Pak-China collaboration to sweeten markets

PCJCCI explores joint efforts to modernise, boost sugarcane production

LAHORE:

In a recent think tank session at the Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) Secretariat, Moazzam Ghurki, President of PCJCCI, highlighted the potential for Pakistan and China to revolutionise the sugar industry through collaborative efforts. Ghurki suggested that the two nations, with their strong friendship, can produce high-grade sugar abundantly and export it globally.

Ghurki highlighted the importance of connecting experts from China and Pakistan, providing them a platform to enhance cooperation in sugarcane production and processing. He proposed that by leveraging technologies like ‘Tissue Culture,’ a significant transformation in sugarcane production could be achieved. Ghurki referenced the Chinese Academy of Tropical Agriculture Science (CATAS), which has been training scientists worldwide, offering 100 courses to over 4,000 participants from more than 90 countries.

PCJCCI, Senior Vice President, Fang Yulong stressed the need for Pakistan to modernise its agricultural sector to meet international standards. He advocated for the use of disease-free seedlings and integrated techniques to eliminate pathogens, such as viruses and Red Rot (RSD), from sugarcane crops. As the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) nears completion, Yulong expressed China’s commitment to providing its latest agricultural technology to modernise Pakistan’s agriculture sector.

Read: Uplift of agriculture sector stressed

PCJCCI, Vice President, Hamza Khalid emphasised that Pakistan’s sugarcane industry requires access to leading sugarcane varieties with strong resistance against diseases for sustainable growth. He called for the initiation of a sugarcane breeding programme in Pakistan, with collaboration from China.

Salahuddin Hanif, Secretary General of PCJCCI, underscored the vast scope of cooperation between China and Pakistan in the agriculture sector, particularly in the sugar industry. He stressed the importance of mutual learning, where both countries can benefit from each other’s experiences and expertise.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2023.

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