Kochi: India needs to aggressively market its various products, including tea, coffee and food, Grant Woodhams, Speaker of Western Australia, has said.
Indian coffee and tea are well appreciated in Australia, Woodhams said. "India needs to be very aggressive in these markets," he said, adding Indian food was the "best in the world" and there are numerous people who appreciate it.
India needs to look into the prospect of starting new hotels in Australia, Woodhams said at an interactive session here last night organised by the Kerala Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Tourism can be another common sector that has tremendous scope especially due to geographical location and climatic conditions, he said.
Wooing the educated and skilled youngsters in Kerala, he said the state had "very high potential" and added, "What Western Australia would really like to take from Kerala are the highly educated, skilled, young talented people to come and work in Australia."
With a populace of only 2.3 million people, the State Resource sector growth in recent years has resulted in significant labour and skills shortages, leading to recent efforts by the state government to encourage interstate and overseas migration, he said.
Western Australia offers world class infrastructure and a promising economic outlook, creating a dynamic business environment, attracting continued investment and generating positive growth.
Woodhams is leading a five-member team of Western Australian Parliamentary delegates to Kerala to "see, study, discuss and ponder" the possibilities of opening up new areas of trade and developmental projects and create strong business relations, a press release said.
Australia, being the leader in Liquid Natural Gas (LNG), exported 15.2 million tonnes of LNG worth 5.2 billion USD in 2006, a figure the government estimates will quadruple to 60 million tonnes by 2015. Western Australia is the centre of the LNG boom with three huge gas fields in the region, it said.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, February 11, 2012, 21:03