Pakistan
November 22, 2008
Source:
Business Recorder via
Pakistan Biotechnology
Information Center (PABIC)
Punjab Minister for Agriculture
Malik Ahmed Ali Aulakh has congratulated Chief Minister Shahbaz
Sharif for signing an agreement with China for BT cotton
technology, finally breaking the monopoly of American and
European multinational technology providers.
The Minister said that Punjab government, led by Chief Minister
Shahbaz Sharif, was encouraging modern research in the
agriculture sector to make the country self-sufficient in food
requirements. Talking to newsmen here on Friday, he said that
the Punjab government would continue to provide modern
agricultural equipment to farmers to bring about the targeted
green revolution in the country.
He said that the provision of subsidy to farmers across the
province, particularly for the purchase of quality agricultural
equipment, was a historic event for the country. He said that
the Punjab government attached great importance to the
agricultural sector, adding that worthwhile incentives had been
offered to farmers so that they could effectively cultivate
barren land.
He appreciated the contribution made by the Guard Agricultural
Research and Services for successfully evolving quality high
yield of different five varieties of extra long hybrid grain
rice in seven years. He said that the organisation had now
established the Guard World Combine Harvester for paddy and
wheat, using Chinese help, adding that the centre was equipped
with latest technology.
He said that he would urge the Chief Minister to provide this
harvester to farmers at subsidised rate through the Punjab Bank
to save 20 to 30 percent of harvest. Aulakh said that the
country had spent a record amount of Rs 300 million on
developing varieties of rice for the farmers' benefit. He added
that in the larger national interest, this was done without
financial assistance from any other quarter.
Guard Agricultural Research and Services Director Shahzad Ali
Malik said that the development of new rice varieties was the
result of nine-and-a-half years of continuous research,
conducted by a team led by renowned agricultural scientist Dr
Majeed. He said that they had achieved a record bumper paddy
crop of 6.5 million tonnes, adding that it was one million
tonnes more than that of last year's. |
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