In a meeting on September 7 in Singapore, GPC President Vijay Iyengar had a face-to-face with Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau. Meeting in his capacity as chairman and managing director of Agrocorp International and as Board president of the trade association for the global pulses industry, President Iyengar’s prime area of focus for the Canadian leader was sustainability. 

In line with the GPC’s mission to promote pulses for a sustainable future, President Iyengar emphasized to Trudeau the fundamental role producing and consuming pulses plays in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, preserving water and improving soil health and biodiversity. 

 It goes without saying that Canada is a leading exporter of pulse crops with approximately 75% of the production exported annually. During the meeting, President Iyengar reinforced the role pulses will play in addressing the most pressing problems currently facing our planet and populations, namely climate change and food insecurity.

Prime Minister Trudeau emphasized the importance of collaboration on the part of Canadian businesses with actors across Asia, saying: 

“Canadian workers and businesses are some of the best in the world. That was what Minister Ng and I spoke about today with officials from Temasek, GIC, Agrocorp International, and PSA International. We’ll keep promoting Canadian exports in our meetings with business leaders around the world, and we’ll continue to position Canada as a destination of choice for investment opportunities.”

During his visit, the Prime Minister discussed the strategic investments Canada continues to make in areas including transportation and logistics, clean technologies, artificial intelligence and agri-food as well as noting the ongoing work to promote secure and resilient supply chains. 

Agrocorp International has a strong presence in Saskatchewan and Alberta as part of its investment in sustainable agri-food product sourcing. During the meeting, President Iyengar expressed the company’s continued dedication to lowering its carbon footprint and contributing to the creation of more sustainable agri-food systems. 

In the interest of furthering collaboration, President Iyengar also extended an invitation to Prime Minister Trudeau and Canadian government officials to attend Pulses 24 in New Delhi in February 2024.