FAISALABAD: Chief Scientific Officer Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI) Malik Muhammad Nawaz Khan Mekan has said that on-time availability of quality seed was imperative to increase per acre production of crops.
Addressing a one-day training seminar at AARI here on Thursday, he said that the research institute was striving to develop new crop varieties in addition to facilitating the farming community so that they could get high yield of their crops.
In this connection, the Foundation Seed Cell was established in AARI for a period of two years, so that the cell could help in provision of quality seed for agriculture sector. This project was launched in fiscal year 2020-21 to strengthen early generation seed production facilities at institutes of research wing of agriculture department in addition to help in production and supply of pre-basic seed to public and private seed companies.
One of the main objective of this cell was to train private seed companies for producing quality seed so that the farmers could easily get high standard seed for increasing their per acre production.
He said that sudden increase in weather temperature increased demand of irrigation water manifolds whereas low rains during current year further aggravated this situation. At present 42% decrease was recorded in availability of canal water due to different reasons which was a serious issue and the experts must concentrate to resolve it on priority basis as this situation played a havoc in shape of low production of wheat, maize, vegetables and fruits and now the people were constrained to purchase these commodities at very high rate in the market.
He said that Foundation Seed Cell was performing well and 3 to 5 times increase was recorded in provision of quality seeds. This cell would also be milestone in materializing the dream of self-reliance in food production if this project was implemented in true spirit, he added.
Chief Scientists AARI/Project Direction Foundation Seed Cell Dr Aziz-ur-Rehman said that this project would be winded up in June 2023. Its target was to produce 332,000 tons quality seed which would be accomplished with an estimated cost of Rs.389.062 million.
Punjab Seed Corporation and 22 other national and multinational private seed companies registered with Federal Seed Certification had signed agreements with Foundation Seed Cell to provide quality seed to the farming community in-time so that food revolution could be brought in the country, he added.
Renowned agri chemist Dr Abid Niaz informed the participants about balanced use of fertilizers and in-time irrigation of crops by keeping climate changes in view.
Deputy Director Federal Seed Certification Islamabad Dr Muhammad Naeem and Dr Muhammad Ishaq also spoke on the occasion.
Later, Chief Scientific Officer AARI Nawaz Mekan also distributed certificates among various agricultural scientists working at the seed production project.