HYDERABAD: Parliamentary committee led by Convener Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani, MNA, with MNAs Syed Abrar Ali Shah, Nazir Ahmed Bhugio, and Zulfiqar Ali Behan endorsed Rs 750 million Date Palm initiative.
In a significant move to boost agricultural research and transform the date palm sector, a high-level parliamentary sub-committee has endorsed to strengthen Date Palm Research Institute here, concurrent with the signing of a landmark five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) and Shah Abdul Latif University (SALU).
The second meeting of the Sub-Committee of the Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research was convened at the SALU Vice-Chancellor Secretariat. Presided over by Convener Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani, MNA, the session focused solely on “to strengthen the Date Palm Research Institute through a joint venture between PARC and SALU.”
In a related and decisive development, the MoU was officially signed by Meritorious Prof Dr Yousuf Khushk, Vice Chancellor of SALU, and Dr Syed Murtaza Hassan Andrabi, Chairman PARC. This agreement formalises a strategic partnership aimed at revolutionizing the date palm sector in Khairpur and surrounding regions.
“The MoU is ready with the consent of both parties,” stated Convener Syed Javed Ali Shah Jillani. He emphasised that the resulting research must be conducted to enhance crop production, introduce climate-resilient technology, and safeguard farmers’ livelihoods against challenges like climate change.
The ambitious project, with an estimated cost of 750 million rupees as per its PC-I, has clear objectives to evaluate and propagate elite date palm varieties, develop optimal production and post-harvest technologies, and focus on value addition. A core goal is to position Khairpur as an international hub for dates by maximizing its export potential, he added.
Committee members MNAs Syed Abrar Ali Shah, Nazir Ahmed Bhugio, and Zulfiqar Ali Behan unanimously praised the initiative, stressing the need to strengthen agricultural research in Sindh for the benefit of farmers and country.
With both parliamentary endorsement and a formal institutional agreement now in place, the project moves into the implementation phase, marking a concerted national effort to drive research-led agricultural transformation in one of Pakistan’s key date-producing regions, they added.
SALU Vice-Chancellor Dr Yousuf Khushk termed the development “great news for the new year,” confirming plans to strengthen existing laboratories for advanced research in Date Palm Research .
The MoU outlined a comprehensive roadmap for collaboration. Key initiatives include upgrading the existing Date Palm Research Institute (DPRI) into a Centre for Date Palm Research & Post harvest Management and establishing model farms for elite varieties on 400–600 acres of SALU land.
PARC Chairman Dr Syed Murtaza Hassan Andrabi described the MoU as a “first step” towards reviving the sector, underscoring the need for a complete value chain and potential private-sector partnerships.
Dr Zakir Hussain Dahri, Senior Director of PARC, indicated that funding would be sought through the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) and alternative national and international sources.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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