Canada Sees India As Big Market Of Its Forest Products

MUMBAI – After oil and gas and power,Canada is strongly pitching for itsforestry sector saying India is a strongpotential growth market for Canadianforest products.”As India grows, its demand for woodproducts is expected to soar. As a worldleader in high quality forest products,Canada is well positioned again to meetmuch of that demand,” Canadian ministerof natural resources Joe Oliver, whowas in the city over the weekend, said.India has been one of the key marketsfor Canada in the field of oil and gas andnuclear energy, he said.”We have signed a MoU with India on oiland gas for strategic and technical cooperation,which will include joint research,exchanging expertise and promotingcooperation between our oil and gascompanies.Besides, we have also signed the nuclearcooperation agreement due to whichcompanies from both countries canexport and import controlled nuclearmaterials, equipment and technology,”Oliver said.Canada sees a huge potential in the areaof forestry as demand for doors, windowsand mouldings, packaging, furnitureand pulp and paper in India isincreasing, he said.”Last year, we provided financial supportto British Columbia to open a wood marketdevelopment office in Mumbai. Thatis showcasing Canadian wood productsin office furniture and door and windowapplications and opening new possibilitiesfor both countries,” Oliver said.Companies like Aditya Birla Group areinvesting directly in Canada’s forest sector,with ownership of two dissolvingpulp and mills and investments of $250million, he said.”We welcome this kind of investmentbecause we know it is win-win, generatingprofits for Indian investors and jobsfor Canadian workers,” Oliver added.