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LAHORE, Oct 14 (APP):Ambassador of Argentina Sebastian Sayus has said that Argentina is ready to share its expertise in agriculture, livestock and food security.
“Our goal is to help Pakistan strengthen its production capacity, storage systems and overall food chain,” he stated this while talking to business community here at Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Tuesday. LCCI President Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigol, Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh, Vice President Khurram Lodhi, Mrs. Erica Lucero and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Argentina’s also spoke on the occasion. LCCI Executive Committee Members Firdous Nisar, Amir Ali, Irfan Ahmad Qureshi, Asif Malik, Ali Imran, Shouban Akhter, Ahad Amin Malik, former EC Member Sheikh Sajjad Afzal and Imran Asghar were also attended the meeting.
The Ambassador said that Argentina and Pakistan enjoy a relationship built on friendship and mutual respect. Argentina is committed to take this partnership to new heights through deeper cooperation in trade, culture and technology.
“We are launching discussions on a pilot project for modern grain silos, which will help enhance Pakistan’s storage capacity and reduce post-harvest losses, the Ambassador added. He said that technical cooperation in biotechnology and agricultural innovation can transform both our economies and create new opportunities for our farmers and industries.
He said that there is a great potential for collaboration in information technology and industrial development, areas where Argentina has made remarkable progress. He said that Argentina is a reliable partner for Pakistan in sectors like meat processing, agriculture machinery, sports goods and surgical instruments, all of which hold great promise for bilateral trade.”
LCCI President Faheem ur Rehman Saigol said, “I am a sports lover and a great admirer of Maradona and Messi, who played a pivotal role in making Argentina the World Champion in football more than once.”
He said that we are well aware of the importance of Argentina as one of the largest economies in Latin America with a GDP of over 630 billion dollars – according to the World Bank. Argentina is known for its vast natural resources in energy and agriculture.
He said that both countries are not just maintaining good diplomatic relations, but they are also regular trading partners. I pin great hopes on today’s meeting with regard to opening new avenues for business partnerships and investment collaboration.
“As per figures taken from State Bank of Pakistan, the volume of total bilateral trade reached 394 million dollars in 2024-25. Pakistan’s exports to Argentina were almost 51 million dollars while imports were worth 343 million dollars. The balance of trade is in favour of Argentina, however, we are keen to increase the volume of exports so that both countries may benefit out of international trade”, Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigol said.
He added that according to ITC TradeMap, the global exports of Argentina were well over 79 billion dollars while total imports were more than 60 billion dollars in 2024. We look forward towards you for playing a supporting role in increasing the share of Pakistan to at least 2 billion dollars in total trade of Argentina.
Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigol said that Pakistan’s exports to Argentina consist of woven fabrics, sports goods, surgical instruments and home textile items etc. Our major items of imports from Argentina are soya-bean oil, cotton, dried vegetables, pharmaceuticals, products of iron & steel and seeds etc.
He said that there is definitely a need of finding new products lines and new avenues of cooperation for enhancing Pakistan’s exports to Argentina. He said that the Embassy of Argentina can play an important role in sharing trade related information about new business opportunities.
Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigol said that there is a great room for trade and economic cooperation in the fields of information technology, livestock, tourism, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy and automotive production. Argentina can also play an important role in modernizing Pakistan’s agriculture by supporting efforts to raise the per-acre yield of major crops through advanced farming methods and high-quality seeds.
He said we are glad that Argentina and Pakistan are already engaged in a strong collaboration in defence sector. Over the years, Pakistan has developed significant capabilities through its defence industry. The recently signed Defence Pact between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia is great evidence of it. We hope that the scope of mutual defence cooperation Pakistan will increase further in coming years.
“We also need to undertake frequent activities like exchange of business delegations, participation in trade fairs & exhibitions etc., to ensure a continuous liaison. I believe that the closer interaction between the Chambers of the two countries can be highly beneficial”, the LCCI President added.
LCCI Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh said that Argentina and Pakistan have great potential for collaboration in this field. Pakistan has developed impressive manufacturing capacity in automotive components, spare parts, and fully assembled two-wheelers, both conventional and electric motorbikes.
He said that our products are not only cost-effective but also meet international quality standards. We would be delighted to explore avenues for exporting these products to Argentina, as well as encouraging joint ventures and technology partnerships that can bring mutual benefit to our industries and economies.
LCCI Vice President Khurram Lodhi presented the vote of thanks and said that the deliberations will go a long way in further strengthening the diplomatic and economic relations of Pakistan with Argentina.