white revolution there.
President Enkhbayar reportedly praised the great work done by the farmers of Punjab in making India self-sufficient in foodgrains. He reportedly requested Dr Manmohan Singh that Mongolia needed them to help and guide his country’s farmers in converting long stretches of cultivable land into food granaries. Enkhbayar, sources in the Prime Minister’s entourage told The Tribune, indicated that his government might even enact laws to facilitate overseas farmers in accelerating farm production in his country.
If large parts of the US and Canada are the world’s best fruit, vegetable and grain production centres, it is primarily because of Punjabi immigrants.
Australia has also proposed special clauses in its new immigration policies in which those ready to acquire large pieces of farmland in South Australia get preference over other applicants. Even some European nations, especially those belonging to the erstwhile East Bloc, are planning to seek the help of Punjab farmers in converting their unproductive lands into food granaries.
By Prabhjot Singh
Tribune Chandigarh