‘High-tech farming inevitable’

Experts say yield can be increased by 20 times

FAISALABAD: The agricultural experts said Pakistan can increase vegetables and fruit production by 20 times with the adoption of modern agricultural technique called hydroponic.

These views were expressed by experts at the inauguration of hydroponic greenhouse arranged by the Water Management Research Centre, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF). UAF Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ashraf inaugurated the hydroponic. He was flanked by DG Water Management Punjab Dr Muhammad Akram, Water Management Research Centre UAF Director Dr Muhammad Irsahd, Dr Ahmad Waqas and other notables also attended the event.

Dr Muhammad Ashraf said it was the need of the hour to shun traditional farming and promote high-efficient irrigation agriculture for a better tomorrow. He said hydroponic would help the country increase the vegetable and fruit production manifold with low water usage.

“In China, every farmer has adopted the hydroponic which is disease- and pest-free agriculture. He said the production under hydroponic is totally safe for health and meet the international standards so that we can earn even heavy foreign exchange by exporting it after meeting our demand. He said that by the traditional way of farming, the agricultural produces is unsafe for health due to excessive pesticides and other factors

He said hydroponics was a method of growing plants without soil by using mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent. He said flood watering had become out-dated and we have to take the measures to replace it with other ones.

He said at the time of inception of the country, per capita water availability was 5,000 cubic meter which has not declined to 900 cubic meters.

Dr Ahmad Waqas said university had developed an indigenous hydroponic system which will cost the farmers Rs150 per square feet.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2019.