Pakistan can learn from China’s tropical farming

Imam sees potential for bilateral cooperation in production of tropical fruits and crops

ISLAMABAD:

Tropical agriculture is well developed in China and Pakistan can learn from it in order to promote and develop tropical farming in the country, said Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam on Thursday.

Addressing an online workshop, organised by the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS) and the University of Agriculture Faisalabad, the minister said that there was a huge potential for bilateral cooperation in production, processing and value addition of tropical fruits and crops, like banana, palm oil, king grass, etc, according to a press release.

He was optimistic about enhancing government-to-government cooperation as well as joint ventures between private companies to boost agricultural output and value addition of products.

“The workshop is focusing on the much important, but comparatively less focused area of tropical agriculture, keeping in view the huge $3 billion import bill of palm oil in Pakistan,” Imam said.

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“Pakistan and China have good relations, which are constantly gaining strength with the passage of time,” he added.

Imam thanked the Chinese academy and Chinese government for sharing king grass germplasm, which would help produce biomass fuel and execute the “Tropical Economic Palm Production Technology in Pakistan” project.

He voiced hope that these initiatives would contribute to meeting the food and energy requirements, and the overall development of tropical agriculture in Pakistan.

The event was attended by senior officials of various universities, Chinese embassy, scientists from universities, research organisations and representatives of chambers of commerce and industry.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 24^th, 2021.

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