Food items: Japan to help Pakistan boost exports

JA , most powerful farm lobby having 996 cooperative unions, shows keen interest in Pakistan’s agriculture products.

LAHORE: Japan Agriculture Cooperatives (JA), the most powerful farm lobby having 996 cooperative unions, has shown keen interest in Pakistan’s agriculture products and assured the country of maximum cooperation in boosting export of food items to Japan.

The assurance was given by Yasuhiro Nakagawa, Vice Chairman JA and President Kyoto Prefecture Union of Agriculture Cooperatives, while speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Thursday. Nakagawa, who was heading a nine-member delegation, said that he was surprised to find out that farmland in Punjab is one of the most fertile areas. He said that all support would be extended to the Pakistani farming community, so that they could make the maximum use of their land.

He, however, stressed the need for adoption of modern farming techniques and methodologies to overcome the problem of low yield. He said that Japan is presently importing a number of agriculture products from other countries, but the quality and standard of Pakistani products has impressed him a lot and he would plead Pakistan’s case in the Japanese market. LCCI President Shahzad Ali Malik said that Pakistan would welcome expertise of Japanese scientists in the field of research done for the best utilisation of land, achieving maximum yield with minimum input.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 26^th, 2010.