File photo. Aamir Qureshi—AFP
Royal Group of China informs officials it intends to establish six labs for buffalo IVF; a farm to produce dairy products; and a unit to manage the breeding of bulls
The Royal Group of China on Wednesday informed Pakistan of its intent to establish buffalo milk farming units across the country to produce high quality dairy products, including milk, milk powder, and cheese.
According to a statement, the chief executive of the Chinese company met Planning Minister Asad Umar in Islamabad, as well as other senior officials, and informed them that the Royal Group planned to invest in the buffalo business in Pakistan. He said that the company would establish 6 labs in different cities of Pakistan to produce buffalo embryos through an In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) process, adding it would also establish a semen production unit for buffalos to manage the breeding of bulls.
The CEO said that the company wanted to establish a large buffalo farm free of the highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease, adding that this would enable it to produce high-quality buffalo milk, which could then be processed into powdered milk and mozzarella cheese.
Umar, read the statement, welcomed the group’s plans and assured the CEO of all possible facilitation, stressing that the incumbent Government of Pakistan did not believe in bureaucratic red-tape. He also emphasized that the Planning Ministry and the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority were both committed to promoting investment in Pakistan from China.
The minister briefed the Royal Group CEO about the investor facilitation center being developed by the CPEC Authority, saying it would soon be operational and would help to resolve any issues that might impact investors.