TDT | Manama
Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
A 27-member Indian delegation consisting of exporters of basmati rice, processed food and animal products visited Bahrain from July 24-25, 2024. The delegation, led by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), aimed to explore avenues for expanding trade and investment between the two countries.
On July 25, the Indian Embassy in Bahrain in collaboration with the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) and the Bahrain India Association organised a B2B meeting at the BCCI premises.
The event was attended by over 100 Bahraini businessmen and was inaugurated by BCCI President H.E. Samir Abdullah Nath, Bahrain India Association Founding Chairman H.E. Abdulnabi Alshoara and Indian Ambassador to Bahrain H.E. Vinod K. Jacob, who highlighted that Indian exports to Bahrain in the 2023-2024 financial year are expected to reach around $900 million and imports $829 million.
As a result, trade was nearly equal at $1.73 billion. The food and agriculture sector remains a key area of bilateral trade, with India exporting $67.68 million worth of rice and $22 million worth of frozen boneless beef last year.
This is in line with India’s broader global export profile, which stands at $48.76 billion in agricultural products in 2023-2024.
Tasting Campaign
As part of the visit, APEDA organised a tasting campaign for biryani made with Indian basmati rice at Al Jazeera and Lulu hypermarkets.
The delegation also held consultations with Bahrain’s Food Safety and Public Health Authority and the Ministry of Municipality and Agriculture.
Traditionally, India has been Bahrain’s main supplier of rice, meat, sugar, spices, fruits and vegetables.
Recently, Indian processed foods, organic and dairy products have become popular in Bahrain due to their high quality and competitive prices.
To support this growth, the Indian government has established a number of laboratories across the country to provide testing services for exports and ensure quality certification.
The Quality Council of India (QCI) has been empowered to implement the Indian Conformity Assessment Scheme (i-CAS) for Halal products and APEDA has been designated as the overall monitoring agency.
The visit of the delegation is expected to foster new opportunities for cooperation and growth in trade and investment between India and Bahrain.
Biryani tasting campaign using Indian basmati rice
His Excellency Sameer Abdullah Nath speaks at the event
