Faiza Tehseen

The Pak-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) is taking smart initiatives to revolutionize the agriculture sector of Pakistan, enabling it to meet domestic food and nutrition needs and export surplus produce for foreign exchange. Discussing the importance of coordination between the two countries, PCJCCI President Moazzam Ghurki said it was very important for Pakistan, an agricultural economy, to replace its traditional farming techniques with modern ones. “The world has changed and it is time to build the trade and business techniques and ways on the modern lines. China is shining on the trade and business horizons, especially agricultural and aqua farming. The CPEC is also covering the stages of completion and it can change the fate of Pakistani farmers,” he said.

“China vows to open its vast market for qualitative Pakistani agricultural/farming products including halal food products, non-traditional farmed products, i.e., mushrooms and aquatic edible food. To revolutionize the farming sector in Pakistan, it is important to focus on the CPEC to make it a successful China-Pakistan Agricultural Corridor (CPAC) for the farmers’ prosperity. The CPAC would serve as a model for other countries in the region to strengthen the belief that it is a route of socioeconomic prosperity for the two countries,” said the PCJCCI president.

“The PCJCCI has signed a few agreements with Chinese companies to boost agricultural productivity, quality, and value addition. These would be implemented soon, benefitting the Pakistani farming culture. The research and development segment related to agriculture needs to be modernized. Concerning this flaw, the PCJCCI is also planning to take the initiative with the collaboration of reputed Chinese agricultural institutes. Sharing of expertise, knowledge, and transfer of technology will help make this sector more productive. It is important to make farming a sustainable business in the country,” added Ghurki.

Talking to WealthPK, PCJCCI Senior Vice President Fang Yulong said despite having fertile land and ample natural sources, South Asian countries lagged behind in the agricultural sector for want of modernization. This results in low yields, reduced revenue, supply shortages, and poor economic conditions for farmers. This situation, he said, was worrisome, as it was creating a food security threat in the relevant country and the South Asian region as well. “To address these issues, it is important to train farmers on modern lines and transfer technology after further training and knowledge-sharing sessions. There is immense potential in the agricultural sector of Pakistan,” he said.

“China is actively pursuing research in agriculture, plant biotechnology, environmental sciences, early agricultural pathogen detection, bio-engineering, and effective plant disease management. Smart technologies and applications such as 3D printing and scanning applications and multi-spectral sensing of crop fields are also part of regular farming practices in China. Agribusiness in China is also flourishing due to a focus on quality production, preservation, and manifold value-addition. The PCJCCI is keen to act as a bridge between both Chinese and Pakistani experts and farmers to work together,” Fang Yulong added.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk