FAISALABAD: Pakistan may decrease import bill of edible oil by promotion oil-seed crops like sunflower. This was said by Dr Ishtiaq Hussain, the Additional Director General Agriculture (Farm & Training), while addressing a meeting held at the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI) to approve sunflower production project 2023 here on Monday. He said sunflower was an important edible oil producing crop which could not only play a pivotal role to cater domestic food requirements but it would also help growers to overcome their financial issues.
“This crop takes 100 to 125 days only for its maturity with comparatively less cost and very high dividend”, he said, adding that farmers should cultivate it over maximum space of their lands whereas
a number of teams of agriculture department had been activated for training and guidance
of sunflower growers.
He said field staff of agriculture department was also helping and guiding farmers in purchase of sunflower seeds and its in-time cultivation. He said farmers should use seed of approved varieties for sunflower cultivation because these varieties had sufficient disease resistance for giving the maximum yield even during odd and harsh weather.
The meeting after thorough discussion approved sunflower production project 2023. Deputy Director Pest Warning Faisalabad Dr Amir Rasool, Deputy Director Research Information Unit Dr Asif Ali, Chairman Agronomy Department MNS Agriculture University Multan Prof Dr Abdul Ghaffar and others were also present.