Better production: Agri dept, private sector should coordinate: minister

LAHORE: Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani has said that the Agriculture department and the private sector should collaborate and cooperate to increase per acre production of crops.

He expressed these views during a meeting with Syngenta Pakistan Country Head Zeeshan Haseeb Baig here on Tuesday. Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo, Manager Business Communication Afzan Munir and Head Research and Development Taseef-ul-Haq were also present on this occasion.

While appreciating the services of the company for providing quality agricultural inputs to the farmers, the minister further said that it is the need of the hour to organise joint programmes for the awareness and mobilisation of the farmers regarding modern production technology of crops, adding that the farmers should be guided by organising joint programmes in cotton cultivation areas.

He averred that the agriculture department is recruiting agricultural graduates on a contract basis to improve the linkages with farmers. He further said that these young graduates should be connected with dealers and franchises of the company to organise consultation sessions with the farmers. “All possible measures will be taken to increase the yield of crops,” he added.

On this occasion, the Country Head of Syngenta Pakistan gave a briefing to the minister about the company’s business and provision of insect control products to the farmers.

The Punjab Agriculture secretary said that awareness programmes will be organised in collaboration with the Agriculture department to guide the cotton farmers in South Punjab. He further said that to achieve the target of cotton cultivation and production in Punjab, the private sector should cooperate with the department to provide technical guidance to the farmers.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024