FAISALABAD, March 30: Scientists and technologists urged the food industry in Pakistan to come up with new ideas and value added products to meet the WTO challenges.

They said at the inaugural session of “National Workshop on Quality Assurance in Food Industries” organised by the Institute of Food Science and Technology here on Thursday at the University of Agriculture the WTO agreement on agriculture had set a stage for globalisation of food and agriculture with quality assurance as the focal point.

Agricultural University vice-chancellor Dr Bashir Ahmad said in the highly competitive global market, value added products fetch better price. The food industry could play a major role in the economic growth of the country.

He said “we are aware that the process of globalisation has profound impact on all regions. The WTO has reinforced this process and its regulations and different agreements are crafting a new era of trade regimes.”

IFST director Prof Dr Faqir Muhammad Anjum said in his welcome address agriculture and food sectors were closely inter-linked.

He regretted that most of the population was confronted with problems like poverty, malnutrition, adulteration, poor hygiene and sanitation, inadequate drinking water and improper enforcement of pure food laws.

He said there were more than 300 standards relating to food composition, quality and safety.

Hans Gunner Bertil Svennson of Sweden in his keynote address said Pakistan has great potential in the field of food science and technology. He hoped that the workshop would help create a new sense of wisdom and knowledge about current quality systems.

He said Pakistani scientists and food technologists were taking necessary measures to enhance competitiveness.

Prof Dr Javed Aziz Awan and Dr Masood Sadiq Butt also spoke on the occasion.