ISLAMABAD, April 23: The Chilean government would help Pakistan Horticulture development and Export Board (PHDEB) in the establishment of a model fresh fruit farm in Pakistan. This was stated by Senior Vice Minister of Economic Affairs, Government of Chile, Carlos Alverez in a meeting with Minister of State for Commerce Hamid Yar Hiraj and Secretary Commerce Tasneem Noorani in Chile recently.

An official announcement issued on Saturday said that Chilean government has already have an experience of developing and operating a model fresh fruit farm in China.

They showed their willingness to help PHDEB for establishing the same kind of model farm in Pakistan. Mr Carlos told the Pakistani delegation that his government was willing to cooperate and he would ask the officials of Ministry of Agriculture along with the experts of National Society of Agriculture, Chile to visit Pakistan in this regard.

During the meeting, Secretary Commerce Tasneem Noorani pointed out the competitive strength of Chile in the field of agriculture and expressed the desire of government of Pakistan for mutual collaboration and transfer of technology to help build the capacity of Pakistani fresh fruits growers.

President of National Society of Agriculture Luis Schmidt welcomed the Pakistani delegation suggestions and informed that he would soon be sending a team of experts who would study the dynamics of fresh fruit farming and trading in Pakistan and would come up with recommendations for capacity building of Pakistani fresh fruit farmers.