China’s support will play a key role to enhance agriculture production in Pakistan: Minister

Dera Ghazi Khan: Punjab Provincial agriculture minister Syed Hussain Jahanian Gardezi has said that China’s support will play a key role to enhance the agriculture production in Pakistan.

He informed that a sum of Pakistani Rs 10.66 billion is being invested to upgrade south Punjab agriculture to improve financial standing of farming community.

In his speech after inaugurating a two-day agricultural exhibition organized by Punjab Agriculture Department at Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan, Gardezi mentioned that China’s successes in the agriculture were an example for Pakistan.

He stressed that Pakistan was lucky that China was sharing its technology under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) with the Pakistani agriculturists.

“We must take advantage of the opportunity. We have a great positional to boost the agriculture sector and China’s help will be a key player in this regard,” the minister contended.

Gardezi underscored that the exhibition would be an important milestone for agricultural promotion and development in South Punjab.

He added that agriculture sector in South Punjab was undergoing a major shift to modernity and diversity through 29 projects under execution at a cost of Rs 10.66 Billion.

Gardezi appreciated that the extraordinary interest being shown by all stakeholders in this exhibition would help importers and exporters in business deals.

“With firm belief that economic goals can hardly be achieved without agricultural development, the present government declared agriculture as its top priority,” he opined.

Gardezi emphasized that the Rs 10.66 billion investment on agriculture included Rs 2 billion for horizontal land development, Rs 390 million for corporate farming scheme, Rs 199.7 million for provision of infrastructure for 10 agricultural markets, Rs 185.8 million to promote high value agriculture in Koh-e-Sulaiman and Dera Ghazi Khan, and Rs 216 million for establishment of a Cotton Research Substation at Rajanpur.

Speaking on the occasion, Special Secretary Agriculture (Marketing) Punjab Waqar Hussain said that around 100 stalls had been set up in this exhibition providing a platform to the farmers for awareness on modern production technology.

The exhibition will play a positive role in promotion of agricultural exports in the long run.

During the last three years, five (5) international exhibitions held so far resulted in a total increase of US 13.5 million in agricultural exports, he disclosed.

The exhibition was attended by Member Punjab Assembly Shaheena Najeeb, Additional Secretary (Planning) Shireen Naz along with other officers and large number of farmers and stakeholders.