ISLAMABAD:National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research on Thursday was informed by Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) about various verities of potato plants production through tissue culture in order to get more potato seed production for achieving the objectives in terms of bumper, potato crop.
The meeting was held under the Chairmanship of Rao Muhammad Ajmal Khan, MNA, at Potato Tissue Culture Lab Chillas, said a press release.
They, further, informed that presently, we are producing locally, 1% certified seed and reling on imported seed. About 15,000 tonnes seed is being imported, worth of more than Rs 1 billion, annually.
The committee was also apprised that, per annum, 50,000 plantletings production target have been fixed through tissues culture in this Lab, and it will be sufficient for 20,000 tonnes certified seed production after five cycles. The committee appreciated the efforts of the PARC.
The meeting was attended by MNAs, Rai Muhammad Murtaza Iqbal, Sardar Riaz Mehmood Khan Mazari, Riaz ul Haq, Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani, Kamal Ud din, and senior officials from the Ministry National Foods Security and Research and PARC also attended the meeting.