Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have agreed to deepen collaboration in the date sector through joint investment, technology transfer, and the establishment of processing facilities aimed at boosting value-added exports.
The understanding was reached during a virtual meeting between Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and UAE focal person Ms. Simisola Nicola Abere. Federal Secretary Ameer Muhyuddin and senior officials from both sides attended the session.
Rana Tanveer said Pakistan, one of the world’s leading date producers, currently produces over 500,000 tonnes annually on more than 100,000 hectares of land, mainly in Sindh and Balochistan. He highlighted leading local varieties including Aseel, Muzawati, Dhakki, Rabbi, and Begum Jangi, and noted that exports worth over US$50 million have been recorded, with the UAE, UK, Germany, Türkiye, and Australia among the main destinations.
The minister identified limited value addition, quality standards, post-harvest losses, and inadequate cold chain infrastructure as key challenges. He emphasised that collaboration with the UAE could help establish modern processing and packaging facilities to enhance productivity, export competitiveness, and farmer incomes.
Federal Secretary Ameer Muhyuddin said the ministry, through the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), is already running pilot projects to develop climate-resilient varieties in arid regions. He added that the proposed partnership will enable the establishment of date processing plants in Balochistan and Sindh to strengthen Pakistan’s export base.
Ms. Abere appreciated Pakistan’s initiatives and announced that the UAE would expedite the establishment of three date processing plants under the cooperation framework. She said both sides would soon formalize the partnership through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) covering value addition, technology exchange, and export development.
Rana Tanveer welcomed the UAE’s commitment, saying the collaboration aligns with Pakistan’s goal of developing an export-oriented, value-added agriculture sector. He said the initiative will create new employment opportunities, improve rural livelihoods, and promote market diversification.
It was agreed that coordination between both sides would continue through the office of Secretary Ameer Muhyuddin to ensure follow-up after the MoU signing. The minister expressed optimism that the partnership would mark a significant step toward agricultural trade and investment cooperation between Pakistan and the UAE.
