LAHORE: The Punjab Seed Council (PSC) on Tuesday approved 16 new varieties of different crops. The newly approved seeds include five varieties of wheat, five new cotton crop seeds, and six new varieties of rice crop.
The approval was granted in the 60th meeting of the Punjab Seed Council held at the Agriculture House, chaired by the Punjab Minister for Agriculture, Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani.
The meeting was attended by Secretary of Agriculture Iftikhar Suho, Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Osama Laghari, Director General of Research Sajid-ur-Rehman, Regional Director of Federal Seed Certification Muhammad Shafiq, Deputy Managing Director Shamsad Asghar Waraich, along with other scientists and officers.
During the meeting, approval was granted for 5 new wheat varieties: Champion, Falak, Savera, Wafaq, and Chenab. Approval was also given for 5 new cotton varieties: Tara, FH 416, Nibji 19, Nibji PF, and CEMB-AAS 3. Additionally, 6 new rice varieties were also approved.
During the meeting, Chairman Punjab Seed Council and Provincial Minister for Agriculture Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani directed the Punjab Seed Council not to approve any variety in the future that already exists in the market. He further instructed that all cotton varieties be short-listed, and the top 3 should be presented for approval.
Ashiq Hussain Kirmani emphasized that he would continue to play an active role in the development and prosperity of the Punjab Seed Corporation.
He stated that all work should be done on merit and that the next meeting of the Punjab Seed Council should be held in March, with meetings to be scheduled every three months thereafter.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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