Caretaker Minister for the National Food Security and Research Dr Kausar Abdullah Malik Tuesday said that adoption of Aeroponic technology will not only boost potato production but also ensure the availability of virus-free seeds.
\n The technology will contribute significantly to the agricultural sector\u2019s improvement, he said while addressing a ceremony held at National Agriculture Research Center in which he also highlighted the achievements of Korean-funded Technical Cooperation Projects (TCP), that focusing on seed potato production by using aeroponic technology.
\n The caretaker minister lauded the remarkable growth in potato cultivation and production during past two decades.
\n Only 2 percent of potato seed requirement is being fulfilled locally and the country relied on importing 98% of its seed demand, he said adding that with the implementation of this cutting-edge technology, Pakistan is poised to achieve self-sufficiency in potato seed production.
\n Dr Kausar reiterated the government\u2019s commitment to prioritizing the agricultural sector, expressing gratitude to the Korean government for its invaluable support in driving agricultural development initiatives in Pakistan.
\n Speaking on the occasion, the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea Park Ki Jun underscored the collaborative strides between Pakistan and Korea, notably emphasizing the swift progress of the joint potato seed production project.
\n He unveiled plans for numerous forthcoming projects and initiatives and reaffirmed his dedication to bolstering bilateral cooperation by extending training opportunities in agriculture to Pakistani professionals, aimed at enriching their expertise and capabilities.
\n Chairman PARC, Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali, emphasized the significance of establishing first potato seed production facility in Pakistan utilizing aeroponic technology and apprised that the aeroponic technology can yield 50 to 60 potato seeds per plant compared to just five from conventional methods.
\n Pakistan currently imports 15,000 to 20,000 tonnes of potato seeds yearly due to low-quality local seeds, straining farmers who can\u2019t afford better options and resulting in lower yields, he added.
\n He also announced upcoming projects worth over $8 million for livestock and smart farming set to launch in 2025 and thanked the Republic of Korea for their support in Pakistan\u2019s agriculture sector.
\n Dr Cho Gyoungrae, Director of KOPIA-Pakistan Center, shared plans to provide 160,000 tons of certified seed potatoes over five years. This involves constructing four aeroponic greenhouses, 32 screenhouses and supplying a cold store and 100 KW solar system to meet goals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Caretaker Minister for the National Food Security and Research Dr Kausar Abdullah Malik Tuesday said that adoption of Aeroponic technology will not only boost potato production but also ensure the availability of virus-free seeds. The technology will contribute significantly to the agricultural sector\u2019s improvement, he said while addressing a ceremony held at National Agriculture Research […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":372429,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-384099","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n