BEIJING, Nov. 19 (China Economic Net) - “Agriculture sector forms an important theme of CPEC whereby an effective cooperation strategy between Pakistan and China can prove to be greatly beneficial for both countries,” said Pakistan’s Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam in his remarks at a webinar on November 19.

Agriculture sector in Pakistan is also an untapped potential market and industry where investment and partnership potentials are existing. For Pakistan specifically, dividends could come in the form of new export opportunities, improved technology, private investment flows and growth for local enterprises within the agri-business sector, Syed added.

Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Nong Rong made an opening speech at the webinar and said that it is of great significance and timing as it focuses on seed industry, agricultural product processing and agricultural investment.

“We will facilitate Pakistani exports of cherry, onion, potato and other agricultural products to China, actively promote the construction of foot-and-mouth disease free zones and help Pakistan bring beef and mutton products into the Chinese market,” Nong told the webinar.

Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque also addressed the event and said that Pakistan is a leading country in the production of wheat, cotton, rice, sugarcane, mangoes and milk. We are the fourth largest producer of milk. We also have a vibrant livestock sector, leather, meat and poultry production, he added.

Fareena Mazhar, Secretary of Pakistani Board of Investment told the webinar that the natural resource endowments between Pakistan and China remain complementary, laying a solid basis for expanding cooperation and driving Pakistan's agricultural progress through adopting advanced technologies in the future.

Touching on the cotton yield difference between China and Pakistan with the similar planting area, Zhang Rui, Director of the Center for Molecular Biology of Crops at China Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said that China has more advanced biological breeding technology for cotton, high-quality cottonseed production technology, and high-yield and efficient cultivation and management techniques for cotton.

With the theme “China-Pakistan Agricultural Technology Cooperation and Prospects”, the webinar was jointly sponsored by China Economic Net, the Institute of Peace and Diplomatic Studies and The Express Tribune under the guidance of the Chinese Embassy in Pakistan and the Pakistani Embassy in China, and brought together nearly 300 participants both from China and Pakistan.

The webinar was also broadcasted live on CE Cloud and Express Tribune’s official Facebook page.