Chinese technology will inject a new life into Pakistani agriculture sector: Pakistani Food Minister

China Economic Net

Islamabad: Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research (NFSR) Syed Fakhar Imam has said that Chinese technology will inject a new life into Pakistani agriculture sector.

He was chairing the annual meeting of Agriculture Policy Institute Committee on Seed Cotton for 2022-23, here.

The minister maintained that the government was focusing on revival of cotton, the largest cash crop of the country, through a number of programmes.

Representatives of cotton growers, growers’ associations, research scientists, experts, planners and Provincial extension and research departments attended the meeting.

Sharing a good news regarding cotton, the Minister informed that the Prime Minister Imran Khan will inaugurate the 1st Cotton Conference being organized by his ministry in March.

“The Conference is an important move by this ministry to bring the key stakeholders at one platform to discuss the issues of the farming community, listen to best practices, prepare an action plan for the future,” he added.

Imam urged the growers to take advantage of the Chinese technology in the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) which focuses on agriculture.

He predicted that the Chinese technology in the second phase of the CPEC will inject a new life in the Pakistani agriculture sector.

Tahir Khurshid, Federal Secretary NFSR on the occasion, highlighted the importance of the economic gains from the crop, through better price of the produce which is possible through quality seed, better management practices and efficient use of inputs.

He asked the farming communities to share their cost of production estimates in order for the ministry to work-out the intervention price recommendations for the next crop.

Earlier the representatives of the cotton growers expressed their concerns related to cotton cultivation. Rabia Sultan from Punjab appreciated the Government’s price policy for 2021-22 crop announcing Pakistani Rs 5000 per 40 kilograms as intervention price, which paved the way for remunerative price received by the cotton growers.

She proposed that the Cotton Vision 2015 needs to be revisited and a new long-term strategy should be devised with the participation of growers.

Syed Mumtaz Shah from Sindh shared that the early varieties have proved much better productivity. He suggested that the government should consider up scaling of approved varieties for early sowing, which will bring a huge difference in the overall production.