Pakistan, China strengthen agricultural ties at forum in Islamabad

Pakistan and China reaffirmed their strong partnership in agriculture during a forum held in Islamabad on Thursday, where officials highlighted a 21% surge in bilateral agricultural trade and signed new agreements aimed at enhancing cooperation in the sector.

The forum, titled “China-Pakistan High-Quality Agriculture Cooperation Development Forum”, centered on advancing agricultural collaboration under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

While speaking at the event, Shi Yuanqiang, Minister Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan, revealed that agricultural trade between the two countries reached $300 million from January to May 2024—a 21% increase compared to the same period last year. He also shared that Pakistan has recently begun exporting products such as fresh cherries, frozen buffalo embryos, and dairy items to China.

Shi noted that agricultural cooperation under CPEC has now been institutionalized, with the formation of joint working groups dedicated to agriculture and agricultural technology.

Waseem Ajmal Chaudhry, Federal Secretary at Pakistan’s Ministry of National Food Security & Research, highlighted ongoing collaborative projects that span the entire agricultural value chain—from seed development to trade. He cited buffalo breed improvement and value-added processing of chillies and sesame as examples of productive initiatives.

Chaudhry also stressed the essential role of the private sector in driving innovation and investment to transform Pakistan’s agricultural landscape.

Wang Huihua, Chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce in Pakistan, added that the second phase of CPEC has expanded agricultural cooperation to include production, exports, research, biotechnology, and development.

As part of the event, a case study was presented showcasing successful examples of China-Pakistan agricultural collaboration. Moreover, four new Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed to formalize additional joint ventures.

The forum was organized with support from the China Chamber of Commerce in Pakistan and various Chinese companies involved in agri-sector development.