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ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam has said that Pakistan was focusing on developing a phytosanitary system in order to enhance its exports.
While talking to Ambassador of European Union Androulla Kaminara who called on him, Imam appreciated the EU agriculture policy which benefited farmers on a large scale in the country.
He added that country was also focusing on developing its phytosanitary systems to enhance exports of agriculture products and livestock to the EU and others. The minister urged the need for the transfer of technology to achieve sustainable agriculture development.
He also apprised the envoy about the outbreak of desert locust that had now brought completely under control in the country and the assistance being provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for anti-locust operations.
The minister said the fruits and vegetables worth $700 million exported, adding that Pakistan has a large livestock sector and a facility was developed in Bahawalpur for developing vaccines to eliminate the disease from the country.
Cotton was one of the major crops of the country and the country was striving to exploit the true potential of the crop to fulfill its domestic requirements as well as to export, he added.
On the occasion, Androulla Kaminara briefed about Balochistan Rural Development and Community Empowerment (BRACE) project for rural development.
She mentioned that the Ministry of National Food Security and Research was implementing a partner of this program.
Kaminara informed that the EU was also providing financial assistance to FAO for the agriculture sector and livestock sectors development. The ambassador stressed the need for developing the fish industry because there was a lot of potential in fish export.
