Australia Consul General Explores Trade Ties at Kochi Visit

Australian Consul General Silai Zaki in South India met with the management at Kochi office of Harrisons Malayalam Limited in a visit as part of efforts by Canberra to boost bilateral trade ties with states in South India. Zaki hailed the promotion of Indian horticultural products in the Australian market and discussed possibilities of adapting the Australian standards of research and development to Indian levels.

Zaki pointed out that trade between India and Australia has increased by 67% in the last five years, while stressing there is tremendous potential for expansion in the future. She praised Harrisons Malayalam for its interventions in sustainable development works carried out on plantations and artificial intelligence installations in operations. Apart from this, she also spoke on export avenues in Indian commodities like tea, rubber, fruits, and spices, asserting there is strong demand in Australia for value-added products.

The CEOs of Harrisons Malayalam, Cherian M. George and Santhosh Kumar, shared their perspectives on the challenges facing the plantation sector and emerging opportunities in the companies' business activities. HML officials also made a detailed presentation on the production, marketing, and quality standards of plantation crops, including tea.