ISLAMABAD
\nPakistan is far behind advanced countries in producing quality seeds despite the fact that it is an agricultural country.
\nPakistan imports more than a billion dollars worth of agricultural seeds instead of having local varieties. According to Federal Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz, Pakistan imports 80 percent of agricultural seeds from the world.
\nWhile having an interactive session with beat reporters, the minister said Pakistan could face a severe food security crisis if the world stops providing seeds.
\nPakistan\u2019s agriculture sector is one of the largest sectors that provides 38.5 percent employment to the labour force and has a 19.2 percent contribution to gross domestic product (GDP).
\nOver the years, its share has been gradually decreasing. Pakistan\u2019s per acre yield of crops is declining. There are many factors behind this, but the lack of producing quality seed varieties is one of the main factors.
\nUnfortunately, due to inadequate research and development, Pakistan has not produced sufficient varieties of agricultural seeds to fulfill its demand. To get a high yield of crops and meet domestic demand, Pakistan imports agricultural seeds of different crops from different countries. The following table shows the last five years\u2019 imports of seeds, which have been increasing.
\nPakistan\u2019s seed sector had been neglected for a long time. The absence of a comprehensive regulatory framework hinders private sector investment, and the government lacks resources to develop, produce, and improve seed varieties in the country.
\nAt the time of independence, Pakistan inherited only one agriculture research centre, Punjab Agricultural College and Research Institute, Lyallpur. In 1961, the Government of Pakistan bifurcated Punjab Agricultural College and Research Institute into an Agricultural University Faisalabad and the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI).
\nWhile talking to the media, Dr Saeed Ahmad, Research Officer at Agriculture Department of Punjab province, said that Pakistan is producing its seed varieties of major crops, including wheat, rice, cotton, and garlic.
\nHe added that after multiple years of on-station and on-farm testing, the Wheat Research Institute (WRI) in Faisalabad, the Arid Zone Research Institute (AZRI) in Bhakkar, and the Barani Agricultural Research Institute in Chakwal now produce five varieties: Subhani 2021, MH-2021, Dilkash-2021, Bhakkar-20 and MA-2020.
\nHe added that the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) Islamabad has introduced a new variety of garlic in Pakistan named NARC G1, which has a higher per acre yield than other available varieties, making Pakistan self-sufficient in garlic production.
\nThe same is the case with cotton and corn. Pakistan\u2019s cotton production is 729kg per hectare, while advanced countries produce 1,511kg per hectare. Pakistan produces 5 metric tons per hectare of corn, while developed countries\u2019 yield is on average 10 metric tons per hectare.
\nAt present, Pakistan has many agriculture research institutions working across the country. It is time to use these institutions efficiently and productively. They must produce new varieties both for major and minor crops so Pakistan could increase per acre yield up to the level of advanced countries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ISLAMABAD Pakistan is far behind advanced countries in producing quality seeds despite the fact that it is an agricultural country. Pakistan imports more than a billion dollars worth of agricultural seeds instead of having local varieties. According to Federal Minister for Science and Technology Shibli Faraz, Pakistan imports 80 percent of agricultural seeds from the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-241817","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-top-news"},"yoast_head":"\n