Increasing output: Minister gives nod to new seeds
Says private sector’s discoveries incorporated for the first time
PHOTO: FILE
PESHAWAR:
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Agriculture Ikramullah Gandapur has given the green light to a new variety of seeds for cultivation across the province.
Addressing a news conference at the Civil Secretariat on Tuesday, Gandapur said it is the first time that the discoveries of the private sector have been incorporated by the government. The department’s movers and shakers held a meeting to discuss 20 new varieties of orange, cotton, sugarcane, gram, maize and mung seeds. “Four varieties, submitted by two separate private firms, have been taken into consideration. A committee has been formed to evaluate the seeds before they are used for cultivation.”
The minister said the department will provide free seeds worth Rs3 billion every year, benefitting 0.32 million farmers directly. “We will buy 50% of the produce from these farmers at government specified rates.”
Gandapur said solar powered tube wells will also be installed in various areas to make barren land cultivable. “Rs500 million has been approved for the project and tenders have been issued.”
The province relies majorly on Punjab for wheat seeds as it grows 90,000 tonnes of seeds, which make up for about 4 to 5% of its total need. Similarly, K-P produces 1.1 million tonnes of wheat, while its requirement falls between 3 and 3.5 million tonnes every year.
“Provided that climatic conditions are favourable, using certified seeds for cultivation will increase the yield by 30%,” said Agriculture DG Qayash Bahadur. He said free seed provision is expected to increase overall agricultural production in K-P by 0.3 million tonnes.
“Last year, our produce was affected by climatic conditions,” he added. The DG said this time round, the seeds are being distributed according to weather conditions of specific areas. “A type of orange seed, developed by our research centre in Hazara, has been approved which reduces the number of seeds in the fruit and infuses flavour.”
Bahadur said a variety of cotton has also been approved which can be cultivated in Mardan and Charsadda. He said the department plans on replacing sugarcane with cotton in areas fed by the Gomal Zam dam.
Talking about private firms, Bahadur said the government is considering private discoveries for the first time and they will be checked thoroughly before being used for cultivatation.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 9th, 2015.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Agriculture Ikramullah Gandapur has given the green light to a new variety of seeds for cultivation across the province.
Addressing a news conference at the Civil Secretariat on Tuesday, Gandapur said it is the first time that the discoveries of the private sector have been incorporated by the government. The department’s movers and shakers held a meeting to discuss 20 new varieties of orange, cotton, sugarcane, gram, maize and mung seeds. “Four varieties, submitted by two separate private firms, have been taken into consideration. A committee has been formed to evaluate the seeds before they are used for cultivation.”
The minister said the department will provide free seeds worth Rs3 billion every year, benefitting 0.32 million farmers directly. “We will buy 50% of the produce from these farmers at government specified rates.”
Gandapur said solar powered tube wells will also be installed in various areas to make barren land cultivable. “Rs500 million has been approved for the project and tenders have been issued.”
The province relies majorly on Punjab for wheat seeds as it grows 90,000 tonnes of seeds, which make up for about 4 to 5% of its total need. Similarly, K-P produces 1.1 million tonnes of wheat, while its requirement falls between 3 and 3.5 million tonnes every year.
“Provided that climatic conditions are favourable, using certified seeds for cultivation will increase the yield by 30%,” said Agriculture DG Qayash Bahadur. He said free seed provision is expected to increase overall agricultural production in K-P by 0.3 million tonnes.
“Last year, our produce was affected by climatic conditions,” he added. The DG said this time round, the seeds are being distributed according to weather conditions of specific areas. “A type of orange seed, developed by our research centre in Hazara, has been approved which reduces the number of seeds in the fruit and infuses flavour.”
Bahadur said a variety of cotton has also been approved which can be cultivated in Mardan and Charsadda. He said the department plans on replacing sugarcane with cotton in areas fed by the Gomal Zam dam.
Talking about private firms, Bahadur said the government is considering private discoveries for the first time and they will be checked thoroughly before being used for cultivatation.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 9th, 2015.