LAHORE Punjab government has formed a Project Steering Committee of Supply Chain Improvement of Selected Agriculture and Livestock Products to provide financial assistance to the farmers. The committee has approved the panel of experts for scrutiny of applications and interviews to advance financial and technical assistance to the growers, processors, logisticians and exporters. The meeting of the committee held under the chairmanship of Minister for Agriculture Malik Ahmad Ali Aulakh. The panel of experts will comprise of Tariq Mahmood, Former Chairman APTMA, Pir Syad Ehsan-ud-Din, former Vice President PBIT, representative of Ferguson & Company, Secretary Finance, Secretary Agriculture and Secretary Livestock & Dairy Development. Aulakh said on this occasion that agriculture and livestock products should be registered according to the international standards to get the maximum price in high value international markets. He said that up to now our agricultural and livestock products are being sold in those international markets where certification is not mandatory and so we are getting low price of these products. He said this specific project will ensure certification of agricultural and livestock products to target the highly paid international markets. It was also decided in the meeting that in order to facilitate growers, stakeholders the last date for inviting applications has been extended up to 20th December 2011. Arif Nadeem, Secretary Agriculture, emphasised to boost investment and promotion of high value crops ie. horticulture crops to enhance exports as well as to earn foreign exchange for the country.