Farming needs: AMRI urged to speed up reverse engineering

Mahmood advised AMRI engineers to associate manufacturers of agriculture machinery with the process

MULTAN: Agriculture Secretary Muhammad Mahmood on Friday urged engineers of the Agriculture Mechanisation Research Institute (AMRI) to speed up reverse engineering so that imported agricultural machinery could be adapted according to the needs of Punjab’s farmers.

Presiding over a meeting at the AMRI, he directed officials to submit annual reports on the research done by the institution to enable the government to assess its progress towards its objectives.

The secretary assigned the task of farm machinery standardisation to AMRI officials, adding that a draft law would be prepared in this regard. “The standards will be enforced after the law is passed.”

He said AMRI’s engineers would soon be provided an olive oil extraction machine so that it could be modified according to local needs. “The federal government wants to promote olive cultivation. Policies are being devised to encourage its production.”

Mahmood said that agriculture machinery should be available for all crops to maximise farm mechanisation and enhance production.

He asked AMRI officials to submit a report on the crops which required immediate mechanised farming and identify the areas where they were cultivated.

He advised them to proceed with mechanisation keeping in mind diverse needs of farmers in Potohar, central Punjab and south Punjab zones.

He advised the participants of the meeting to hold consultative meetings with all stakeholders to prepare a comprehensive plan for mechanisation of those fruits and vegetables which were being exported in large quantities.

He ordered development of machinery for sowing and harvest of garlic and ginger to enhance their production and save foreign exchange being spent on their import.

He advised AMRI engineers to associate manufacturers of agriculture machinery with the process.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2016.