While addressing a seminar jointly organised by the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda), Adepta (French association for the development of international exchanges of food, agricultural products and technologies), and the French Embassy here on Tuesday.
Punjab Environment Minister Makhdoom Ishfaq Ahmad was the chief guest at the seminar, while Smeda Chief Executive Officer Shahab Khawaja presented the address of welcome.
Mrs Brigitte Bovet, a senior official from the commercial department of the French Embassy; Florian de Sain Vincent, area manager, Adepta for Middle East and South Asia; and Punjab Livestock Secretary Babar Yaqub Fateh Mohammad also addressed the seminar.
The French envoy called for promoting bilateral co-operation between France and Pakistan in the field of food and agriculture sector.
An MoU was signed on last Monday with the Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal) in this regard, he said, adding that Pakistan should develop its agricultural sector by acquiring modern technologies being used in the world.
He was confident that the French equipment and technologies could enhance quality of Pakistan's agri products both in local and the world markets.
Regis de Belenet acknowledged that the business environment in Pakistan had improved. He was confident that Adepta, in its current visit, would be able to explore new joint venture opportunities with Pakistan in the fields of dairy, livestock and food processing industry.
Makhdoom Ashfaq Ahmad, while delivering his inaugural speech, said the environment issue was being resolved in the provinces in line with the federal policy.
He said the new industrial estates, being set up at Sundar, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Rahim Yar Khan and Multan, would be equipped with the modern equipment and help control the pollution.
The provincial minister said it would help in moving the industrial and economic activities to a specific area outside the city limit.
He termed the arrival of Adepta delegation as a great source of modern technologies for agriculture and livestock sector of Pakistan, which would definitely ensure to produce a pollution-free processed food in the country. Makhdoom Ashfaq Ahmad also threw light on various steps being taken by the government to keep the air, atmosphere, water and food clean, saying the government wanted to install filtration plants in every union council.
Mrs Bovet, while speaking on this occasion, said that Pakistan's economy was in need of the modern techniques and the latest technologies for its agro-food industry.
She was confident that the current visit of the Adepta delegation would pave way for more joint venture projects in the agro-food industry between two countries.
Smeda CEO Shahab Khawaja, in his address of welcome, said that Pakistan had an attractive set of business opportunities in the large agriculture base associated with processing and export of agro-based products. "We have a very large surplus of certain products that require modern technology to be processed for export market", he added.
He pointed out that the livestock and dairy sector was another attractive sector for investments as the current industry was inadequate to meet the growing demand for milk and other dairy-related products. That is why the Government of Pakistan has recently set up Pakistan Dairy Development Company to provide necessary support for the sector, he said.
Babar Yaqub Fateh Muhammad, while giving a presentation in the technical session, said the Punjab government was paying special attention to the development of the dairy and livestock sector. He said the government had launched a Buffalo Research Institute at the cost of Rs 340 million. Moreover, 440 chillers are being supplied on no profit no loss basis to the milk distributors through farmers and dairy associations, he added.