Pakistan, Saudi Arabia to deepen agriculture, food trade cooperation

According to Business Recorder, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are preparing to widen cooperation in agriculture and food trade, with Islamabad aiming to raise its farm and food exports to the Kingdom through better market links, investment and private-sector partnerships. A session led by Economic Affairs Minister Ahad Cheema reviewed projects intended to grow bilateral trade and investment in these sectors. Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, senior commerce and food security officials and CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf also took part.

Cheema said an upcoming visit by Saudi Minister for Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadley would be significant for deeper ties and new investment and joint venture opportunities. Key cooperation areas flagged by officials are animal fodder, meat, rice and processed food. Provincial agriculture ministers and business groups are due to meet the visiting team, which will also tour the National Agriculture Research Centre.

Several memorandums of understanding are expected during the trip, covering food research and a proposed Pakistan-Saudi Agri Investment Fund. The premier, Shehbaz Sharif, is keen to turn long-standing ties into stronger economic and investment partnerships, and departments have been told to prepare commercially viable proposals. The minister hopes the visit will add new impetus to farm trade, investment, research and joint ventures.