Pakistani agricultural trade mission embarks upon two-week US visit

ISLAMABAD - The US Department of Agriculture (USDA), in collaboration with the USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council (USADPLC), has sent a Pakistani delegation to the United States for a two-week trade mission.

The fourteen-member delegation comprises of Pakistani companies that import crops known as pulses. The trade mission offers participants the opportunity to learn about the US dry pea, bean and lentil sector through meetings with top producers, processors, and exporters, a press release issued by the US Embassy on Tuesday.

The group will travel to Spokane, WA, Great Falls, MT, Bismarck, ND and Minneapolis, MN, from September 9 – 21, 2018.

The delegation will visit production areas and see new pulse varieties while developing an invaluable network with the US industry.

Highlighting the importance of this trade mission and the value to Pakistan’s pulses sector participants, USDA’s Agricultural Counselor Casey Bean said, “Leading this delegation to the Pacific Northwest demonstrates our commitment to showcasing high quality US pulses that can assist Pakistan’s industry to meet rising consumer demand.”

Following a similar 2016 trade mission, the Pakistani delegation concluded deals worth $3.5 million. Subsequently, the USDA-industry collaborative partnership has led to a record level of $20 million in US pulses exports to Pakistan during CY 2017.