Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (NARC) has provided over 300 metric tons of certified wheat seeds to farmers in order to enhance per-acre crop output in the country and increase farm profitability for achieving sustainable agriculture growth and economic development.
The council had distributed 07 wheat seed varieties among farmers and different seed companies including Punjab Seed Corporation which will cement the efforts of the government to ensure the availability of certified seeds during the current, Wheat Program Coordinator in the National Agriculture Research Center Maqsood Qamar.
Talking to APP here on Monday, he said that the distributed seed verities were comprised of heat and stem rest-tolerant, which would help the local farmers enhance their crop output during the season and maximize their farm income. Out of the total 07 seed varieties, four varieties were for rain-fed areas and three were for irrigated areas and would help to enhance local output of both irrigated and rain-fed areas, he said adding that NARC was taking other measures to assist local wheat growers to enhance per-acre crop output during the current season.
Meanwhile, Food Security Commissioner in the Ministry of National Food Security and Research Imtiaz Ali Gopangabout said that about 729,000 metric tons of high-quality certified wheat seeds would also be available to the local farming communities during the current season which comprises over 46 percent of the total local demand. In addition to seeds, the government was implementing various strategies to guarantee an ample supply of essential agricultural inputs, such as fertilizers, pesticides and access to finance to achieve the fixed targets of the season, he remarked.
To ensure the smooth supply of fertilizers at affordable prices across the country, the government has launched an anti-hoarding campaign, besides taking stern measures to curb the smuggling of commodities including wheat, sugar and fertilizers, he added.
