TEHRAN: Pakistan and Iran have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral trade ties, identifying agriculture as a key sector for collaboration and mutual growth.
The consensus was reached during a meeting between Pakistan’s Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and Governor of Iran’s Qom Province Akbar Behnamjou on Wednesday in Qom.
The Pakistani Minister stressed the potential of agriculture to act as a cornerstone for food security and economic integration between the two nations and highlighted the capacity of Pakistan to supply high-quality rice, mangoes, halal meat, and maize, Radio Pakistan reported.
He emphasised Pakistan’s willingness to share its expertise in key agricultural sectors, including rice, wheat, mangoes, and citrus fruits, while also expressing interest in learning from Iran’s strengths in saffron, pistachios, and dried fruits—highlighting the potential for a mutually beneficial partnership.
Iran, in turn, agreed to source a significant portion of its rice imports from Pakistan, address outstanding issues related to mango export permits and foreign exchange allocations, and import large quantities of maize and meat, aiming to rely on Pakistan for around sixty percent of its meat imports.
Rana Tanveer Hussain welcomed Iran’s commitment to substantially increase trade with Pakistan in the agriculture sector.
Both sides agreed to improve customs procedures, strengthen sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) protocols, and enhance trade infrastructure such as cold chains and warehousing—crucial measures to ensure the quality and efficiency of agricultural trade between the two countries.
On this occasion, the Minister extended an invitation to Governor Behnamjou and relevant agricultural officials for a reciprocal visit to Pakistan.
Rana Tanveer Hussain emphasised that people-to-people and institutional exchanges would further strengthen this newly energised partnership.
Earlier this month, during the visit of Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian to Pakistan, the two countries signed and exchanged 12 agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to strengthen bilateral cooperation across a wide range of sectors.
The agreements included collaboration on plant protection and quarantine, joint use of the Mirjaveh-Taftan border crossing, and cooperation in science, technology, and innovation.
