Italian Ambassador to Pakistan Stefano Pontecorvo on Tuesday said that agricultural and economics relations between the both countries would be further cemented to get benefit from each other potential.

Italian Ambassador to Pakistan Stefano Pontecorvo on Tuesday said that agricultural and economics relations between the both countries would be further cemented to get benefit from each other potential. He called on University of Agriculture Faisalabad Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan at the Syndicate Room. All deans-directors and administrative heads attended the meeting. He said that agriculture and food sector, machinery, fruits and food processing, poultry, and textile sector were the potential areas for investment. He also said that Italy would provide machineries and expertise for agriculture and other food products along with services for technological training and capacity building for rural development. He added that Italy’s top 10 imports from Pakistan during 2014-15 amounted to $669.4 million including cotton worth $204.1 million. He said that the Italy will also assist Pakistan in olive oil, cotton, machineries for five major crops, dairy and poultry uplift, and other area of mutual concern. He said agricultural sector was subsidized in the European Union. He said his country was getting cooking oil from olive and peasant. UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that the cotton production has reduced to 35 percent this year mainly due to climate changes. He added that poultry had emerged as the biggest contributor to the GDP to the economy. He sought the assistance of Italy in the agricultural machinery. He said that it was the matter of concern that seed are sown in Pakistan by hand rather than machinery. He said that the machinery of crop harvesting were outdated that needed to be replaced in which Italy can play an active role. He noted that that the country was 35 million buffaloes and 34 million sheep. He said that the milk processing was the weak area in the country. He said that our country was importing the edible oil worth 3 billion dollar whereas it is need to promote the cultivation of oil plants to overcome the crisis.