LAHORE: Director of Agro and Food at the Ministry of Investment, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Daifullah AlFawaz led a series of high-level meetings with key stakeholders to explore investment and trade opportunities in Pakistan’s agro-food sector.
During the second day of the FoodAg Manufacturing 2025 exhibition at the Lahore Expo Centre here on Thursday, AlFawaz met with the Punjab agriculture minister, the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), and the Pakistan Halal Authority (PHA) to discuss collaborations in agritech, halal certification, and food exports. He also held discussions with leading companies focusing on expanding exports of Pakistani rice, meat, fruit concentrates, and sustainable packaging solutions to Saudi Arabia.
He toured the exhibition halls, exploring the diverse offerings from provincial stalls representing Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Sindh. He also visited major processing facilities. The visit underscored the growing economic ties between the two nations and laid the groundwork for future investments and trade expansion in the agro-food sector.
High-profile meetings were also held with Chief Executive Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP) Faiz Ahmad and Secretary TDAP Sheryar Taj, in collaboration with representatives from the Punjab, KP, and Balochistan governments, centred on enhancing investment and bilateral trade in critical agricultural and food sectors. The discussions highlighted trade opportunities in agriculture, fisheries, seeds, meat, fruits, value-added fruits, and vegetables with key markets such as China, Japan, Korea, Italy, Turkey, and the US. A major focus was on the relocation of industries from China under the CPEC framework, with plans for follow-up meetings through Pakistan’s trade missions in China and other strategic markets. The potential for agro-processing machinery collaboration with South Korea, Japan, and Italy was also explored in depth, emphasising technological partnerships and investment opportunities to boost the sector’s growth.
The second day was marked by vibrant Business-to-Business (B2B) networking sessions, high profile meetings and the showcasing of cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions. International and national exhibitors engaged in meaningful collaborations, while the PHDEC Pavilion highlighted Pakistan’s agricultural potential.
The exhibition brought together over 152 exhibitors, including 37 international participants from China, Japan, Italy, Turkiye, South Korea, and other countries, alongside 44 national exhibitors and 24 packaging companies. The exhibition was divided into six key sectors: ‘Agritech Solutions’, ‘Agro-Livestock Processing Machinery’, ‘Packaging Machinery’, ‘Food Storage’, ‘Supply Chain’, and ‘Ingredients’.
During the event, TDAP played a pivotal role in facilitating over 347 B2B meetings between buyers and exhibitors, leading to numerous business deals and partnerships while 4 MoUs were signed, marking significant collaborations across diverse sectors.
These included Badot (specializing in potato-based cosmetics), Bio Mark Pharmaceuticals, World Trading (focused on R&D for amino acid fertilisers and high-quality potato and garlic seeds), Wireless Seeds, STS Robotech (innovating in fried chicken production and robotics), and Dawon Solution (advancing livestock waste management technologies). These agreements underscore the exhibition’s success in fostering innovation, cross-border partnerships, and sustainable growth in the food and agriculture industries.
Moreover, factory visits were organised for international delegations, including a Chinese company and a Korean company, further strengthening cross-border collaborations. The event proved to be a transformative event, driving innovation, collaboration, and growth in the food and agriculture industry. The exhibition set a new benchmark for future events, with its diverse range of exhibitors, cutting-edge technologies, and successful B2B engagements.
