ISLAMABAD: The Malaysian government, which is making 60 to 80 per cent of imports from India, has assured Pakistan that it will provide a major chunk of its meat import quota and also expressed interest in importing Pakistani rice and kinno.
Federal Food Minister Nazar Mohammad Gondal and Malaysian Minister for Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Seri bin Haji Omar were talking to media on Wednesday after attending detailed presentations given by technical teams of both the countries.
Gondal said there were huge investment opportunities in the agriculture sector of Pakistan and “we commit to working in collaboration with our Malaysian brothers to benefit from each other’s strength.”
He said Pakistan had a list of items that could be traded in Malaysia which included rice, meat and kinno which had a greater potential market.
There were countless investment opportunities in farm mechanisation, seed, oil palm production and post-harvest handling, infrastructure development and horticulture for Malaysian investors.
He also mentioned tunnel farming for growing off-season vegetables and hydroponics for growing fruits and vegetables.
The presentation given to the Malaysian delegation stressed Pakistan’s future thrust on farm mechanisation including manufacturing of tractors, farm machinery and equipment, high efficiency irrigation systems (drip and sprinkle) and solar pumping system.
Gondal said Pakistan desired to upgrade and modernise farming practices in the country so that food security was ensured in future.
“Population explosion, rapid urbanisation, climate change, globalisation and expanding technology are the trends that must be considered well before forming any future strategy for our agriculture sector,” said the farm minister.
The visiting delegates included Malaysian food minister, assistant minister of agriculture and agro-based economy, honorary investment counsellor of Pakistan in Malaysia and others.
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