Indian delight

New Delhi, Nov. 14: Indian mangoes are likely to be on tables Down Under while Australian dairy and meat products will make it to Indian households soon.

A quarantine dispute that had broken out between the two nations has been resolved after peace pipes were smoked at a meeting between agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and his Australian counterpart Peter McGauran.

Scared that Indian mangoes could bring in pests like borers and weevils into its farms, Australia had stonewalled India’s attempts to sell the fruit to it for several years.

India had retaliated by stopping import of dairy and meat products from Australia, arguing that cattle there are often injected with estrogen and the hormone could find its way into the country’s food chain.

But Friday’s meeting between the two of the world’s largest farm powers seems to have put all that behind.

“I had a good discussion with Mr Pawar and I think we have been able to address Indian concerns,” McGauran said.

Indian officials said mangoes are likely to be exported from the next season.

They are also now “more or less” satisfied with Australian data on estrogen and feel its levels in food products from that country are at controlled low levels.

While that might sound like chicken feed in terms of international trade, the end to the trade dispute could have larger implications for the two.

Both countries have a vested interest in trying to get the European Union and the US to reduce subsidy levels and allow greater market access to Asia-Pacific nations.

The Australian agriculture minister told The Telegraph that he had made known to Pawar his concerns about the WTO ministerial meeting at Hong Kong.

Getting the Australian-led Cairns group on its side could help the India-led G20 at the bargaining table at the meeting.

The Australians, too, want the Indians with them not only because they seek greater market access abroad but also feel that India is a great destination for investments.

“We would like to see Australian investments flowing into this market (India) in a big way... we feel there is tremendous potential here,” McGauran said.

India and Australia have a two-way trade of over $2 billion with the balance in favour of Australia. Australian exports to India are mainly coal and wool while Indian exports include cotton yarn, fabrics and footwear.

India is the second-largest importer of Australian wool.