Pak agricultural products have huge potential if they are converted into value added products through processing: Mitsuhiro Wada

ISLAMABAD, Jan 20 (SABAH):  Mitsuhiro Wada, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan called on the Federal Minister of National Food Security Syed Fakhar Imam in his office on Thursday.

Senior Joint Secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research Javed Humayun also attended the meeting. Syed Fakhar Imam said that the two countries can immensely benefit from exchange in agriculture research and value-added technologies. He praised the quality of mechanization in Japan and said that Japan and Pakistan have huge trade potential. The two dignitaries agreed to enhance bilateral trade especially agriculture trade.

Mitsuhiro Wada, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan told the federal minister that Pakistani agricultural products have huge potential if they are converted into value added products through processing. He said that Pakistan is one of the biggest exporter of Shrimp, Mangoes, Dates and Rice to Japan.

Syed Fakhar Imam praised the Japanese civilization as one of the oldest in the world. Fakhar said that Pakistan has immense export potential with respect to citrus fruits, rice, mangoes, onion, potatoes, fisheries and livestock etc. Fakhar said that Pakistan has 8 Mn tonnes of rice which can be exported. Fakhar acknowledged that value added industry needs to be set up by Pakistan to fully take advantage of its agricultural products. Fakhar said that Pakistan exported appx 144,000 tonnes of mangoes internationally and hence its export to Japan also has huge potential.

Mitsuhiro Wada, Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan showed great interest in importing Rice from Pakistan in addition with fisheries. He said that Japan imports rice from Pakistan and has a substantial market for fisheries. Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan said that Japan was greatly interested in increasing trade between the two countries. The two dignitaries agreed to further enhance cooperation and collaboration between MNFS&R and its Japan counterpart. Fakhar said that 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 start to look ahead to the future in terms of modernization.

Syed Fakhar Imam praised the current governments efforts and said that in the last 70 years the main set back to research was insufficient funds. This is the first time in the history of Pakistan that under Prime Minister Initiative Program billions of Rupees have been invested in agricultural research which has led to record production of wheat, maize and rice last year.