Pakistan becoming key exporter of farm products, machinery: Zahid

The Chairman of National Business Group Pakistan, the President of the Pakistan Businessmen and Intellectuals Forum, the President of All Karachi Industrial Alliance, the Chairman of the FPCCI Advisory Board, and the President and former provincial minister, Mian Zahid Hussain, said on Wednesday that SIFC’s focus on agricultural development is yielding promising results which is commendable.
He said that SIFC is striving to develop Pakistan’s agriculture according to its potential, which includes increasing agricultural production, exports, value addition, and exports of agricultural machinery. Mian Zahid Hussain said that efforts are being made to increase the agricultural area by developing uncultivated lands to increase production.
At the same time, modern methods are also being adopted, and water scarcity is being managed. Talking to the business community, the veteran business leader said that the export of tractors to Tanzania, an important country in East Africa is encouraging development. Neighboring countries would also buy Pakistani tractors from Tanzania.
The business leader said that SIFC has played a fundamental role in this matter, and attention is paid to the production, quality, and export of rice. In 2024, rice exports to Saudi Arabia alone have increased by 25 percent, while total exports have reached four billion dollars, which are planned to increase to five billion dollars in 2025.
In this regard, focus is being placed on better seeds, research, efficient cultivation, and production methods. He informed that innovation is being adopted to maintain competitiveness in the international rice market. Mian Zahid Hussain said that Pakistan’s agricultural system is being improved, and a foothold is being established in the global market.
The future of agriculture in Pakistan is bright because SIFC is making every possible effort in this regard. Our agricultural production accounts for more than 23 percent of the country’s GDP, and our industry also depends on the farm sector.
More than $10 billion in foreign exchange is earned in the form of exports from the cotton obtained from the agricultural sector, while India and China are earning more foreign exchange by 3 to 4 times by value addition of cotton.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that Pakistan is the fourth largest cotton producer in the world, fifth in milk production, sixth in wheat and sugarcane production, eleventh in rice production, sixteenth in meat production, and fourth largest producer of apricot production.
However, we are far behind in processing, packaging, and value addition resulting in a lot of wastage. The country has limited means for water shortage, expensive agricultural inputs, and poor seed quality are also matters of concern.
Mian Zahid Hussain said that Pakistan has the best canal system in the world. Still, much water is wasted before it reaches the fields. Due to the increasing use of pesticides and other chemicals, the water salinity problem is becoming serious, so there is a need to establish a standard for their use.
Land erosion is a significant problem in rainfed areas, which reduces fertility, land area, agricultural production, forest area, and water reserves. If the agricultural universities in the country are directly connected to the farmers, many problems can be solved.
Mian Zahid Hussain further said that there is a potential to double wheat production in the country, for which there is a need to cultivate high-yielding varieties, adopt modern technology, properly level the land, have an active irrigation system, increase the area under cultivation and encourage farmers, which will also reduce poverty.