Malaysia seeks to strengthen agricultural commodities trade with Pakistan

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia aims to strengthen agricultural commodities trade relations with Pakistan through a recent three-day working visit to the republic by Plantation Industries and Commodities Minister Datuk Zuraida Kamaruddin.

During the visit from March 30 to April 1, 2022, the Malaysian delegation also promoted the country's primary agricultural commodities, namely palm oil, rubber, timber, pepper, cocoa, and kenaf.

In a statement today, the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities said Zuraida held a special roundtable session with Islamabad and the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce to disseminate the latest information about Malaysian commodities among the industry players.

The chamber members were also invited to do more business and joint ventures with Malaysia, particularly in developing downstream products such as oleochemicals, natural rubber seismic bearing, rubberised road, timber doors, premium chocolate, and pepper, it added.

The chamber members present were also invited to participate in the Malaysia International Agricommodity Expo and Summit (MIACES) held on July 26-26, 2022, in Kuala Lumpur.

"Before the meeting with the Islamabad and Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce, the minister met with Abdul Razak Dawood, Adviser of Commerce and Investment to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and the Ayub Afridi, Adviser of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development to the Prime Minister of Pakistan, on two separate occasions.

"(The meetings were) to discuss ways to expand Malaysia's agricommodity market share in Pakistan, possible collaboration in research and development for agricommodity sector and the possibility of recruiting Pakistan workers to work in Malaysian's oil palm plantation," said the ministry.

Pakistan is one of Malaysia's largest trading partners in agricommodities, and Malaysia has several joint-venture projects, particularly in the palm oil industry, at Port Qasim.

The country has been an essential and strategic trade partner for Malaysian agricommodity products, with a total export value of RM3.31 billion in 2021.

Malaysia's main agricommodity exports to Pakistan are palm oil (RM2.92 billion in 2021), rubber (RM253.90 million), and timber products (RM82.44 million).

-- BERNAMA