FAISALABAD:Like other vegetables, potato was an important element in human diet
as it contains rich vitamins, nutrients, mineral salts, water and fiber.
This was stated by Additional Director General Agriculture (Extension)
& Training Punjab Dr Ishtiaq Hassan while addressing the production
plan for potato 2023-24 at Ayub Agriculture Research Institute Faisalabad
here on Tuesday. He said that potato was the short term crop which
had the capacity of more per acre yield in respect of other crops.
He said the government had established a research institute for modern
research on potato crop in Sahiwal district due to its wide range of importance.
The potato was known as the most popular food and it had gained a strategic
position across the world including Pakistan due to its nutritionist elements,
he said adding that agriculture scientists at research institute, Sahiwal had
so far introduced 11 new varieties of potato in a limited time period. The new
varieties had more resistance power against bacteria, viruses and other
diseases including changed weather conditions, he said.
Maqsood Ahmed Jutt, a progressive farmer expressing his views on the occasion
said that potato was being exported to 37 countries in collaboration with the
government and an NGO working for the welfare of farmers and a significant
increase was being witnessed in potato export every year.
He urged the officers of Punjab Statistic Department to release correct figures
of total land brought under potato crop cultivation and its production to help in
chalking out a policy to increase potato exports.
The meeting thoroughly discussed all steps of the crop from cultivation to harvesting.
The meeting also accorded an approval for including the recommendations prepared
in the light of modern research in the production plan for potato 2023-24.