Modernising seed technology stressed

Imam discusses priority areas for agri-development over three years

ISLAMABAD:

Punjab could be the leader in the country’s agriculture sector, remarked Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam.

During a meeting with a delegation of the Punjab agriculture department, the minister discussed priority areas for agricultural development over the next three years, particularly those that were related to cotton, wheat, pulses, maize, sugarcane, oilseed, livestock and fisheries.

Imam stated that all governments needed to harmonise their efforts in the agriculture sector.

He was of the view that as per rules of business, the Ministry of National Food Security was a policy planner for the country’s agriculture sector and the federal ministry and provincial agricultural departments must work in harmony.

“We need to modernise our seed technology for major crops,” he said. “We need to identify 48,000 tons of verified cotton seed for a better yield.”

The minister said, “We are trying to evaluate four lakh tons of quality wheat seed and will provide them to farmers for increasing production.” Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Agriculture Secretary Wasif Khurshid stressed that a vegetable policy should be formulated.

Furthermore, the arrangement of wheat seed for planting the next crop was discussed during the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 11^th, 2020.

Like Business on Facebook, follow @TribuneBiz on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.