New Delhi: In a bid to boost Indo-French ties in agriculture and facilitate exchange of views on negotiations at World Trade Organisation (WTO), the Union Cabinet on July 10 decided to renew an agreement with France on bilateral scientific and technical co-operation.

The agreement would remain valid for five years and would automatically be renewed for successive terms of five years unless either of the contracting parties gives a six-month notice to terminate it, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj told reporters after the Cabinet meeting in New Delhi.

She said the proposed pact, earlier signed in February 1994 for five years, aims to strengthen bilateral scientific and technical co-operation in agriculture and allied fields like fisheries, rural development, forestry and food industries.

It also seeks to promote exchange of views on multilateral negotiations on agriculture at the WTO, besides discussions on quality control and standardisation in the farm sector and food processing, she said, adding it would also encourage fundamental and applied research in agriculture.

The proposed agreement aims at conservation of agriculture and food products with special emphasis on cold chains, protection of intellectual property in geographical indications and improvement of post- harvest management in the field of perishable food items.

PTI