Indian dignitary in awe of local farming know-how

The Mid-Valley farming community may hold the key to India's agricultural success.

The developing nation has the climate, soil and workforce to become a global food source, but it lacks the critical technologies for processing, storage and transportation. Yuba-Sutter farmers say they would be honored to help find solutions.

When Om Prakash Chautala, former chief minister of the state of Haryana, India, visited Sutter County this week, about 200 community members dropped everything to share lunch with the Indian dignitary, and more than a dozen joined him on a tour of Sacramento Packing to witness prune processing in action.

"Everyone has left their day-to-day (work) just to spend time with him," said fourth-generation farmer Karm Bains. "We feel blessed to have him come to Yuba City and Sutter County."

Chautala, who is the Indian political equivalent of a U.S. governor, holds the power to push for necessary agriculture advances within his country. He said he sees his visit to Sutter County as a small glimpse in to the future of farming in his homeland.

More than half of India's population is dependent on its agriculture industry, so a great deal of people stand to benefit from improvements. Chautala's interests are also personal.

"I am a farmer," he said. "We will follow this."

In a tour of Sacramento Packing led by president and CEO Jaswant Bains, Chautala admired the towering crates of processed fruit, the efficiency at which women handsorted prunes and the technology of a mechanical roller spitting out discarded pits.

The Indian dignitary had never seen such modern facilities.

"Mr. Bains is not just a farmer," he said. "He is a businessman."

As a government leader and farmer, Chautala would like to spread the technology and advancement of western agriculture to India. As domestic demand and export potential grows, the need for industry improvements rises, too.

India's greatest challenge is finding a way to preserve and process the food it produces, Jaswant Bains said. If it can make those advances, it could become a major competitor in the global market.

Fifteen years ago, Chile and Argentina were not on the map for prune production, but after the countries took steps to model California, they are now a major competitor, he said.

Jaswant Bains doesn't see guiding India to success as helping the competition. Born and raised in India, Jaswant Bains has family farming there.

"It gives me pleasure to show them around and share technology," he said. "In the U.S. and particularly California, our farm practices are on the cutting edge of technology in the world."

If India can model some similar practices, it will have more food to feed its people and boost its own economy, he said.

Yuba-Sutter also stands to benefit by such partnership and should showcase its agricultural backbone at every opportunity, said Darin Gale, Yuba City's economic development manager.

"Economic development is about building relationships with other communities outside our own," Gale said.

Sharing and showcasing knowledge is second nature to Sutter County farmers, Karm Bains said.

"It's our roots," he said. "We grew up as farmers. It's in our blood right here."

And whenever Yuba, Sutter or other California farmers visit India, they know they can expect the same treatment as Chautala was given this week, he said.

"As farmers, we are kind of joined at the hip throughout the world," Karm Bains said.

CONTACT Ashley Gebb at 749-4724 or agebb@appealdemocrat.com.