Sino-Pak cooperation to boost wheat output

Similarities between Yunnan and Pakistan pave way for enhanced collaboration

KUNMING:

The production of wheat, Pakistan’s most important crop, is expected to rise with Sino-Pak cooperation, according to China’s Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences (YAAS).

“Yunnan and Pakistan have similarities in climate, wheat variety characteristics, cultivation conditions, confronted with shared challenges including stripe rust, drought, high temperature, etc,” Luo Yanjie, Head of YAAS International Cooperation Division, told China Economic Net.

“Therefore, both wheat varieties and technologies can be directly applied to each other,” he added.

YAAS and Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) started cooperation in 2014. They have been closely cooperating in food crop, cash crop, plant protection, bio-technology and socio-economic development for more than seven years.

In 2016, two among 14 Chinese wheat DH varieties introduced to Pakistan entered the country’s regional test.

Simultaneously, 10 Pakistani wheat varieties were brought to China, among which three anti-stripe rust varieties were selected.

Especially in 2017, via China National Seed Group Co Ltd, “Yunnan hybrid Wheat No 12” variety was grown in Pakistan on a trial basis. Results showed a 32% increase in production compared with local varieties.

Academically, through cooperative research, the two sides have jointly published four papers and publications on drought relief, rust disease, hybrid wheat, etc.

Read Wheat price hits new high in Punjab

The exchanges of agricultural experts between Yunnan and Pakistan also have been playing an important role in enhancing agricultural cooperation.

So far, 10 Pakistani scientists from PARC, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, etc came to Yunnan for joint agricultural research.

After they returned to Pakistan, they have been continuously contributing to the country’s agricultural development and Sino-Pak agricultural cooperation.

This year, three Pakistani young scientists will arrive in Yunnan for further research, which comprises nearly one-third of the total overseas scientists who have been approved to come to YAAS.

THE ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED ON THE CHINA ECONOMIC NET

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th, 2022.

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