Sweden sees scope of joint ventures in agriculture

Agrees on chalking out course of action for future collaboration.

ISLAMABAD:

Expressing interest in enhancing business ties with Pakistan in agriculture, Special Adviser to Swedish Minister for Trade Jonas Hafstrom has said there is a lot of scope for initiating and implementing joint ventures in different fields of agriculture.

He was speaking in a meeting between a Swedish trade and business delegation and Federal Minister of National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan here.

The two sides agreed to chalk out a course of action for future collaboration and cooperation in the agriculture sector. They emphasised the need for enhancing collaborative research in multiple sectors of agriculture.

They also committed to exchanging mutually beneficial best practices in order to maximise agriculture production on a sustainable basis.

Bosan stressed that Pakistan and Sweden had great potential to boost bilateral trade, particularly in different areas of agriculture and agricultural research.

Saying that Pakistan was an attractive destination for investment, the minister invited Swedish entrepreneurs and businessmen to explore the agriculture market potential for joint ventures with Pakistani businessmen. “This will open up new avenues of development for both countries,” he said.

Bosan praised the Swedish government for its support for the grant of GSP Plus status to Pakistan, saying this would not only increase export of Pakistani products to the European Union, but would also generate job opportunities.

Ministry of National Food Security and Research Secretary Seerat Asghar sought Swedish assistance in various areas of agriculture, particularly cooperation in developing an efficient food production system in the country and sharing of latest technology and machinery.

The participants of the meeting called on the two sides to continue to explore possibilities of cooperation in the agriculture sector in an effort to deepen business and economic ties.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2014.

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