Seeds sector development vital to achieve higher output, alleviate poverty: Imam

ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam on Thursday stressed the need for developing local seed production technology to enhance output of major crops to increase farm income and alleviating poverty from the country.

Speaking in a webinar titled 'China Pakistan Seed Industry Cooperation and Exchange', the minister termed the development of seed producing sector vital for achieving sustainable agriculture growth and economic uplift of the country.

He informed that agriculture sector in Pakistan was making 19.3 percent of the GDP and cooperation with China in field of seed technology and production provided a great opportunity for employment as Pakistan has one of the largest irrigated area in world where almost 90 percent crop producing area was irrigated.

Pakistan has 30 different fruits and 30 vegetables, he said adding that country was also producing five different pulses to tackle with the local needs.

The minister said seed certification registry provided quality seeds for growers and about 27 seed testing labs were set up across Pakistan to cater the seed requirements of 8-10 major ecological zones.

He added that 600 private seed production and marketing companies were also working and producing quality wheat, rice, maize seeds and producing hybrid vegetable seeds.

Fakhar Imam further said efforts were on to reduce reliance on imported edible oil by paying special attention on the production of oil seed and promoting research for making it more vibrant to producing exportable surplus.

The minister said the forum would provide an enabling environment for agricultural sector growth in the country by sharing the mutual experiences and knowledge about seed producing technologies to enhance maximum output of different major and minor crops.