Dutch Companies Discuss Joint Venture For Potato Seeds, Dairy: Sahibzada Muhammad Mehboob Sultan

Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Sahibzada Muhammad Mehboob Sultan Monday said that Pakistan and Holland could work together in dairy and meat sector of Pakistan for mutual benefits

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 18th Nov, 2019 ) :Federal Minister for National food Security and Research Sahibzada Muhammad Mehboob Sultan Monday said that Pakistan and Holland could work together in dairy and meat sector of Pakistan for mutual benefits.

Moreover, he said that exchange of experts, professionals and scientists in various areas of production and processing could also help in achieving the development tasks of the sector.

He stated this while talking to Dutch Agriculture Trade Mission which called on him here.

The representatives of private sector agro related Dutch companies, investors, public sector officials and officials of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research also attended the meeting.

The meeting focused on the prospects of Dutch investment in agro sector in Pakistan with special focus on seed potato and dairy processing.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that livestock sector was important sub-sector of agriculture in Pakistan; its role was crucial towards rural socio-economic development.

Since livestock sector of Netherlands was very progressive, Pakistan could utilize their expertise in livestock sector, he added.

Sahibzada Mehboob said that it was very important to enhance bilateral trade of processed dairy, poultry and meat products by providing market access and sharing the sanitary and phytosanitary requirements for import,export of these commodities.

It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan imports its total seed potato from Holland;.

It had imported 4735 MT in the year 2018-19. There were innumerable challenges towards achieving self reliance in seed potato as there was a dearth of locally developed high yielding seed potato verities.

Moreover, the seed of imported verities cannot be produced without integrating it with national requirement of registration of verities.

Mehboob Sultan said that local production system of seed potato could be started with the technical help from the Netherlands.

He also said that inviting private seed companies interested in local seed production and starting a joint venture with Dutch Companies on mutually agreed terms to start local production would be an ideal scenario.

Moreover, seed potato mini-tuber production program with a joint venture of public and private sector tissue culture laboratories and private sector seed companies in Pakistan could help both the countries.