Pakistan, France have immense potential to enhance bilateral cooperation in agriculture
Zubair Qureshi Islamabad
Due to the GSP plus status granted to Pakistan by the European Union (EU), Pakistan has been able to increase its exports to France. Pakistan has immense export potential with respect to citrus fruits, rice, mangoes, onion, potatoes, fisheries and livestock etc.
These views were expressed by Federal Minister of National Food Security Syed Fakhar Imam on Thursday during a meeting with Ambassador of France Nicolas Galey who called on the former earlier in the day. Senior Joint Secretary Mr. Javed Humayun also attended the meeting. Fakhar Imam said that Pakistan exported 463,000 tons of citrus fruits last year.
Nicolas Galey suggested that Pakistan and France should enhance cooperation through linkages between the research institutes of the two countries. He said that he was keen to increase agricultural exchange between France and Pakistan.
He invited a delegation from Pakistan to visit the primary research institutes in France. He also welcomed the proposal of Federal Minister to create a student and faculty exchange programme and said that agriculture was an important part of France’s economy and is key area of focus.
While appreciating the French ambassador’s offer Fakhar said sharing of germplasm on reciprocal basis of cotton, melon, cereal, crops, and other high value horticulture crops and livestock can enhance the agriculture sector of both countries.
The minister said that cooperation in production technologies of cotton and high value horticulture crops such as kinnow, dates and mangoes could be beneficial for Pakistan.
Prime Imran Khan is the only leader who has looked at the bigger picture and plans for the next 10-20 years, said Fakhar Imam adding in the last 70 years the main setback to research was insufficient funds. This is the first time in the history of Pakistan that under the Prime Minister Initiative Programme billions of Rupees have been invested in agricultural research which has led to record production of wheat, maize and rice last year.
Fakhar said that Pakistan had 8 million tons of rice which could be exported. Pakistan exported approximately 144,000 tons of mangoes internationally and hence its export to France also has huge potential.
Fakhar Imam said that France had mechanization expertise which could benefit Pakistan. Fakhar said that Pakistan faces a number of challenges but with the right policy interventions under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the agriculture sector can be transformed. He said that Pakistani agriculture has been tottering along the traditional agricultural techniques and it is time that we start to look ahead to the future in terms of modernization.
