Agriculture and livestock: Pakistan, Australia natural partners, HC tells LCCI chief

Pakistan and Australia are natural partners in agriculture sector as Pakistan has a rich agriculture tradition while Australia is world leader in agriculture research and innovation. This was stated by Australian High Commissioner (HC) Peter Heyward while talking to LCCI President Sohail Lashari here on Friday.
The High Commissioner, who was heading a six-member delegation of Australian companies working in agriculture sector, urged the Pakistani farming community to avail the Australian expertise in the agriculture and livestock fields to increase production.
He said that Australia's experience and expertise combined with Pakistan's abundant natural endowments make a strong partnership.
He said that both the Australian government and the private sector were ready to join hands with their Pakistani counterparts in agriculture and livestock sectors.
The HC said that there exist huge opportunities to cooperate and learn from each other in Agri research and economics. He said that both the countries have a long standing friendship built on shared interests and growing people to people contacts.
Peter Heyward said that Pakistan's agriculture sector could enhance its efficiency and growth by joining hands with Australia.
Australia has already been playing a very significant role in enhancing the productivity of the dairy sector in Pakistan. Dairy farms in Pakistan have improved their productivity through introduction of Australian cattle and high quality fodder and forage seeds.
Australian companies can provide value added solutions in breeding goat, cattle and sheep for meat consumption for the domestic and export markets.
There is also potential to strengthen ties in water management, horticulture and development of a supply chain from farm to market.
He also offered co-operation in the field of coal in which Australia enjoys sufficient expertise.
LCCI President Sohail Lashari said that Pakistan was in dire need of bringing and introducing modern technology in agriculture sector. He said that although the concept of corporate farming had been introduced in Pakistan but its magnitude was very insignificant so far as only a fraction of agriculture sector has modern machinery, hybrid seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and post harvest technology.
He said that transfer of knowledge as well as technology from developed countries like Australia can bring good results. There is a large portion of land available in Pakistan, which can be cultivated but due to lack of water and the issues like salinity, its utilisation does not go over 75 per cent.
Pakistan is the fourth largest producer of milk in the world but is unfortunately preserving a little amount of this heritage. Things have improved over the time but the actual potential of this sector has yet to be fully exploited.
Similarly, Pakistan is known for livestock and especially in producing Halal meat. The major section of this sub-sector uses conventional ways and hence fetches very little worth of their produce. Australia is among the top countries in the world in these sectors and we look forward to have joint ventures with Australian businessmen, he added.
Overall trade and economic relations between two countries, the LCCI President said that Australia is some of the major countries, which are investing in Pakistan but the size of investment is not up to a desirable level, therefore, the HC should motivate the Australian businessmen to consider Pakistan as one the highest yielding places for investment.