LAHORE
Provincial Minister for Agriculture Dr Farrukh Javed has said that the high yielding hybrid maize seed, jointly evolved by the breeders of Maize & Millet Research Institute Sahiwal and the experts of Punjab Seed Corporation, is no doubt a greatest achievement, which would not only gear up the growth of Agriculture sector in a remarkable manner, but would also helpful to restrict the monopoly of multinational companies in Pakistan.
Dr Farrukh Javed stated this here Monday in a launching ceremony of Maize Hybrid Seed YH-1898 organized by Punjab Seed Corporation. He said that the yield potential claimed by concerned breeders is highly promising to achieve better crop comparable to imported seed. He also appreciated another important factor that the price of local hybrid maize would be at least 3 times less than the improved seed, which would substantially reduce the production cost of the farmers. The minister further said that the agriculture experts, spatially the breeders would be encouraged with cash rewards and national awards on such remarkable efforts, in order to increase the yield of major and minor crops for ensuring food security to meet requirements of rapidly increasing population of the contrary. He also said that implementing the vision 2025 of Chief Minister Punjab, a large number of projects have been started to increase the exports of agriculture products by adopting value addition technology to meet the world market’s requirements, as per standards of WTO regime. He said that the Government of the Punjab has taken valuable initiatives to introduce various farmers’ friendly policies to strengthen the national economy as well as to ensure prosperity of the farming community.
Rashid Mahmood, Secretary Agriculture Punjab said that the government would soon implement new seed act to curb seed mafia and would also implement amended Breeders Right Act for encouraging hi-tech seeds evolving initiatives of the Agriculture Research Scientists by paying reasonable royalty along with excellence awards, in recognition of their commendable efforts made in the larger national interest.