Pakistan and China enjoy very close co-operation in all fields of science and technology (S&T) and scientists of both the countries were equally engaged in agricultural research for enhanced productivity of food items. This was stated by M Ismail Qureshi, Secretary, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal) while talking to a delegation of Chinese agricultural scientists here.
The Chinese delegation headed by Wang Wanfu, Vice Dean Huanggang Municipal Agricultural Science and Technology Institute, Hubei province, China, is currently visiting Pakistan under 16th protocol of co-operation between Pakistan and China in the field of science and technology. The other members of the delegation include Yu Guangnan, D. Chuanven Li and Dr Li Jianhong.
While exchanging views on Sino-Pak relations secretary Minfal said that joint collaboration in agriculture research, especially for hybrid cotton, hybrid rice and integrated pest management (IPM) were very encouraging that would make a positive impact on agricultural development. He underlined the need for follow-up of the visits of delegations between the two countries.
He hoped that Pakistani and Chinese scientists who were already working on rice hybrid would soon be able to produce rice hybrid. He also asked the Chinese experts to help assist in the controlling of fruit fly pest in mango and guava orchards.
Earlier, Wang Wanfu, leader of the Chinese delegation said that they were impressed by the state-of-art facilities available at National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad and other institutions in Pakistan.
He informed that delegation members visited various institutions in Islamabad, Lahore, Multan and Faisalabad where they had the opportunity to interact with prominent scientists and experts in the field of agriculture research and were really inspired by the efforts and achievements.
Wang Wanfu, however, maintained that since China could be a big market for mango and rice therefore focus should be on quality production, especially in high yielding basmati varieties of rice.
Dr Badaruddin Soomro Chairman Parc and other officials from Minfal were also present in the meeting.