LAHORE: Punjab Finance Minister Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari said on Saturday that ‘Pakistan Agri Expo 2022’ would prove to be an important platform for increasing agricultural exports.
He was talking to the media at the inaugural ceremony of two-day exhibition here at Expo Centre Johar Town.
He said that the present government was taking all possible steps for development of agriculture sector. In spite of financial difficulties, the Punjab government had allocated Rs 53.19 billion for agricultural development and prosperity of farmers in the FY2022-23 budget, out of which Rs 3.65 billion had been allocated for increasing production of crops.
He said that the government was taking all steps to increase agricultural exports. The event would be very beneficial for importers, exporters and other stakeholders, he added.
Punjab Agriculture Secretary Captain (retd) Asadullah Khan said that the Agriculture Department had organised the exhibition to promote the agricultural products and increase exports.
At the expo, 150 stalls had been set up by local and foreign companies while from 12 different countries, about 70 foreign delegations, along with 2,000 farmers, were participating in the exhibition. The exhibition would increase the demand for Pakistani agricultural products in world markets and increase our exports and strengthen the national economy, he added.
Special Secretary Agriculture (Marketing) Punjab Waqar Hussain, Additional Secretary Agriculture (Planning) Shirin Naz, Director General Agriculture (Extension) Dr. Anjum Ali, Director General Agriculture (Water Management) Malik Muhammad Akram and Director Agricultural Information Muhammad Rafiq Akhtar along with other senior officers participated in the inaugural ceremony of the exhibition.
A seminar was also organised at the exhibition for creating awareness among farmers.
