After visiting India earlier in November, Minister of Rural Development and Food Lefteris Avgenakis told Parliament that, “Greece is becoming a trade hub between the Middle East and Europe for Indian agricultural exports, a gateway for India to Europe.”

That came as the ministry submitted a memorandum of cooperation to lawmakers for ratification, the countries ties tightening after India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi in August made the first visit to Greece of his country’s leader in 40 years.

The agricultural agreement will include creation of a Safety and Origin Center for Indian Products in a Greek port, where their safety and hygiene will be certified, it was also said.

Avgenakis said the new  cooperation will lead to Greek foods having “further penetration into a huge market, that of the most populous country in the world with the fifth strongest economy.”

Greece’s agricultural sector though took a hit when deadly summer floods wiped out swaths of the major food-growing region of central Thessaly, with fears some of the lands could be infertile for years.

It also created some foods shortages and further spiked already high prices that has seen many goods out of reach in supermarkets for households who can’t afford them, olive oil costs also soaring.

In India, Avgenakis met with the ministers in charge of diaries, fisheries and foods in the capital New Delhi in discussions about agri-food products and deals between the countries, Indian shrimp being exported to Greece.

Among other issues discussed were sectors such as water and irrigation infrastructure, foods and the export of Greek kiwis, oranges and apples to India, and herbs and pharmaceutical plants.

During Modi’s visit, he and Mitsotakis pledged to boost their countries’ trade, business and defense ties as well, with the Greek leader noting the two countries had relations back to antiquity.

“Based on these strong foundations of our long-term relations, we have the great joy of upgrading our cooperation now to a strategic relationship,” Mitsotakis said in a joint televised statement.