LAHORE: “We are aware of limitation of resources, extent of challenges and lack of awareness among the farmers to move to modern technologies in agriculture sector, said Malik Tahir Javaid, president of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Monday.
Addressing the third CAC Pakistan Summit and Exhibition at the Expo Centre, he said that it was the right time to adopt all the available methods and technology to improve agriculture sector in the country.
The CAC Pakistan Summit and Exhibition was started on Monday with an objective to promote agriculture sector in Pakistan. Malik Javaid inaugurated the exhibition along with Senior Vice President Khawaja Khawar Rasheed, Vice President Zeeshan Khalil, Director China Council for Promotion of International Trade Isabel Dong, Chairman Pakistan Crop Protection Association (PCPA) Saad Akbar, Secretary Agriculture M. Mehmood, Convener LCCI Standing Committee and former Chairman of PCPA Javaid Saleem Qureshi and Executive Committee Members. Hundreds of people attended the opening ceremony and expressed deep interest in agricultural products displayed at stalls, set up by the Chinese, Pakistani and other international companies.
The LCCI president highlighted the need and importance of a well performing and high yielding agriculture sector. In case of Pakistan, its significance is not only vital but also critical to ensure viability of economy and long term growth.
The LCCI president said: “For that matter, we desperately require locally developed as well as imported solutions in the fields of fertilizers, pesticides, seeds, agriculture machineries and equipment etc. We are glad that our Chinese friends who have developed cost effective solutions in these areas, are offering these solutions at reasonable rates to us.”
He mentioned that owing to last two editions of CAC Pakistan, the local manufacturers of pesticides improved their products by way of importing Chinese machinery and now they are exporting to Middle Eastand African countries. This is a great breakthrough and we expect that it will motivate other sub-sectors related to fertilizers, hybrid seeds, agriculture machineries etc., to follow their footsteps.
Malik Tahir Javaid said that it is encouraging to see that more Chinese and Pakistani companies and exhibitors have participated in this event which is indicative of this fact that last two editions of CAC Pakistan has set the right foundation.
Director CCIPT Isabel Dong said that tributes to the Lahore Chamber for collaborating with CCPIT to organize third edition of CAC exhibition. She expressed the optimism that next year more and more Chinese and Pakistani companies could be taking part in CAC exhibition. She said that Pakistan is a land of opportunities and CPEC is a feather in its cap that would be opening up new avenues for foreign investors as well.
The LCCI Senior Vice President Khawaja Khawar Rasheed expressed the optimism that these kinds of events will certainly give much needed boost to our joint endeavours to bring some positive change in agriculture sector which has to grow in harmony with other sectors of economy for attaining and maintaining sustainable development.
The LCCI Vice President Zeshan Khalil thanked to CCPIT Sub-Council of Chemical Industry, China for maintaining this collaboration with Lahore Chamber in the organization of third edition of such an important and mega conference and exhibition in Lahore. Lahore Chamber has once again proved that it always responds positively to such initiatives which are vital for the development of Pakistan economy.
Javaid Saleem Qureshi, the motivating force behind CAC Pakistan, threw light on salient features of CPEC, He urged the Chinese investors to get benefit of this golden opportunity.
Saad Akber gave a good set of doable proposals for the betterment of the agriculture sector. He called for hand-holding by the federal government.
