ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and China reaffirmed their commitment to agricultural cooperation at a forum in Islamabad on Thursday, where officials highlighted a 21% increase in bilateral agri-trade and signed new agreements to further boost the sector.
The event, titled “China-Pakistan High-Quality Agriculture Cooperation Development Forum”, focused on expanding collaboration under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
While addressing the forum, Shi Yuanqiang, Minister Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan revealed, from January to May 2024, agricultural trade between the two nations reached $300 million, a 21% increase year-on-year. Pakistan has recently begun exporting fresh cherries, frozen buffalo em-bryos, and dairy products to China, Shi noted.
Under CPEC, agricultural cooperation between China and Pakistan has been institutionalised, Shi said, referencing the establishment of joint working groups on agriculture and technology.
Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry, Federal Secretary at Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security & Re-search, said joint projects covering the entire value chain, from seeds to trade, were being imple-mented.
He cited buffalo breed improvement and the processing of chillies and sesame as initiatives delivering tangible benefits.
Chaudhry emphasised the private sector’s role in driving transformation through innovation and in-vestment.
Wang Huihua, Chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce in Pakistan, noted that the second phase of CPEC had broadened collaboration into agricultural production, exports, research and development, and biotechnology.
As part of the forum, a case study was unveiled, highlighting typical success stories of China-Pakistan agricultural cooperation.
Additionally, four Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed to formalise new partnerships.
The event was sponsored by the China Chamber of Commerce in Pakistan and several Chinese enter-prises. –Agencies
