PARC presents 14 oil seed, sugarcane seed verities for approval  

ISLAMABAD: The Variety Evaluation Committee (VEC) of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) on Oil Seed and Sugarcane has presented 14 varieties for approval to enhance the per acre sugarcane output as well as as oil seed to reduce the huge import bill of the commodity.

The committee presented fourteen varieties of oil seeds crops including canola, rapeseed and mustard, groundnut, sunflower, sesame and sugarcane were presented by the National Coordinators oil seeds and sugarcane respectively for approval.

Chairman Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Dr. Yusuf Zafar chaired the meeting and emphasized the role of Seed Act and Plant Breeders Rights (PBR) and asked the public and private sector to support PARC for correct implementation of legislation.

Presiding the variety evaluation committee meeting, Dr. Muhammad Anjum Ali, Member Plant Sciences Division, PARC highlighted the role of quality seed for the productivity and profitability of farmers and appreciated the role of public and private organizations for making efforts to improve the potential of hybrids/varieties of oilseed crops in Pakistan.

He said that meeting of VEC would be arranged according to the calendar given in seed rules to promote high yielding varieties of oil seeds in Pakistan which is earnestly required for crop substitution and reduction in bleeding of foreign exchange.

DG Plant Protection, DG Provincial representatives and seed companies attended the meeting.

Afterwards under the provision of Seed Rules 2016, the standard operating procedures for the management of National Uniform Yield Trials and related business were also presented along-with the standards for evaluation of hybrids and varieties of oilseed as well as sugarcane crops for evaluating the hybrids varieties to be implemented from the upcoming crop season.

Participants appreciated the role of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council for devising a transparent procedure and setting the new bench marks for testing of hybrids varieties in Pakistan for the benefits of farmers as well as oil seeds and sugarcane sector in Pakistan.