Pakistan eyes China’s sugarcane technology to boost sugar exports

LAHORE: Pakistan and China trade officials on Tuesday discussed measures to enhance their cooperation in the sugarcane sector, aiming to produce high-grade sugar and export it to the world market, a statement said on Tuesday.

The Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) held a think tank session at its secretariat in Lahore, where experts from China and Pakistan discussed the potential of collaboration in the sugar industry.

Moazzam Ghurki, president of PCJCCI, observed that there is a great scope of cooperation between China and Pakistan in the agriculture sector, including the ‘sugar industry’. “Pakistan and China need to cooperate with each other so that they can learn from mutual experiences for mutual gains,” Ghurki said.

PCJCCI president said that the sugarcane cooperation between China and Pakistan would bring a sweet revolution and make the friendship between the two nations “sweeter than honey”. “Our responsibility is to connect people and experts from China and Pakistan and provide them a platform. This is what we are doing with zeal and zest,” Ghurki said.

He said that China and Pakistan should join hands to promote sugarcane production and processing using modern technology and techniques, such as tissue culture, disease-free seedlings and integrated pest management. “Believe me, two iron friends can export sugar to the world if they enhance cooperation in this field.”

Fang Yulong, senior vice president of PCJCCI, said that China’s Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS) has been providing training and assistance to scientists from more than 90 countries, including Pakistan, in the field of sugarcane.

He said that CATAS has developed leading sugarcane varieties that offer great resistance against diseases and pests, and can increase the yield and quality of sugar. “As CPEC inches near to completion in Pakistan, we are offering our latest agricultural technology to Pakistan. We are here to modernize Pakistan’s agriculture sector,” Fang said, referring to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, a flagship project of China’s Belt and Road Initiative.

Yulong said that Pakistan is a traditional agricultural country, but there is still a lot more to do to modernize its agriculture sector to enable it to meet international standards.

Hamza Khalid, vice president of PCJCCI, said that Pakistan’s sugarcane industry could not prosper until growers get access to the best sugarcane varieties and practices. He said that Pakistan should start a sugarcane breeding program with the help of China, and learn from its experience and expertise.

The PCJCCI officials also expressed their hope that the sugarcane cooperation between China and Pakistan would create more jobs, income and opportunities for the people of both countries.