KARACHI: Agricultural Counselor of United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rey Santella has said although they were inviting the US business community but many of them were still reluctant to visit Pakistan mainly due to negative perception and also because of legal and Information Technology related hurdles that need to be addressed, says a Press release.
Pakistan had many challenges in the past but the country has been progressing well and the situation was much better now. Good opportunities for US investors exist in Pakistan where they can surely explore trade and investment opportunities in numerous sectors including the agriculture, dairy, food items and animal feeds etc., he added while speaking at a meeting during his visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
President KCCI Agha Shahab Ahmed Khan, Senior Vice President Arshad Islam, Vice President Shahid Ismail, Former President Haroon Agar, Former SVP Abdul Basit Abdul Razzak and KCCI Managing Committee Members attended the meeting.
Rey Santella pointed out that besides exporting meat, soybean and other agricultural products, non-fat dry milk worth US$50 million was also being sent to Pakistan annually. “There is a big potential for further expanding trade and investment ties between the two countries but the business communities will have to meet more frequently so that this potential could be realized.
Meanwhile, USDA, which is already cooperating in the agriculture sector, is ready to provide technical assistance and training of trainers in the dairy and animal husbandry that would lead to improving the productivity.
He sought KCCI’s assistance in identifying numerous trade opportunities so that these could accordingly be focused and disseminated amongst US companies with a view to improve the existing trade ties between the two countries.
Rey Santella further informed that USDA will be participating in Gulfood Exhibition scheduled to be staged in Dubai in February 2020 where Pakistani companies can visit the stalls of numerous US companies to examine their products and services.
Earlier, President KCCI Agha Shahab Ahmed Khan, in his welcome address, stated that it was really heartening to see many US companies were taking keen interest in Pakistani market hence, it was the right time to fully facilitate and encourage joint ventures between the business communities of the two countries in numerous sectors.