LAHORE: Pakistan needs to invite all the reputable multinational seed companies with cutting-edge technologies and a strong research and development (R&D) infrastructure so as to develop and multiply quality seeds of different crops locally aimed at increasing the per-acre yield, leading to an agricultural revolution.
Almost all companies have expertise and excellence in some specific crop, and it is the need of the hour that such companies be invited to Pakistan to develop their infrastructure. These companies should be incentivised, including allotting land without any rent or charges so that they could develop seeds according to our climate with higher outputs.
“Millions of acres of land are brought under cultivation for different crops in Pakistan every year. The incumbent caretaker government is eyeing around one million acres under different crops to materialize the dream of an agricultural revolution. However, this is not possible without having strong, potent seeds of different crops that not only give higher yields but also have resistance against different diseases and climatic changes,” said Engr. Jawed Saleem Qureshi, Chairman of Four Brothers, a leading agricultural input manufacturing group.
While talking to the Business Recorder, Engr Jawed said that our country had to utilize both options of introducing corporate and cooperative types of farming.
Those working on the introduction of corporate farming should continue their endeavors, but at the same time, the currently cropped area of 56 million acres should also be modernized through cooperative form, he added. He suggested that the government, in consultation with the stakeholders, develop both short-term and long-term policies. Initially, he proposed that 5 million acres of land out of the total 22.5 million brought under wheat cultivation should be separated, and Oil seed crops with high yield potential developed by local and foreign companies should be sown over them. He said that these companies have such seeds, which could take the average wheat production to 30-45 maunds per acre.
He said that if we could sow Raya on five million acres in February-March, it would give 25 maunds per acre, and the land could be prepared again for early Cotton. He said those who had an early sowing of cotton were getting over 40 mounds despite the before time heavy rains. He said due to climate change, our rain pattern too has changed, and now the rainy season starts much earlier than its stipulated time. He said humidity is the root cause of pest infestation, so we need seeds resistant to climatic changes.
Regarding inviting companies to have their agri-input outlets, he said when any seed performs badly, the whole blame rests on the dealers. When we ask any company to develop its structure, it should have to perform responsibly, as the company’s reputation would also be at stake.
He said that the company would sell its quality products directly to farmers, which would become the basis of an agricultural revolution. Similarly, he said it would also ensure ‘Seed Security’ in the country, and globally, it is said that seed security leads to food security, which ultimately results in national security.
To a question, he said that the local companies would also learn from the international companies as they have to build their capacities to remain in the field and compete with high-quality products. He said clusters of four to five villages could be developed where these companies place their infrastructure to help farmers get a higher per-acre yield and also develop value-added agri-products from their crops.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023