ISLAMABAD: Pakistani and Chinese companies signed 79 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) worth an estimated $4.5 billion during the Pakistan–China Agriculture Investment Conference held in Islamabad, reflecting growing Chinese investor confidence in Pakistan’s agriculture and food sectors, officials said on Tuesday.

Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain said the scale of agreements marked a shift from dialogue-driven engagement to investment-led collaboration between the two countries.

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According to organisers, the conference brought together 119 Chinese companies and more than 191 Pakistani firms, focusing on sectors such as fertilisers, seed development, agricultural machinery, precision farming, and smart irrigation systems.

The event was organised by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research as part of broader efforts to deepen bilateral agricultural cooperation and strengthen economic engagement under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

“The conference was designed to deliver tangible outcomes through direct B2B matchmaking, targeted sectoral engagement, and project-based investment facilitation,” the minister said, adding that it moved beyond conventional discussions to concrete commercial partnerships.

Officials said the MoUs span ten high-impact agricultural and allied sub-sectors, including food processing and value addition, agri-technology, seeds and plant protection, livestock and dairy, meat and poultry, fruits and vegetables, fisheries and aquaculture, animal feed, post-harvest infrastructure, and agricultural inputs.

Pakistan and China have been steadily expanding cooperation in agriculture, with a focus on mechanisation, high-yield seed varieties, livestock development, and value-added food processing. Officials believe enhanced agricultural ties could help Pakistan boost exports, strengthen food security, and create employment, particularly in rural areas, while offering Chinese companies access to a large and growing agricultural market.

The minister noted that Pakistan’s exports to China reached approximately $2.38 billion in fiscal year 2024–25, while imports stood at $16.3 billion, reflecting strong bilateral trade flows despite global economic challenges.

He said extensive preparatory work was carried out ahead of the conference, including structured consultations with Pakistani industry bodies and Chinese enterprises, to align investment proposals with market demand, technological needs, and national development priorities.

“These investments are expected to modernise Pakistan’s agricultural value chains, introduce advanced production and processing technologies, and significantly enhance productivity,” Rana Tanveer Hussain said.

He added that the inflow of capital and technology would help generate large-scale employment, improve farm-to-market linkages, reduce post-harvest losses, and increase farmer incomes, particularly across rural communities.