Pakistan Prime Minister visits ITC pavilion
The Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mian Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif visited the International Trade Centre’s (ITC) pavilion at the second edition of International Food and Agriculture Exhibition in the Sindh province capital, Karachi.
During his stop at the pavilion set up by Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress (GRASP) project, funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by ITC, the Prime Minister also spoke with ITC Director Escipion Joaquín Oliveira Gomez and expressed his appreciation for ITC’s unwavering support to Pakistan’s business communities.
The project featured prominently at this year’s Food Ag Expo 2024, representing 22 districts across Sindh and Balochistan.
In a significant achievement for the participating SMEs, exporters from Europe, Africa, and Asia showed keen interest in the high-quality offerings, highlighting Pakistan’s rich diversity in food and agriculture products on the global stage.
SMEs successfully secured international orders for a range of products, including mangoes, dates, banana fibre, and various by-products of agriculture.
On the sidelines of the expo, GRASP also organized a seminar focused on exporting food products to the EU. Global trade experts shared their insights with Pakistani traders, covering critical topics such as the EU Green Deal and the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). The seminar aimed to equip local businesses with the knowledge and strategies needed to navigate these upcoming regulations and explore new markets for Pakistani food and agriculture products across Europe.
On the second day of the Expo, Federal Minister for Commerce and Industries, Mr. Jam Kamal, visited the GRASP pavilion. He commended the SMEs for their remarkable efforts and expressed his admiration for their success in securing global orders, despite operating with limited resources and capacity.
Inaugurations in Sindh province
During the visit, the Director also inaugurated two facilities in Tando Muhammad Khan, Sindh for two SMEs received 30 million PKR each through matching grants.
One of the recipients, Nizamani Labwill utilize the funds to test banana tissue culture aimed at combating crop diseases.
A cold storage unit for Rashdi Farms, designed to help local farmers extend the shelf life of their produce was also inaugurated that will help enhance national consumption and export opportunities.
In Karachi, Director Oliveira Gomez, alongside Governor Sindh Kamran Khan Tessori, distributed checks to SMEs from Sindh as part of the third cycle of matching grants, in a ceremony held at the Governor's House.
He also met with the Chief Secretary of Sindh to discuss the formulation and implementation of the Sindh SME Competitiveness Strategy.
GRASP project has provided vital support to over 30,000 SMEs in Sindh and Balochistan provinces. The project continues to improve the business environment for these enterprises while assisting federal and provincial governments in developing policies that enhance the competitiveness of Pakistan's SMEs.
