Islamabad, January 26, 2022 (PPI-OT): Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam has said that dissemination of new techniques and technologies at the grassroots level is imperative to improve crop and livestock yields. Addressing a meeting of agricultural scientists at Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI) here today, he said Pakistan is predominantly an agrarian economy.

Of the 196 million acres of total land, 50 million acres is cultivated land of which 37% is used for wheat production. We grow five major crops including wheat, cotton, rice, maize, and sugarcane but we do not add much value in these commodities.

Therefore, our scientists must focus on technologies that will help add value and enhance income of farmers and play a major role in lowering rural poverty. He said that last year, we produced 7 million bales of cotton but this year we are expecting 9 million bales. Due to additional 2 million bales, we will add Rs.200 billion additional income in rural economy. He said that textile had a lion’s share in our overall exports.

We are planning to enhance our annual exports up to $30 billion out of which the textile share will be 60%. He explained that government was incentivizing cotton growers. In this Kharif season, for the first time in the last 8 years, the government fixed intervention price of cotton at Rs.5, 000 per 40 kg which helped stabilise the seed-cotton markets and increase farmer profits.

He said that government was also trying to enhance production of soybean for which development of new technology was imperative. He advised that outcome of agricultural research must be passed to farmers as it would not only enhance per acre yield but also reduce the production cost. He urged scientists to develop varieties suitable for different ecological zones in order to optimize crop yields.

Earlier, Chief Scientist AARI Dr. Akhtar said that Pakistan was the 4th largest country in sugarcane production, 5th in cotton, 6th in mango and guava, 7th in wheat, and 10th largest country in rice production. He said that AARI had so far introduced 659 varieties of different crops for cultivation including 90 verities of wheat, 58 of cotton, 32 of pulses and 28 varieties of sugarcane.

He explained that more than 15 ISO certified laboratories of AARI were also extending services to check the quality and efficacy of pesticide and fertilizer. Out of total samples, 3% each of pesticides and fertilizers were found adulterated. The Chief Executive Officer Punjab Agriculture Research Board, Dr. Abid Mehmood, Deputy Director Research Information Dr. Asif Ali also attended the meeting.

Later, the federal minister also visited National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering and Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology where he was briefed about the significant contributions of these institutions in cotton, livestock, and saline agriculture. The Minister lauded contributions to agricultural development by all three instructions and promised to provide further support for their research efforts.

The Minister also met with a group of scientists who were protesting against the proposed institutional reforms geared to privatize agricultural research. The Minster explained that this matter pertained to the provincial government. He assured them to convey their grievances to the concerned authorities.

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