Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce, Textile, Industry & Investment Abdul Razak Dawood on Saturday vowed that Pakistan’s exports will reach an all-time high this year. Addressing a conference in Karachi, the adviser to the premier said, “Despite difficulties, the country’s economy is headed towards improvement. The current account deficit is a challenge and the government is taking emergency measures to fix it. The business community and the government can work together to overcome challenges.” Vowing to “increase exports rapidly”, Razak Dawood said, “We are working on a strategy to increase exports. We will take exports up to $27 billion for the current year,” he added. “December 2018 recorded better performance than December 2017,” the adviser to the premier further said. “We have acquired a $1 billion market from China for export of tea and rice,” Dawood shared. Stating that food and agriculture group Cargill Inc has expressed interest in investing some $200 million in Pakistan, the adviser to the premier on commerce, investment and industry said, “Cargill will invest in seed oil business. I confess I could not focus on edible oil as I was concentrating on other sectors. If farmers are helped in producing edible oil, then foreign exchange will be saved,” he added. “We will take edible oil industry very far,” Dawood promised. Published in Daily Times, January 20th 2019.