Seed Association of Pakistan (SAP) has pledged to work hand in hand with the government for achieving 15 million cotton bales target for 2011-12 crop season. The assurance was given by SAP Executive Committee that met here Saturday. The meeting was chaired by SAP Chairman, Shahzad Ali Malik.
There was a consensus among all the participants that better crop management and increase in cotton sowing area are the prerequisites for improvement in production. The committee suggested that varieties and quantity of seed for different areas, keeping in view their ecological condition, need to be worked out and communicated to plan timely availability/placement of seed in proposed areas.
The executive committee members, while appreciating government efforts assured their full support and co-operation in the supply of seeds. Agriculture Development Commissioner Minfa, Inayatullah Khan informed the committee that for increasing the cotton sowing area, government has decided to promote crop in Mianwali and Pothohar plateau of Punjab, and DI Khan, Tank districts of KP and Sibi, Loralai, Nasirabad, Chaghi, Dera Bughti, Jaffarabad, Uthal, Lasbela, Khuzdar districts of Balochistan. He said that teething problems exist in introducing any crop in new areas in general and provision of subsidised seed in particular for launching the project.
Expressing his views, Director General, Federal Seed Certification & Registration Department, Mohammad Nasir Hussain Shah highlighted the pivotal role of seed in better production of any crop. He stressed upon the seed companies to ensure supply of better seed of cotton with permissible germination standards.
He said that in case of any relaxation in germination, seed bags must be clearly marked with the percentage of germination and quantity of seed per acre to facilitate the farmers in selection and sowing correct quantity of seed to achieve optimum plant population. It is a moral and ethical responsibility of the seed companies to honour commitments of their product.
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