FAISALABAD   -   The Punjab government will establish a soybean genetics and seed supply chain centre at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) to help promote its cultivation on a wide scale.

Punjab’s agriculture minister, Syed Ashiq Hussain, has said that the provincial government is striving to enhance soybean cultivation. He said the plan to establish a soybean genetics and seed supply chain centre at the UAF was part of the plan to boost soybean production.

He said it had been planned that the university would ensure soybean cultivation on 100,000 acres. “The large-scale cultivation will ensure availability of soybean at affordable rates,” he added.  Ashiq said all stakeholders, including growers, poultry, dairy producers, academia, industry and educational institutions, would be taken on board in soybean boosting initiative. He said by enhancing soybean cultivation Pakistan could also earn the much-needed foreign exchange by exporting the excess quantity.  

The minister said that the Punjab government was focusing on developing a strong research culture to help boost productivity and improve the living standards of growers.

Dr Ahmed, a faculty member of UAF, told WealthPK that the university had submitted a report to the Punjab government regarding the establishment of the genetics centre. He said a soybean research and development lab would also be set up in the proposed centre.  He said despite being an agricultural country, Pakistan imported food items like pulses, edible oil and even soybean from different countries.

“To avoid soybean shortages, we have to extend incentives to growers to ensure the crop’s large-scale cultivation,” he said, adding that the cash-strapped government couldn’t afford to spend hefty foreign exchange on the import of food items. “Domestic crop cultivation is crucial to reduce the import bill.”   

Ahmed said the shortage of only one product – soybean – badly impacted the routine life of people in Pakistan as the prices of chicken registered a sharp increase. He said soybean production had a direct connection with the livestock and poultry industries, feed cost, chicken prices and ultimately household incomes.  

“As the government plans to boost the livestock and poultry sectors, it must focus on soybean cultivation, which is an essential component of animal feed,” he added. The UAF faculty member noted that transportation costs, fluctuations in global soybean prices, exchange rate volatility and other factors would continue to hit the local poultry and livestock sectors. “We have to find local solutions as imports are not viable as they strain the economy, leading to trade imbalances.”

Qasim Ali, a poultry feed dealer, said the industry faced feed shortages, whose prices had surged due to the scarcity of soybeans caused by a ban on its imports.  He said it’s commendable that the government is going to establish a centre to promote soybean cultivation, which is a critical feed source for chickens. “Promoting soybean cultivation locally will strengthen the poultry sector and reduce the feed and chicken prices,” he added.