Pakistan, China agree to boost agriculture cooperation

Lahore: A delegation of China’s Company BGI Group led by its Chairman Dr Wang Jian met with Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani here.

Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo was also present in the meeting. During the meeting, matters related to organic fertilizers, cotton seeds, premium seeds for rice and maize were discussed.

Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani said, “Punjab is keen to benefit from China’s advanced agricultural research and technology to promote agricultural technology in the province.”

He said: “We want to benefit from China’s experience in GMO technology and gene editing to boost cotton production in the province.” He said it was the need of the hour to use hybrid seeds with new advanced varieties which were resistant against insects, diseases and climate changes.

The Punjab government would provide full support for the promotion of organic fertilizers and mutual experience sharing on agricultural lands.

He further said that to achieve higher per-acre yield and better quality for soybean, maize and rice, premium seeds from BGI group were required. The minister said that both countries have close and friendly relations and collaboration in establishing modern agricultural research and laboratories was essential.

Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo said that visits of agricultural scientists and experts from both countries would be arranged to promote advanced agricultural research enabling them to benefit from each other’s experiences.

Dr Wang Jian said that the BGI Group was committed to developing crop varieties suitable for desert climates through genomics technology to protect crops from drought.

He assured that his company would fully cooperate in the development of Punjab’s agricultural sector. A pilot project would be launched in Punjab to increase agricultural production with lower production costs through the use of organic fertilizers, he added.