Under WTO guided global trade regime, the comparative advantage of States will determine their standing in the national and global markets. Different States in India enjoy certain strengths and advantages in various agricultural items like aromatic & medicinal plants, certain fruits, sugar, aromatic rice, cotton, vegetables, poultry, milk production, aqua, floriculture and spices etc. 

States need to identify their core strengths using the global bench-marking and adopt focussed approach with appropriate technologies, inputs and cropping mix to enhance the core competencies in those items of agricultural production so as to compete globally. And this all would have to be achieved under the progressively reducing subsidies to our agriculture under WTO norms.

A paradigm shift in policy-making and approach is required. Providing exposure and to the department officers, extension workers and farmers to prepare them for the challenges ahead becomes critical. Uttar Praedesh is an important agricultural State in the country, producing a number of field and horticultural crops, fish, dairy and meat products. The State however, needs to bring in the best of technologies, both in production & processing and exposure to latest developments, value addition, crop diversification, marketing & export to its farmers and officials for productivity and quality improvement.

The State also needs to showcase its strengths and the scope for investment in this sector to the investors and businessmen from all over the country and abroad. The proposed 1st International AgriExpo 2008, comprising of four days of technical & business seminars, investment meets and exhibition would be a significant step towards this end.