On July 30, within the framework of the 10th Meeting of the Ministers of Agriculture of the member states of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, a meeting was held in the city of Kunming, China, between the Minister of Agriculture of the Republic of Tajikistan, Kurbon Hakimzoda, and the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Zhang Zhili.
During the meeting, the parties discussed strengthening cooperation within the Central Asia-China mechanism, increasing the turnover of agricultural products, activating the work of the Subcommittee on Agricultural Issues between Tajikistan and China, attracting Chinese companies to invest in the country’s agricultural sector, developing scientific ties between the parties, effective use and practical implementation of scientific research in production, expanding cooperation in cotton cultivation, breeding, and seed production, introducing innovative methods of crop cultivation, plant protection from diseases and pests, soil science, procurement of pedigree yaks from China, using China’s territory as a transit route for importing yaks from Mongolia, cooperation in phytosanitary and plant quarantine matters, exchange of experience between scientists and specialists, opening a SCO exhibition center for innovative technologies (Yangling) in Tajikistan, discussing the establishment of sister-city relations between Yunnan Province and one of Tajikistan’s regions or cities, and other mutually interesting issues.
During the meeting, the parties agreed to establish a joint working group within the framework of the Subcommittee on Agricultural Issues and to hold its meeting. The Chinese side expressed interest in importing lemons, cherries, grapes, and dried mulberries to the Chinese market and exporting processed products to Tajikistan. The parties also recognized as priorities the acceleration of digitalization in the sector, production of organic products, establishment of laboratories for soil and product quality testing, implementation of water-saving technologies, and increasing the number of scholarships for Tajik students to study at higher agricultural educational institutions in China.
