FAISALABAD: The caretaker Punjab government, in consultation with agricultural scientists, has prepared a road-map to increase per acre agricultural production of various crops, vegetables, pulses, orchards and fodder.
Deputy Secretary Agriculture Punjab Muhammad Kashif Dogar, while presiding over a meeting of agricultural scientists during his visit to the Ayub Agriculture Research Institute (AARI) here on Thursday, stressed the need for keeping in view the climate changes for making compatibility in agriculture research according to the international requirements to achieve agriculture self-sufficiency through increase in per acre production of various crops.
He said that the government was formulating a new policy to bring innovation in agricultural research for prosperity of farmers and to increase agricultural exports. The country’s economy will also gain stability with the promotion of the agriculture sector, he said. He said that the Punjab government would provide huge funds to bring innovation in a
gricultural research and to deal with the challenges of the present era.
Dr. Akhtar said as a result of agricultural research, 705 new varieties of different crops, vegetables, pulses, fruits and fodder have been introduced so far. He said that the agricultural scientists had succeeded in increasing the production of pre-basic and certified seeds from 65,000-kg to 0.4 million kg through better management during the two years. He said that during the current year, sesame of Rs 360 billion had been exported to various countries including China, Middle East and Europe.
The DG said that more than 80 billion rupees worth of foreign exchange is being obtained annually from the export of mango, citrus and other fruits. He said that pre-basic seed is also being provided to more than 500 private seed companies in addition to Punjab Seed Corporation. Under the olive research and cultivation promotion project in Pothwar region, cultivation of olives was possible on more than 15,000 acres, he said.
Later, Deputy Secre
tary Muhammad Kashif Dogar, along with Dr Muhammad Akhtar, visited labs in the wheat department and exhibition centre.