Tourism, agricultural sectors of Iran: businessmen urged to avail opportunities

Iranian Consul General, Muhammad Hussain Bani Assadi has said Pakistan and Iran have the potential to cater to each other's needs provided the business community in both the countries have exposure to the available opportunities. He further said that agriculture, tourism, and metal industry of Iran have a lot of opportunities of investment therefore Pakistani business community should avail opportunities in these sectors.
The Iranian Consul General was speaking to the members of Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, here on Tuesday. President LCCI, Shahzad Ali Malik, former LCCI President, Mohsin Raza Bukhari, EC Members, Dr Shahid Raza, Mian Zahid Javaid, Sheikh Mohammad Ayub and Tanvir Ahmad Sufi talked about the possibility of improving ties between the two countries.
Assadi said that the business community in the two countries would have to increase interaction to share their experiences in the larger interests of the people of two brotherly nations who have many commonalties. He further said that the volume of mutual trade between Pakistan and Iran does not match the level of their brotherly relations. He said that both the countries and their respective trade bodies would have to focus on expansion of trade by holding single country exhibitions or through trade delegations to each other's country. He said that it was the duty of the chambers of commerce both in Iran and Pakistan to ensure dissemination of sector-specific and trade-related information. He said that both the countries should also share their experiences in the field of science and technology.
He said that agriculture, tourism, and metal industry of Iran have a lot of opportunities of investment therefore Pakistani business community should avail opportunities in these sectors. President LCCI, Shahzad Ali Malik said that Pakistan and Iran were two brotherly Islamic countries. Therefore, maximum efforts were needed to strengthen their relations in all fields. He said that both the sides need to conduct market research to further strengthen trade relations between the two countries. Priority should be given to each other for import of goods rather than buying from distant countries.
There is a lot of scope for collaboration in SMEs and mega projects like onshore and offshore oil & gas exploration activities, hydel and coal based energy projects, paper & board, sugar, cement, chemicals, transport & communication, construction of roads in Pakistan, scientific & educational co-operation, handicrafts, artificial jewellery, carpets, fancy furniture etc, he said.
The president LCCI said Pakistan is basically an agricultural country bestowed with variety of seasons and agro-based products. But due to lack of post harvest technology a lot of agriculture produce is wasted. Hence, co-operation in technology from Iran can help Pakistan's agro-based food processing and dairy industry to improve. Pakistan is one of the leading countries and known around the globe for its textile products, which still needs to be properly introduced in Iran. Such efforts could also prove vital to equalise our trade balance.
Moreover, Cereals were the largest export item to Iran, which accounts for 44.89 percent of total exports. Articles of leather, animal gut, harness, travel goods, cotton and man-made staple fibres have the share between 9 percent to 12 percent. He said Pakistan has always experienced an adverse balance of trade with Iran, which suggests that Iran needs to import more from Pakistan to create a win - win situation for both the countries. He said there was a lot of potential and trade can be reached over US $2 billion if the smuggling was controlled.