Indonesian and Pakistani agricultural universities have sought to benefit from the countries' combined consumer market of 400 million people, by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), reported the Associated Press of Pakistan.

The MoU was signed betwen Bogar Agriculture University Indonesia and the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), during a seminar on 'Horticulture and Agribusiness in Developing Countries', organized by the UAF and the Indonesian Embassy in Pakistan.

Indonesian Ambassador to Pakistan Ishaq Latuconsina, told the conference the global horticulture market was growing, with increasing awareness of the medicinal and health benefits of fruit, vegetables and organic food.

"More emphasis needs to be given on horticultural marketing and economics by having exchange programs between students of two countries so that information can be shared," he was quoted as saying.

He said the two countries could greatly benefit from increased trade and investment opportunities, the story reported.

According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) data from 2008, Indonesia is the world's biggestt producer of coconuts, the second-largest producer of palm oil, the third-largest producer of avocadoes and nuts, while it also ranks highly in papaya (4), mango (4), tropical fruit (4) and banana (6) production.

In terms of fruit products, Pakistan is the world's third largest apricot producer and ranks fifth in date production.

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Source: www.freshfruitportal.com