Korean Ambassador Mr Kwak Sung-Kyu along with Korean Economic Counselor called on Federal Minister National Food Security & Research Sahibzada Muhammad Mehboob Sultan here in Islamabad today. The meeting basically focused on agro cooperation between the two friendly nations. South Korea is an industrialized nation and with that there has been tremendous increase in urbanization and hence an increased demand for food which resulted in Korea being leading importer of food products. In this backdrop, a series of cooperation /meetings between the two countries formally started in the year 2015. The Federal Minister was apprised that in the first week of December 2018 a delegation of Korean agricultural experts is visiting Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) and National Agriculture Research Council (NARC) to monitor the research facilities and identify the areas where the mutual cooperation could be extended in the field of research. Pakistan has backed/supported the establishment of World Fisheries University (WFU) in Korea at international forum. Federal Minister Mehboob Sultan said that MoU in the field of agriculture with the Republic of Korea will be formally signed and it will include wider areas of cooperation and Pakistan is working in close cooperation in USA for sector development and research purposes but we need a close partner in the region and Korea equipped with modern agro technology could be very viable choice when it comes to small agro machinery as there is at least 50k tractors shortage and also in the field of seed/cage fishing, rice improvement, integrated pest management and animal sciences sector. The Minister further said that with signing of the MoU (at negotiating stage) this would be formalized through the respective governments of both the countries. Sahibzada Mehboob Sultan was of the view that Korea is getting small amount of food items from Pakistan especially mango, rice, kinnow and dates but the scope needs to be widened and in this regard Korean experts could help with modern technologies, and assist for value addition in vegetables, fruit and dairy products. The Federal Minister further said that a mega cage fishing project is likely to be announced soon in all four provinces which will promote cage fishing culture and will also identify the potential to augment the production of cold water fish in KPK and Gilgit Baltistan as Pakistan is targeting to increase its fisheries exports from $40 million to $1 billion, he said since Korea is expert in deep sea fisheries and cage fishing, Pakistan could seek assistance in the sector from Korea. Korea ambassador H.E Mr. Sung-kyu told the Federal Minister that the Republic of Korea could facilitate Pakistan in cage fishing by providing cage material, seed fish, storage, transportation facility according to international standards. He further told the honorable Federal Minister that Republic of Korea is looking forward to train Pakistan Fisheries experts/scientists through trainings and thereby equip them with technologies which would be internationally viable. Sahibzada Mehmoob Sultan welcomed the proposals and expressed his Ministry’s interest in the prospective establishment of Center of Excellence (CoE) under Korean program on International Agriculture (KOPIA), for which a formal request to Korea through Economic Affairs Division (EAD) has been sent. Korea has expressed its interest in the establishment of CoE and it will likely to be finalized after the visit of Korean research experts who will monitor the future prospects for a period of time and it may take a little time but it will be a welcoming sign, Federal Minister said. Federal Minister MNFS&R expressed his gratitude and in his concluding note said that the signing of MoU will open the new vistas/venues of cooperation following which a Joint Working group would be formulated to expedite the process. Federal Secretary MNFS&R and Chairman PARC were also present in the meeting.
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