MULTAN, July 11: A four-member delegation of Chinese farm scientists has visited the ongoing Fruit Fly Management Project in Kabirwala area of Khanewal district here. The delegation was accompanied by the first secretary of the Chinese embassy in Pakistan. The FFMP is being carried out in Amirpur village of Kabirwala in collaboration with the National Agricultural Research Council to evolve method to control the menace of fruit fly in mango orchards.

Researchers engaged in the project — Dr Ghulam Jillani, Rafiq Masih, Ataullah and Junaid briefed visitors about the FFMP and its objectives. The delegation also visited various mango orchards in the vicinity and praised the quality and taste of Pakistani mangoes.

Earlier, Mango Growers Association president Zahid Husain Gardezi had welcomed the Chinese delegation at the FFMP site and appreciated the Pakistan-China cooperation in the agricultural research field. He said these relations would further strengthen in the wake of growing mango trade between the two friendly countries.

Mango growers, he said, would strictly adhere to the global standards of fruit quality and would follow the MoU signed between the two countries in this regard.

He stressed the need for fresh mango export from Pakistan to China. Besides, he said there was also a bright scope for Chinese investors to have joint ventures with their Pakistani counterparts to help establish mango processing industry here to increase shelf life of the fruit.