Punjab Seed Council approves two new Bt cotton varieties
National
January 30, 2021
MULTAN: The Punjab Seed Council Friday approved two new Bt cotton varieties bringing sizeable increase in production and enhancing yield potential up to 50 maunds, agriculture officials said.
A spokesperson to Central Cotton Research Institute Sajjid Mehmood said Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Hussain Jahanian Gardezi chaired the 54th meeting of PSC at Agriculture House Lahore and agricultural scientists across the province attended the meeting. He said the varieties have high fiber properties as well as resistance to viruses and high productivity. Pakistan Central Cotton Committee vice president Dr. Muhammad Ali Talpur congratulated the Director CCRE Multan and all the agricultural scientists, particularly the agronomists and other staff of the Breeding Section and expressed hope that Pakistan Central Cotton Committee would continue in the future and its research institutes maintain old tradit
ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhr Imam on Wednesday said that 2021 will be a ‘make or break’ year for the cotton crop.
The industrial crop has been witnessing a decline in production over the last ten years due to multiple reasons including poor quality seed, absence of new seed technology, heat waves and climate change as well as pest attacks.
The case for ‘revival of cotton’ was once again discussed at a meeting chaired by Mr Imam. Attending the meeting, a representative of the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC) noted that “cotton is changing, we should change too”.
Syed Fakhar Imam chairs meeting to discuss revival of Pakistan Central Cotton Committee
Islamabad, January 27, 2021 (PPI-OT): The Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Syed Fakhar Imam chaired a meeting with representatives of PCCC, officials of the ministry and cotton experts to discuss the revival of the Pakistan Central Cotton Committee (PCCC). Problems such as competency of staff, funds, and yields were discussed. Issues of pests and pesticides were also highlighted while keeping the farmers cost of production and sale in consideration. It was suggested that the use of biotechnology and genetic engineering is necessary using international support. It was further discussed that the revival of cotton cannot be done without research.
Revival of cotton cannot be done without research: Fakhar Imam
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Syed Fakhar Imam said that cotton is an important crop
ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) - A meeting chaired by Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam in Islamabad today discussed ways and means to enhance cotton production in the country.
The meeting also discussed the revival of Pakistan Central Cotton Committee.
Speaking on the occasion, Syed Fakhar Imam said that cotton is an important crop and 7 percent of the edible oil in Pakistan is produced by cotton.
During the meeting it was suggested that the use of biotechnology and genetic engineering is necessary using international support.
Nursing a hangover
January 12, 2021
Pakistan must endeavour to launch an agriculture reform urgency across the country. Now is the moment to pool the best talent and financial resources, both at the federal and provincial levels, to carve a way out of the agriculture crisis.
The effort by policymakers must focus on solving the structural issues of the sector considering the frightening decline in productivity fundamentals. Resolving the issues impeding agriculture sector growth can have enormous benefits for food security, stunting, industrial raw material availability, price management and job opportunities for the 38.5 percent labor force in Pakistan. This is the conclusion of our in-depth analysis.