International Trade Minister Ed Fast Concludes Trade Mission to India

November 9, 2011 - Mumbai, India - In one of his last meetings prior to his departure from India, the Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, visited Mumbai Port to highlight the significance of Canada’s agricultural exports to India.

During his visit, he met with senior Mumbai Port officials and conveyed the Government of Canada’s strong support and commitment to bilateral trade between Canada and India. Minister Fast also had the opportunity to view the delivery of Saskatchewan yellow chickpeas which had travelled on the Ocean Crown through Canada’s Asia-Pacific Gateway.

At the port, he also met with representatives from the many companies responsible for moving Canadian pulses from ship to table—from unloading to customs and inspection to freight forwarding.

Mumbai Port is India’s largest port, and it handles approximately 11 percent of total seaborne cargo headed to major ports in India. The port also handles about 20 percent of petroleum, oil and lubricant traffic and 21 percent of general traffic handled by the major ports of India, including almost 50 percent of the pulse cargo that goes to India.

Photo (from left to right): S.S. Shiralkar, Additional Docks Manager, Mumbai Port; V.S. Kulkarni, Deputy Docks Manager, Mumbai Port; Minister Fast.

Please consult Trade Mission to India and Minister Fast's photo gallery.

For further information, media representatives may contact:

Rudy Husny
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Ed Fast
Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
613-992-7332

Trade Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-996-2000
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