ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: Minister for National Food Security and Research Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan on Monday asked Belarus to set up assembly plants for farm related machinery and tractors in Pakistan to help lowering down the prices of the machinery and tractors in the country.
Talking to the Deputy Prime Minister, Belarus, Vladimir Semashko who met with him here, Sikandar Bosan said that most of the Pakistani farmers prefer to buy Belarus Tractor due to its high efficiency, however he conveyed the concern of the local farmers in terms of the high prices of tractors being imported from Belarus, said a press release.
Sikander Hayat Khan Bosan requested the Deputy Prime Minister Belarusto consider lowering the prices of tractors and other agriculture related machinery and also set up assembly plants for farm related machinery and tractors in Pakistan.
Earlier the Minister warmly welcomed honorable guest in his office and they discussed matters of mutual interest in detail in various areas including dairy products, cotton, wool, agricultural machinery, farm mechanization technology and infant food formula production.
Both the countries share common trends in consumption of milk and other related dairy products.
Pakistan is an agricultural country and its annual trade with Belarus is worth US$56 million of which major part consists on agricultural products.
It is pertinent to note here that as compared to 44 per cent duty on farm machinery in previous governments, the current government has decreased it to 5 per cent only.
At the end of a very interactive and positive meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister Belarus expressed his positive expectations for developing mutual ties in terms of agriculture as well as livestock related trade.
He also cordially invited Sikander Hayat Khan Bosan along with his team of experts to their largest trade exhibition Belagra being held in Belarus in first quarter of 2017.
