Federal Minister for National Food Security & Research, Rana Tanveer Hussain, held a meeting with Canadian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Mr. Tarik Ali Khan, to discuss avenues for enhancing bilateral cooperation in agriculture, livestock development, agri-business investment, and trade.
Welcoming the High Commissioner, the Federal Minister appreciated Canada's longstanding partnership with Pakistan and acknowledged Canada's global expertise in sustainable agriculture, livestock management, food production, and agricultural innovation. He emphasized that Pakistan highly values its relationship with Canada and is keen to expand cooperation in areas that can contribute to food security, agricultural modernization, and economic growth.
The Minister noted that agriculture remains a cornerstone of Pakistan's economy, contributing approximately 25 percent to the country's GDP and providing livelihoods to millions of people. He observed that despite agriculture contributing only a small share to Canada's GDP, the country has emerged as a global leader in agricultural productivity, advanced farming technologies, and value-added food production.
Rana Tanveer Hussain highlighted that Canada is one of Pakistan's most important agricultural partners. He informed the High Commissioner that Pakistan spends nearly 4 to 5 billion US dollars annually on edible oil imports and is actively pursuing policies to boost domestic oilseed production. He expressed Pakistan's interest in benefiting from Canadian expertise in canola cultivation, seed development, mechanized farming, and agricultural research to reduce the country's import dependence.
The Minister also underscored Pakistan's potential as an exporter of high-quality agricultural products, including mangoes, rice, kinnow, dates, and halal meat products. He emphasized that closer cooperation between the two countries could facilitate market access, value addition, and enhanced trade opportunities for agricultural commodities.
Discussing future areas of collaboration, Rana Tanveer Hussain proposed joint initiatives in hybrid seed research, livestock breed improvement, embryo transfer technology, feed formulation, farm mechanization, dairy and meat processing, packaging technologies, and agricultural value chains. He also sought Canadian technical support for capacity building, animal health information systems, import risk assessment, and disease control programs aimed at improving Pakistan's compliance with international standards and accessing premium export markets.
The Minister welcomed recent progress in bilateral agricultural relations, including the finalization of the Veterinary Health Certificate for the import of live animals and ongoing cooperation regarding the export of day-old chicks and hatching eggs. He also requested support in resolving certification and registration matters related to canola imports and facilitating access for Pakistani halal products in the Canadian market.
Speaking on the occasion, Canadian High Commissioner Mr. Tarik Ali Khan reaffirmed Canada's commitment to strengthening its partnership with Pakistan in agriculture and agri-business. He appreciated the Government of Pakistan's efforts to modernize the agriculture sector and acknowledged the vast opportunities available for mutually beneficial cooperation.
The High Commissioner informed the Minister that Canada is actively engaging its major agricultural provinces and stakeholders to explore investment opportunities in Pakistan's agriculture and livestock sectors. He noted that Canada is among the world's largest producers of canola while Pakistan is one of its major consumers, making cooperation in this area a natural and strategic partnership.
Mr. Tarik Ali Khan also shared that Canada's Minister of Agriculture is expected to visit Pakistan in July, which will provide an important opportunity to deepen bilateral engagement, strengthen institutional linkages, and explore new avenues of cooperation in agriculture, food security, and agri-business investment.
The High Commissioner further appreciated recent diplomatic developments in the region and described the recent understanding between the United States and Iran as a historic achievement that could contribute positively to regional stability, economic cooperation, and sustainable development.
Both sides agreed that enhanced collaboration in agriculture, livestock, food processing, technology transfer, and investment would contribute significantly to strengthening bilateral relations and creating new economic opportunities for both countries.
Concluding the meeting, Federal Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to expanding agricultural cooperation with Canada and proposed the establishment of a Joint Working Group to ensure regular follow-up on technical cooperation, trade facilitation, investment opportunities, and market access initiatives.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to translating the strong bilateral relationship between Pakistan and Canada into tangible outcomes for farmers, businesses, and consumers in both countries.
