Latest news with #AyubAgriculturalResearchInstitute
Express Tribune
22-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Sesame seed exports to China hit $49 million
Listen to article Pakistan's sesame seed exports to China have soared to unprecedented levels, reaching nearly $49 million between January and April 2025. This surge marks a major milestone in the growing agricultural trade between the two countries. Pakistan's Ambassador to China, Khalil Hashmi, credited the growth to domestic innovation and China's rising demand for quality imports. He praised the contributions of local research institutions, such as the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI) and its Oilseeds Research Institute (ORI) team, for driving productivity through improved seed varieties and advanced farming techniques. "While supply-side developments such as improved seed varieties and research-led farming techniques have played a vital role, it is China's growing consumer demand, preference for high-quality imports, and competitive pricing that are driving this record-setting trend," he said. Pakistan's rise in China's sesame import market has been dramatic. In 2019, it ranked 14th with $4.6 million in exports. By 2024, it climbed to third by value at $226.53 million, and second by volume, with 177,640 tonnes exported. From January to April 2025, exports hit 38,828 tonnes, valued at $48.58 million, a 337% year-on-year increase. Gopal Khamuani, Chairman of Pakistan Sesame Exporters Association, cited Pakistan's advantage in average export price at $1,300 per tonne, fast 1520 day transit via sea and land, and 510 day processing times. Hashmi outlined a strategic roadmap to deepen trade ties through better seed quality, value-added processing, expanded e-commerce, and joint ventures. "Our goal must be to move beyond raw exports and tap into China's booming sesame-based product market, valued between $4.7 and $9.5 billion annually," he said. He also highlighted key initiatives, including the September 2024 trade event that secured $28 million in deals and registration of 177 Pakistani sesame companies in China. "Our sesame trade with China is more than an export story - it's a blueprint for shared prosperity," Hashmi concluded.
Express Tribune
05-04-2025
- Science
- Express Tribune
Research units sign memorandum
Listen to article A memorandum of cooperation was signed by the Institute of Cotton Research of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (ICR-CAAS) and the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad in Anyang, Henan province on March 25, aimed at launching comprehensive cooperation in cotton germplasm innovation, pest-resistant breeding, and cultivation technologies. Under the new agreement, both sides will collaborate on germplasm collection and identification, variety improvement focused on pest resistance, joint breeding and field trials across both countries, and the integration of advanced cultivation techniques. The partnership also aims to strengthen talent exchange and training, contributing to the development of a China-Pakistan cotton technology community. As part of the visit, a Pakistani delegation engaged in in-depth academic exchanges with ICR scientists and toured research facilities such as the National Key Laboratory for Cotton Bio-breeding. The experts gained a detailed understanding of China's cutting-edge advancements in insect-resistant gene editing and cotton germplasm innovation. Ayub Agricultural Research Institute Director General Agri-Research Dr Abid Mahmood hailed ICR's scientific capacity and expressed strong interest in leveraging China's technologies to accelerate agricultural modernisation in Pakistan. ICR-CAAS is the only state-level organisation for professional cotton research in China. According to the institute, this cooperation serves as a key platform under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), promoting the global application of China's agricultural innovations and offering sustainable solutions for the future of the cotton industry worldwide.
