ISLAMABAD: An Iranian delegation led by Abbas Askarzadeh, Iranian Deputy Minister of Agriculture Jihad, called on Minister for National Food Security and Research Tariq Bashir Cheema here at his office on Thursday.
Welcoming the delegation, Tariq Bashir Cheema said Pak-Iran relations are entering a new-phase based on mutually beneficial agriculture ties to ensure food security in both the countries. The Minister said that barter trade between Pakistan and Iran will enhance and facilitate both sides soon. Under the barter trade, Pakistan will export oranges in exchanged for Iranian apples.
Iranian Deputy Minister of Agriculture Jihad while agreeing, said that barter trade between Pakistan and Iran has very promising prospects. In coming days under the barter agreement, both countries will share a list of products which they will trade under the said agreement.
Tariq Bashir Cheema hoped that both countries will work in the future together for the betterment of agriculture sector and welfare of people of the both countries. The Iranian Deputy Minister of Agriculture Jihad thanked for hosting him at the Ministry of National Food Security and Research.
He said he is delighted to work with Pakistan and look forward to increase cooperation and partnership in agriculture sector with Pakistan. He said Iran will meet the agricultural needs of Pakistan and will introduce Pakistani agricultural products in Iran.
Iranian Deputy Minister of Agriculture Jihad said that Pakistan and Iran are neighbors which share a special connection of Islam. He said there is a huge potential of trade between the two countries, unfortunately, which was not capitalized in the past. He invited Federal Minister Tariq Bashir Cheema to visit Iran and hold a meeting with the Iranian Agricultural Jihad Minister to further promote trade relation in agriculture.
The Federal Minster underlined that there is vast potential existing in the trade and agriculture cooperation which should be materialized by overcoming the hurdles and venturing into collaborations. Both sides discussed trade options on fertilizer and urea to help meet the local consumption. During the meeting, both vowed to meet the agricultural products’ local demand in the two counties.