Food ministry working with China to export donkey meat, hides, NA told

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR) informed the National Assembly that it is working closely with China to begin exporting donkey meat and hides from Pakistan.

The response came in a report presented by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research in reply to a question by Shazia Marri. The report stated that 1,000 federal agriculture graduates are being sent to China for training in seven disciplines of modern agriculture technologies.

Farm mechanisation is another area on which MNFSR is focusing to revolutionise agriculture sector. Advance farm machinery received from China was distributed among provinces. A mega project on farm mechanisation is under approval process. Amendments were made in Plant Quarantine Rules 2019 and Seed Business Rules 1987 were made to allow the import of hybrid Cotton Seed for the revival of cotton sector.

The EWR warehousing system was introduced in wheat in consultation with provinces to facilitate farmers to avail better storage facilities with instant credit facility up to 70 per cent of product market value. Export of dried chilies and sesame to China has seen a significant increase.

To increase local and international investment in agriculture supply chain, deregulation regime is being introduced in agri-commodities. It will make the Pakistan market internationally competitive.

The federal government through the Ministry of National Food Security & Research (MNFSR) and through the National Seed Development & Regulatory Authority (NSDRA) has taken the following concrete steps to address stagnating productivity and declining yields in major crops: 1. Revamping of the Variety Evaluation Committee (VEC) System: A systematic overhaul of the VEC mechanism is underway for key crops including wheat, cotton, rice, oilseeds and corn.

The new structure aims to ensure transparency, scientific rigor, and timely approval of high-yielding and climate-resilient varieties. 1. Digitisation and Automation of Regulatory Processes: NSDRA has launched a comprehensive Management Information System (MIS) to automate and streamline: Seed company registration; Nursery Registration; Variety registration and evaluation; Seed certification. This digital platform reduces delays, minimises human error, and enhances transparency in seed sector governance.

To introduce high-performing and stress-tolerant crop varieties, NSDRA has taken lead to facilitate stakeholders for the import and trialling of international wheat germplasm through coordinated efforts with the Department of Plant Protection (DPP).

The National Agri-Trade & Food Safety Authority (NAFSA) was established to facilitate the export of agro foods products, while the National Seed Development & Regularity Authority (NSDRA) was established to ensure the availability of high-quality seed to farmers which will increase their crop productivities.