December 19, 2003	Friday	Shawwal 24, 1424

ISLAMABAD, Dec 18: The visiting business delegations from Japan and China have shown their keen interest in providing cooperation in the field of manufacturing and supply and transfer of technology in the agriculture sector.

The two delegations, which together called on Food, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Sardar Yar Muhammad Rind here on Thursday, offered wide ranging of assistance to Pakistan in the farm sector implement manufacture.

According to an official announcement, Japanese representative informed the minister that they in collaboration with Shantui were producing good quality bulldozers and had established network to provide quality, efficiency and after sale service.

They further discussed the possibility of providing soft-term financial package for the bulldozers and other agriculture machinery.

The minister informed the delegation that such offers of supply and after sale service had been received from other countries also and all the aspects viz-a-viz the financial package, efficiency, demonstration reports and the provincial government needs and requirements would be kept in view while discussions on the import of such machinery and the negotiations with various companies were in progress.

The minister said the matter would be decided by the cabinet. He said there was an urgent need to replenish the existing stock as no addition to the existing stock had been made for the last three years and most of the machines had out-lived mechanical and economic life.

It was recommended that the Chinese suppliers/manufacturers might send their machinery for test and train in Pakistan.

The Japanese and Chinese business delegations included: T. Kayata, president, Overseas Marketing, Komatsu; Liu Jun, president, CATIC, Beijing Co; Zhang Xin Wen, vice-chairman of Shantui Construction Machinery Company Ltd, China; and Shun Imaizurni, president, KIJ Access Corporation, Japan.