Andhra Chief Minister, senior state officials visit Midwest

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CHICAGO, IL

A high level delegation led by Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, N. Chandrababu Naidu, visited Des Moines, Iowa May 7. The delegation accompanying the Chief Minister included the state’s Finance Minister Y. Ramakrishnudu, and other senior officials. India’s Consul General in Chicago Neeta Bhushan, and Consul (Political, Commerce & Visa) D.B. Bhati, joined the delegation.

During the visit, a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) was signed in the field of agriculture between the Andhra Pradesh government and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.

The Chief Minister also visited the World Food Prize Foundation where he was welcomed by Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn, president of World Food Foundation, Iowa’s Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northy, and Craig Hill, director of World Food Prize Foundation. Naidu expressed appreciation for the work being done by the WFPF.

Signalling the importance the Chief Minister attaches to the agricultural sector in the state, the delegation also visited Seed Research Center at Iowa State University, as well as horticulture farms to study the best practices followed there.

Chief Minister Naidu said he was delighted to have the MoC which would help in increasing seed production and research, leading to increase in crop output, a press release from the Chicago Consulate said. He informed the gathering about the farm producers’ organizations and water users association established in Andhra Pradesh. His state is adopting a number of best practices from seeds to cultivation, including storage and post-production processes, he said.

The Chief Minister also had a meeting with members of the Telugu community in Des Moines and praised their contribution towards development of Andhra Pradesh and for promoting the values and culture of India in the United States.