Pakistan teams up with South Korea to produce high-quality seed potatoes

Pakistan has joined hands with South Korea to produce high-quality seed potatoes using aeroponics, an innovative cultivation technique where plants grow in air or mist without soil.

This sustainable method, lauded for maximizing plant growth with minimal water, has gained traction worldwide and offers immense potential for urban farming and vertical agriculture.

With agriculture contributing 23% to Pakistan’s GDP and employing 37.4% of its labor force, the sector plays a pivotal role in the economy. Pakistan ranks ninth globally in potato production, with output increasing over 35% in three years, reaching an estimated 8.01 million tons in 2022-23.

The Seed Potato Production and Aeroponics Complex, a collaboration between the Korea Partnership for Innovation in Agriculture (COPIA) and the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), aims to enhance the production of certified potato seeds.

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The project includes four aeroponic greenhouses, 35 screen houses, cold storage, and a 100-kW solar power system. Aeroponics offers a tenfold yield advantage, producing 50-60 tubers per plant compared to just five in traditional methods.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif emphasized the initiative’s impact on reducing seed imports and enabling exports. This partnership signifies a major milestone in advancing Pakistan’s agricultural productivity and reducing reliance on foreign seeds.