LAHORE  -  Convener of the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Regional Standing Committee on Food, Shahid Imran, emphasised the importance of foreign direct investment (FDI) in corporate farming as a means to counter food insecurity and meet the population’s staple food needs. Talking to a delegation of progressive farmers led by Chaudhry Shaheer Asif Arain from Sahiwal, here on Sunday, he underscored the critical need for FDI to bolster Pakistan’s agriculture sector and foreign exchange reserves.

“Pakistan requires substantial foreign investment to bridge its current investment gap, improve agricultural and industrial production, create jobs, increase exports, and generate additional tax revenues,” he stated. He cited examples from countries like India and Indonesia, where public-private partnerships with foreign collaborators have enhanced local production of high-yielding seeds. These partnerships circumvent the lengthy process of developing new cultivars while ensuring affordable access to high-yield seeds, ultimately boosting crop productivity and farm incomes.

Highlighting the scope of corporate farming, he noted the need for capital investment in land acquisition, agricultural machinery, land development, and irrigation systems. “Corporate farming can also expand the cultivated area, increasing oilseed production and saving substantial foreign exchange,” he said. However, he stressed that beyond corporate farming, establishing an agro-industry through FDI is even more crucial for Pakistan. The country’s reliance on imports for critical agricultural inputs such as fertilisers, pesticides, and machinery—including harvesters and water pumps—continues to rise. Simultaneously, Pakistan’s agricultural exports largely consist of raw commodities with minimal value addition. Shahid Imran stated that Pakistan’s vast agriculture sector, coupled with its underdeveloped agro-industrial base, presents a significant opportunity to attract investments in both agricultural input production and agro-processing. “This is essential to address challenges such as high import bills, sluggish export growth, and rural poverty effectively,” he added.