Islamabad, Jan 5, IRNA — Pakistan’s Minister for National Food Security says exchange of expertise with the Islamic Republic of Iran in floriculture sector can benefit both countries and Islamabad welcomes expansion of bilateral cooperation with Iran in the field of agriculture.
Syed Fakhar Imam said this during a meeting with the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Pakistan Mohammad Ali Hosseini at his office.
The minster welcomed the Iranian offer to waive off all tariff on agricultural exports to Iran from Pakistan. Fakhar said that Pakistan has immense export potential with respect to citrus fruits, rice, mangoes, onion, potatoes, fisheries, and livestock etc. He said that Pakistan can meet the entire demand of rice of Iran.
Fakhar said that Pakistan has 8 m tonnes of rice which can be exported adding that Pakistan exported approximately 144,000 tonnes of mangoes internationally and hence its export to Iran also has huge potential.
Hosseini said that Iran imports numerous agricultural products from Pakistan, adding that Iran imported 5,000 tonnes of citrus fruits from Pakistan.
The envoy said that Iran also imports rice from Pakistan and has a substantial market for livestock, red meat, fisheries etc. Ambassador of Iran to Pakistan apprised the federal minister that Iran is exporting 104 MW electricity to Pakistan. He said that Iran and Pakistan have a border of 900 km and both countries should take advantage of that to strengthen each other.
Syed Fakhar Imam said that Iran has expertise in the floriculture sector and exchange of such expertise can benefit both countries.
Hosseini, the ambassador of Iran to Pakistan, offered to exchange Iran’s technical knowledge of floriculture with Pakistan.
The minister added Pakistan faces a number of challenges but with the right policy interventions under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, agriculture sector can be transformed.
He said that Pakistani agriculture has been tottering along the traditional agricultural techniques and it is time that we started to look ahead to the future in terms of modernization.
Federal Minister thanked the ambassador and highlighted the cordial and friendly relations between the two countries since 1947. Fakhar said that Iran was the first country to recognize the state of Pakistan. Minister said that the two countries have shared history and literature.
He said that there is a bonhomie between the two people. He stated that the two countries should enhance and fine tune their mutual relation.
Secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research Tahir Khursheed and Senior Joint Secretary Javed Humayun also attended the meeting.
Source: Islamic Republic News Agency – IRNA
