As the two sides agreed last Wednesday on a meeting to promote the joint research and outcome commercialization of small and medium-sized silage harvesting equipment in mountainous and hilly areas of China and Pakistan, efforts will be increased to explore a new path of silage harvesting and processing in Pakistan.

At the meeting that took place in Lanzhou, China announced that it would help Pakistan in the livestock sector by establishing a test and demonstration base, donating agricultural equipment and machinery worth 1.5 million yuan, and training a professional team for the research and development of silage harvesting and processing machinery and a group of technicians for the operation, use and maintenance of the machinery.

China Economic Net (CEN) reports that the project, undertaken by Gansu Academy of Mechanical Sciences Co., Ltd., aims to improve the mechanized operation, efficiency, and economic benefits of Pakistan’s agricultural production, as well as the export competitiveness of its silage. Since the project was launched in 2018, the team has focused on silage harvesting and processing, sealing reliability of wrap film, mechanical properties of wrap film, and corn shearing characteristics.

It has been developed four kinds of harvesting and processing equipment for silage production in Pakistan under different conditions, including silage harvesting equipment, mounted silage harvesters, efficient silage processing machinery, and silage strapping press balers. In order to produce silage at small scales in mountainous and hilly areas, and at large scales in plain areas, two production lines were designed.

“Agriculture farms can reduce costs by using inputs more efficiently, such as water, seeds, pesticides and fertilizers. According to Muhammad Ismail, an ecosystem specialist at the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), an intergovernmental knowledge and learning center, it reduces spoilage and harvest losses as well.

At the end of the meeting, Pakistani experts visited Gansu Academy of Mechanical Sciences Co., Ltd., where agricultural machinery and equipment to be demonstrated and promoted in Pakistan were displayed.