MULTAN-Speakers at the concluding session of Sino-Pak Cotton Conference anticipated on Friday Chinese cotton technology would soon be available in Pakistan, adding that the bright future of both the countries is linked to the success of CPEC project.
The three-day Conference was organised by Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture (MNSUA) on Innovations in Cotton Breeding and Biotechnology and cotton experts from China, Turkey, USA and other countries participated in it. Out of total seven sessions of the conference, as many as three were held at MNSUA, two Bahauddin Zakariya University and two Central Cotton Research Institute. The experts read over 50 research papers during the conference.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice Chancellor of MNSUA Dr Rao Asif Ali disclosed that efforts were underway to ink Material Transfer Agreement with China within two years to bring latest Chinese technology to Pakistan. He added that all out steps would be taken to take benefit from Chinese technology. He declared that the technology would be shared with local stakeholders and farmers. He said that cotton was prime crop of Pakistan and Sino-Pak Cotton Conference was first step towards bossting this crop.
Addressing the conference, Director Agriculture Research Dr Abid Mahmood said that collaboration between Pakistani and Chinese scientists would be forged to improve cotton crop. He declared that high quality hybrid seeds would be supplied to the farmers to boost per capita income. He declared that the scientists from both countries would visit each other’s countries to work on joint projects.
Speaking at the concluding session Dr Zhang Rui said that China had developed over 200 disease resistant varieties of BT cotton. She declared that China was ready to extend all out support to Pakistan for boosting cotton production. Dr Aftab Bashir said that Chinese technology was unique in the world and Pakistan could benefit from it. Dr Xiaofend Su, Dr Ufuk Demirel from Turkey, Dr Tahira Fatima from US, Dr Zahid Mahmood, Dr Hammad, Dr Waqas Malik, Arsalan Khan and Dr Zulfiqar Ali also spoke on this occasion.