Participants at the Agri-food sector Overview & Emerging Export Markets presentation. 

Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) organized a seminar on Ontario’s Agri Food Sector overview and emerging export markets. The agri-food sector is a major player in Ontario's economy. It currently generates $34 billion a year in gross domestic product (GDP) and sustains 740,000 jobs - about one in every nine jobs across the province. Expanding the export growth of the province's agri-food businesses is part of the government's plan to build Ontario up and deliver on its number-one priority to grow the economy and create jobs.

Mr. Athar Haidar Shah, Sector Specialist Bakery, Cereal and Milling International Business Development, Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture and food and Ministry of Rural Affairs was the main speaker at the event. Mr. Shah said that 13.3 million acres of farmland in Ontario, with 51,950 farms and 74,840 farm operators, Over 200 agriculture commodities produced, Major livestock commodities produced in Ontario are dairy products, cattle, hogs, and poultry, Major crops grown in Ontario are grain corn, soybeans, vegetables, and floriculture/nursery crops and Ontario farm cash receipts  valued at $11.8 billion. Ontario ranked first among all provinces (22%) with 65% of Ontario’s farm production is sourced by our food and beverage processing industry.

Ontario has 3,000 processing companies giving jobs to 96,700 employees and largest food and beverage manufacturing industry in Canada. It is 2nd largest manufacturing sector in Ontario and One of the largest, most diverse and most competitive food and beverage manufacturing sectors in North America. Over 50% of companies are clustered in the Greater Toronto Area – among the three largest food cluster in North America.

The sector has a vast potential for growth and a number of Middle East companies are interested in investing into purchase of farms and building their own silos to secure their food supplies.

Mr. Kanwar Dhanjal Director SME & Trade welcomed all the guests and introduced the speaker to the audience. Mr. Pappur Shankar, Director Mining & Energy and Mr. Sanjay Brahmbhatt Chair SME Committee were also present at the event.