Punjab and Argentina pushes to improve livestock co-operation

Pubjab and Argentina is set to enhance co-operation in livestock, agriculture and other sectors, as well as to promote public-private partnership and mutual exchange of delegations.

Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif said that Punjab is rich in natural resources and there are vast opportunities of investment in various sectors, noting that a working group has already been constituted for considering the prospects of cooperation between Punjab and Argentine in different sectors as well as promotion of public-private partnership.

According to Sharif, Punjab is an agrarian province and is playing an important role in meeting the food requirements of the country. He said that there is a wide scope of investment in livestock sector in Punjab and introduction of modern technology in this sector can help overcome poverty and unemployment problem as well as earn huge foreign exchange through export of livestock products.

In addition, about 35 million rural population of Punjab is associated with livestock sector and the province has top breeds of cows and buffaloes. He said that Punjab government is concentrating on development of livestock sector and a buffalo research institute has been set up at Pattoki. A state-of-the-art veterinary university is also being established in Bahawalpur and an agreement has been signed with University of Glasgow for this purpose.

Similarly, Sharif said, five community farms are being established in Cholistan for the purpose of uplifting the livestock sector which will result in prosperity of the farmers of the area as well as leave a positive impact on economy. He said that a modern slaughter house is being established in Lahore and Argentine can provide assistance for this project.

He suggests that Argentine should extend cooperation in the setting up of a meat processing plant and Punjab and Argentine can launch a joint venture for mutual benefit.

By setting up meat processing plant, Sharif said that high quality Halal meat could be exported to Middle East, Iran, Turkey and other countries for earning foreign exchange.