President’s Message
By the Grace of Allah, Pakistan is blessed with uncountable natural resources and these magnificent natural blessings to our country pave the way towards success. Our destiny will be written by the utilization of natural resources sustainability so that our next generations can be proud of us in the days to come and certainly Pakistan will stand aside from the developed countries.
Essentially Pakistan is an agricultural country that not only fulfills the needs of its population but also contributes to the world’s food supply chain. About 70% of the population is directly or indirectly associated with the agriculture sector only utilizing 25% of the cultivated land. Eventually a significant number of opportunities are still waiting to un-tap these natural resources to make us surplus in the food production.
PAHF is representing the agriculture and horticulture of Pakistan by joining hands with other local and international like-minded fraternities seeking solutions to the number of challenges we are facing today from the policy end to the natural calamity of the climate change costing Pakistan economically.
Technology has played a big role in developing the agricultural industry. Today it is possible to grow crops in a desert by use of agricultural biotechnology. With this technology, plants have been engineered to survive in drought conditions. Through genetic engineering scientists have managed to introduce traits into existing genes with a goal of making crops resistant to droughts and pests.
Artificial intelligence, analytics, connected sensors, and other emerging technologies could further increase yields, improve the efficiency of water and other inputs, and build sustainability and resilience across crop cultivation and animal husbandry.
Agriculture sector in our country must embrace a digital transformation enabled by connectivity. Demand for food is growing at the same time the supply side faces constraints in land and farming inputs. Increasing the digitalization of agriculture improves the overall efficiency of the entire agri-food system.
Imtiaz Hussain – President PAHF
Senior Vice President Message
Mr. Khalid Eijaz Qureshi, a visionary businessman, has extensive global and domestic knowledge and experience in the agribusiness sector for over 40 years. He has a vast credible record of driving financial leadership and strategy; implementing best quality practices; and influencing many in the agricultural sector to accomplish tough goals in Pakistan.
The global experience Mr. Khalid gained has given him the insights understanding of a sustainable and lean value chain in the agricultural sector. He has been associated on multiple levels with several international and national organizations including USAID, FAO, CABI, CBI, British Council, EU, ITC, TDAP, NBDP and SMEDA. The affiliations have given him the ability to quickly conceptualize, critically analyze and efficiently incorporate international standards into our complex agricultural supply chain, making him one of the few resource persons to advance agricultural growth in Pakistan.
While Pakistan continues to heavily rely on its agriculture for employment and food security, the country is undergoing a tough economic phase in the wake of an ever-growing population, recurring extreme weather events due to global climate change and spikes in global prices. It is evident that agribusiness value chains in Pakistan are complex systems that require multiple factors to be tackled simultaneously.
Mr. Khalid firmly believes that in order to meet the local demand and remain competitive in the global market, improving the agricultural system through efficient value chains, reduced wastage of resources, adoption of technology, development of cold storage facilities, and better linkages throughout the system is the best way forward. To create a lean value chain requires a collaboration among various stakeholders including growers, businessmen, government departments and retailers. Since these value chain actors are strongly interdependent, they rely on each other for the overall performance of the entire system.
Pakistan Agriculture and Horticulture Forum (PAHF) provides a unique platform that facilitates all value chain actors to implement optimal practices and overcome current leakages in the system through limiting food waste, technical inefficiencies, and additional financial and human resources that add no value in the supply chain.
Awards & Recognitions
- Pakistan Premier Award
- Corporate Governance Award
- Green/Environment Stewardship Award
- Innovative Businesses Award
- Largest Tax Payer Award
- Good Agriculture Practices Award
- Pakistan Best Emerging Businesses of Award
- Business Ethics Award
Mr. Khalid Eijaz Qureshi – Senior Vice President PAHF
Vice President Message
Mr. Waqar Ahmed is a distinguished name in the business world at regional and national level and as a Corporate Leader. He is the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Traders abiding by the family trade profession in fresh fruits and vegetables. He is a highly versatile and competent industry professional, with extensive experience in latest IT technologies relating to the Agriculture sector. His inspirational leadership skills have led him to serve as a Nominating & Governance Committee member at various Trade Bodies, Chambers of Commerce & Industry and Business Councils. It is these leadership qualities along with his aspiring creativity and innovation that have been the catalyst of bringing about a revolution in the Agricultural Information Technology sector.
He is also looking after the increasing export markets, including Singapore, Malaysia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Oman, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and many other countries and has travelled extensively all over the world.
He is heading following portfolios:
- Chief Executive Officer – Royal Traders
- Director – Pakistan Malaysia Business Council
- Director – Pakistan USA Business Council
- Executive Member for KCCI Sub Committee on Public Sector Utilities Power & Gas
- Executive Member for KCCI Sub Committee on Customs & Valuation
- Executive Member for KCCI Sub Committee on Fairs Exhibitions & Trade Delegation
- Executive Member for KCCI Sub Committee on Federal Taxation
- Executive Member for KCCI Sub Committee on Industry & Environment
- Executive Member for KCCI Sub Committee on Provincial & Local Taxes
Awards & Recognitions
- Young Entrepreneur Award
- Award for Environment Tree Plantation
- CSR Business Leader Summit Award
- National Innovation Award
- Biz Today – Business Award 2021, UAE
- Biodiversity Award
- Best Businessman of the Year
Mr. Waqar Ahmed – Vice President PAHF
Vice President Message
Jamshaid Bashir Bhatti is a horticulturist by education with over 35 years of experience in teaching, research and extension, with overall aim to help improve horticulture supply chains performance and profitability making them globally competitive; Jamshaid completed several international and nationally funded projects aimed at improving performance of local agriculture and horticulture industry. Established a modern Post harvest Lab and actively engaged in industry focused Research & Development and capacity building activities, from farm to market. Apart from Research & Development and Academics, he commenced his business by establishing K.P International in 1989. Company was formed with a mission to develop and undertake educational and research program students to foster the creation and adoption of agricultural plant protection systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and sustainable. He is acting as Managing Director of the company and its subsidiaries in agriculture, fruit processing and marketing. Beginning with the help of top-quality fresh produce growers he is engaged in the exports of fresh and processed fruits. K.P International is renowned for providing complete in-house top-quality standards for the processing, ripening and cool chain storage of mango and banana.
He serves on numerous Boards of Directors and Agriculture-based Industry organizations as independent non-executive Director and shares his passion for the fruit industry and innovative thinking. Under his leadership K.P International expanded from farms research, packing, processing, storage, distribution and international marketing.
He maintains following portfolios:
- Managing Director – K.P International
- Director – Pakistan USA Business Council
- Director – Pakistan Malaysia Business Council
- Executive Member for KCCI Sub Committee on Health & Education
- Executive Member for KCCI Sub Committee on Industry & Environment
- Executive Member for KCCI Sub Committee on Ports Shipping & Multimodal Transport
- Executive Member for KCCI Sub Committee on Power Gas & Utilities
- Executive Member for KCCI Sub Committee on Banking & Insurance
Awards & Recognitions
- Business Excellence Award
- National Award of Corporate Social Responsibility
- Cooperation Award for Development of Pakistan’s Commercial Agriculture
- Top Employer Award 2019
- Entrepreneurship Excellence Awards
Mr. Jamshaid Bashir Bhatti – Vice President PAHF
Executive Committee
