By Our Correspondent
LAHORE: A high-level delegation led by the Minister for Agriculture Punjab, Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, visited the headquarters of Egypt’s National Food Safety Authority. The delegation included Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Usama Khan Leghari, Secretary Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, Directors General Agriculture Ch. Abdul Hameed and Naveed Asmat Kahloon, progressive farmer Hassan Raza, and other key officials.
The delegation was warmly received by Chairman of Egypt’s National Food Safety Authority, Tarek El-Houby. During the meeting, both sides held detailed discussions on matters of mutual interest, food protection, and food safety.
Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani briefed the Egyptian officials on the measures taken in Punjab regarding food safety and appreciated Egypt’s successful model. Both parties agreed to promote bilateral cooperation in the field of food safety and expressed willingness for future collaboration through exchange of experiences, joint planning, and long-term partnership.
On this occasion, the Minister for Agriculture Punjab remarked that just like food security, food safety is equally important, as healthy food is the guarantee of a healthy life. He added that the Government of Punjab is fully committed to establishing a distinct status for the province in terms of food safety and is utilizing all possible resources to achieve this goal. He also noted that practical steps are being taken to improve crop quality and productivity in Punjab, while international standard methods are being adopted to ensure minimal and safe use of agricultural pesticides on food crops.
The Minister further stated that an effective awareness campaign on food safety is currently underway in Punjab, which is yielding positive results.
During the meeting, officials from both countries reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing mutual cooperation in the area of food safety.
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