KARACHI: The Beijing Jingwa Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Center (Jingwa Center) and Iftekhar Ahmed Food & Beverages Pvt. Ltd. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), on June 8 to develop high quality tomato varieties for industrial use in Pakistan.
The agreement aims to support tomato paste and puree production with better quality and higher yield.
The MoU was signed during the Pakistan China Information Technology, Telecom, Battery Energy Storage System, and Agriculture B2B Investment Conference in Hangzhou.
The event was part of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s official visit to China. The agreement was signed by Waheed Ahmed, Director Marketing of Iftekhar Ahmed Food & Beverages Pvt. Ltd., and Zhao Guodong, Director Business Development of the Jingwa Center.
Under this partnership, the Chinese research center will provide specially developed tomato seeds for industrial processing.
These varieties have high Brix levels, strong solid content, and better pulp yield. This makes them suitable for producing tomato paste and puree on a large scale.
The project will start with research and development work in Sindh. Around six to seven tomato varieties will be tested in fields and greenhouses.
Experts from both countries will study how well the crops grow in local soil, climate conditions, farming methods, and disease resistance.
Along with seed supply, the Jingwa Center will also share modern farming techniques and agricultural technology.
The goal is to improve tomato production and quality in Pakistan. The partnership also aims to support year-round tomato farming through controlled environment systems.
After successful testing, the best tomato varieties will be introduced for commercial farming and industrial use. Chinese experts will continue providing technical support during the process.
Waheed Ahmed said the partnership will help strengthen agricultural research and development in Pakistan.
He added that growing these tomato varieties locally will reduce the need to import tomato paste, which costs around $1 million each year. He also said the project may attract up to $7 million in investment in local production.
He further stated that the selected seed variety will be registered in Pakistan and distributed to farmers on a large scale. This will help increase tomato production and improve supply in the country.
Both sides called the agreement an important step in Pakistan China agricultural cooperation.
The project is expected to reduce imports, support local processing, and improve food security through better and more sustainable tomato production in Sindh.
Iftekhar Ahmed Food & Beverages Pvt. Ltd., working under the 60 year legacy of Iftekhar Ahmed & Co. (IAC), is one of Pakistan’s major fruit and vegetable processing and export companies.
It exports products to more than 30 countries and operates a large aseptic processing facility along with a 35,000 metric ton cold storage network in Karachi and Sargodha.
