Andhra Pradesh biotech team seeks German investment

Monday, 02 December 2002, 20:30 IST
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BERLIN: A biotechnology delegation from Andhra Pradesh made a strong pitch for German investment during a visit here and met business heads and ministers to discuss cooperation and tie-ups in the sector. "We wanted to present our Genome Valley in Hyderabad as India's viable biotech hub," said Andhra Pradesh Minister for Biotechnology B. Gopalakrishna Reddy. Germany is an important country for Andhra Pradesh after the U.S., Britain and Canada, he emphasised. "The German official policy is very pro-active as far as the biotechnology sector is concerned. We can learn from them." The team visited Hannover and Frankfurt to court German firms and institutions and highlight the facilities and opportunities available in Andhra Pradesh. The team included B.P. Acharya, secretary in the industries and commerce department of Andhra Pradesh, along with executives of biotech companies. It completed the German tour Saturday. The delegation, led by Reddy, had participated in the Biotechnica Business Forum in Hannover organised by Deutsche Messe, the trade fair agency that stages some of the world's biggest hi-tech trade fairs in Hannover. "This is the first time that India had such a strong contingent occupying five booths at the Biotechnica Business Forum," Reddy told IANS. He added that though the event was designed primarily as a platform to highlight opportunities, trends and developments in Europe's biotechnology sector, he discerned a keen interest in India's biotech sector. Reddy met Edelgard Bulmahn, German minister for education, science, research and technology. Indian Consul General in Hamburg Arun Goel attended the meeting. Reddy urged the German side to intensify cooperation in biotechnology research and development. Andhra Pradesh is keen to promote cooperation between German institutions and the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology as well as the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics in Hyderabad. "Bulmahn has asked the director general for life sciences and research in her ministry to explore the possibility of cooperation," Reddy revealed. The Hannover visit resulted in another significant encounter for Reddy. He met Lord Sainsbury, the British parliamentary secretary for trade. "The meeting with Lord Sainsbury was very interesting for us. It was a follow-up to our visit to Britain in September," Reddy said. He also met Hans Brunson, the Brussels-based director general of research and development of the European Union, who has been talking of a "strategic vision" for life sciences and biotechnology, with a tangible action plan for Europe. "We are in the process of formulating a similar vision for the whole of India with Chief Minister (Chandrababu) Naidu taking the lead in pushing this idea. We have sought Brunson's help in this regard," Reddy said. He called on Klaus Goehrmann, chief executive of Deutsche Messe, to discuss the possibility of organising the Biotechnica Business Forum in Hyderabad in 2004. Reddy also extracted a promise from J. Katzek, general manager of the German Biotech Industries Association, to lead a biotech team to Hyderabad for "Biotech Invest 2003" from January 31 to February 2, 2003, and help consolidate the ties of German biotech companies with their Andhra Pradesh counterparts. The Indian minister attended a lecture on venture capital and biotechnology organised at the Frankfurt Airport Centre under the auspices of the Deutsche Bank, and made "useful contacts" with German companies and institutions, inviting them to participate in biotechnology projects in Andhra Pradesh. Andhra Pradesh has already established a relationship with the Heidelberg Technology Park for the ICICI Knowledge Park in Hyderabad. Andhra Pradesh also is in collaboration with the Lukenwelde Biotechnology Park near Berlin. "We are trying to have networking between Andhra Pradesh companies and the Lukenwelde and Heidelberg biotech parks," Reddy said.
Source: IANS