Punjab Agricultural Research Board, Rice Research Institute, Kala Shah Kaku; National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering; Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and biology; basmati rice farmers; private service providers; and the International Rice Research Institute are actively preparing a plan to improve basmati seed varieties and to improve rice farming and post harvest practices.
According to Pakistan Agricultural Research Council sources, these institutions are also preparing a plan for improvement of research and service capabilities for higher incomes of basmati rice farmers in Punjab and higher export earnings from basmati.
Overcoming the major problems affecting Punjab's basmati rice is urgently needed for Pakistan to regain and sustain its competitiveness in the world market, improve the sub-sector's foreign exchange earnings, and ensure higher incomes for basmati farmers and other stakeholders in the value chain.
The ADB financial assistance will focus on measures that meet the following criteria (i) tangible results achievable within 2-3 years; (ii) complementing and adding value to ongoing activities of public and private sector stakeholders; and (iii) having the potential to significantly increase the yields of basmati rice, improve the efficiency of the upstream segment of the basmati value chain, and integrate the upstream more effectively with the midstream and downstream segments of the value chain, sources added.
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