Federal Seed Certification & Registration Department (FSCD) has given a go-ahead signal for exporting 50 metric tons of hybrid rice seed, the first ever rice seed export from Pakistan, following the passage of purity and germination analysis of the consignment. Guard Agriculture Research & Services Ltd (GUARD) had entered in to a deal with a Philippines company to export a newly-developed hybrid rice variety and initially the quantity was fixed at 50 metric tons.
The company prior to export had applied for purity and germination analysis with the federal seed certification and registration department in mid of December and it received a green signal from the FSCD on January 03, 2018. It is planned to export the consignment shortly as now the company has to get through the process of quarantine department in this regard, said Guard's Chief Executive Shahzad Ali Malik.
"We had a good harvest of rice seed of hybrid varieties, which after processing and passing through required procedures is ready to be exported now. The shipment is expected to be seen off at Karachi by high government officials, company representatives and other stakeholders at an event to celebrate this landmark achievement by the country," said Shahzad Malik.
Executive Seed Division Guard Agriculture Research & Services, Shah Rukh Malik termed it a great achievement not only for the company but for Pakistan to export hybrid rice seed to a country, which is pioneer in rice technology and having world renowned IRRI (International Rice Research Institute) which gave modern rice varieties to the world.
"People of Pakistan have the capacity to achieve anything especially in agriculture given our favorable climatic conditions for seed cultivation. In future our country can develop in to a seed production base," Shahrukh Malik concluded.
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