Agriculture sector forms an important theme of CPEC whereby an effective cooperation strategy between Pakistan and China can prove to be greatly beneficial for both countries. This was stated by Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam in his remarks at a webinar, says a report published by China Economic Net.
Agriculture sector in Pakistan is also an untapped potential market and industry where investment and partnership potentials are existing.
For Pakistan specifically, dividends could come in the form of new export opportunities, improved technology, private investment flows and growth for local enterprises within the agri-business sector, Syed added.
Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong made an opening speech at the webinar and said that it is of great significance and timing as it focuses on seed industry, agricultural product processing and agricultural investment. “We will facilitate Pakistani exports of cherry, onion, potato and other agricultural products to China, actively promote the construction of foot-and-mouth disease free zones and help Pakistan bring beef and mutton products into the Chinese market,” Nong told the webinar.
Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque also addressed the event and said that Pakistan is a leading country in the production of wheat, cotton, rice, sugarcane, mangoes and milk. We are the fourth largest producer of milk. We also have a vibrant livestock sector, leather, meat and poultry production, he added.
Fareena Mazhar, Secretary of Pakistani Board of Investment told the webinar that the natural resource endowments between Pakistan and China remain complementary, laying a solid basis for expanding cooperation and driving Pakistan’s agricultural progress through adopting advanced technologies in the future.
Touching on the cotton yield difference between China and Pakistan with the similar planting area, Zhang Rui, Director of the Center for Molecular Biology of Crops at China Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said that China has more advanced biological breeding technology for cotton, high-quality cottonseed production technology, and high-yield and efficient cultivation and management techniques for cotton.
Earlier, in her opening remarks, “Farhat Asif, the President of Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies (IPDS) said since agriculture is a pivotal backbone of Pakistani economy, cooperation between Pakistan and China in this sector will be a destiny changer for Pakistan and us all. “As we see that China has not only helped its own land and people, but also shared agricultural experiences with BRI countries like Pakistan. China has given us much larger contribution towards economy of Pakistan,” she said.
Separately, Zhai Xueling, Director of Market and Trade Research Office, Research Center for Rural Economy under Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, said Pak-China agricultural resource endowments mutually complementary. She was addressing a webinar on great potential of Sino-Pak agricultural cooperation. “The natural resource endowments between Pakistan and China are mutually complementary, which lays a solid basis for expanding cooperation,” Zhai said. Pakistan’s per capita arable land area and annual fresh water availability are about twice and 1.5 times separately those of China. Moreover, Pakistan’s labor force is abundant at comparably low cost.
According to Zhai, compared with China, at present, the overall development of the agriculture sector in Pakistan is relatively low, particularly lacking improved varieties and advanced technologies. For instance, the yields of major agricultural products including grain, cotton, oil and sugar are less than 50% of China’s. In this respect, China has advantages in agricultural science and technology, mechanization and water conservancy facility construction.
From 2010 to 2019, China’s agricultural imports from Pakistan increased by 1.3 times, and China’s agricultural exports to Pakistan increased by 29% during the same period. China mainly exports vegetables, nuts, grains and oilseeds to Pakistan and imports rice, aquatic products, drinks and livestock products from Pakistan. It’s noted that China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Phase II will give new impetus to the bilateral agricultural trade.
In the medium and long term, Pakistan’s overall economic environment is improving with great development potential, and investment policies and regulations are being increasingly perfected. “The future cooperation between China and Pakistan in agricultural science and technology, agricultural products processing, agricultural products trade and agricultural infrastructure construction is promising,” Zhai said.