CropLife seminar: Agriculture sector not being accorded priority in CPEC projects: Dr Zafar

Chairman Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Dr Yousaf Zafar on Wednesday said that despite much hype, proper importance is not being given to agriculture sector in China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Zafar expressed these views while addressing media persons at a workshop titled "Future of Agriculture in Pakistan" organized by the CropLife Pakistan.
He said the CEPC was silent with respect to agriculture sector of Pakistan. However, the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) had given some proposals regarding setting up of agriculture zones in the CPEC which was under consideration, he added.
He said Pakistan enjoyed great potential regarding agriculture, adding that at the time of independence, Pakistan was mainly an agriculture country. The total share of agriculture share in GDP in 1950-55 was 51 percent but in 2015-16 it was decline to 19.8 percent due to lack of interest of successive governments, he said, adding Pakistan's agriculture sector was running through begging money since 1950 till date.
The PARC chairman said that share of agriculture in total exports was 57 percent. Out of 19.8 percent of GDP, 58 percent was livestock, 40 percent crop sector and one each of forest and fishery sector, he said. He also said that Pakistan had surplus stock of wheat, rice, sugar, maize and potato, as the country had produced 25 million tons wheat, 6.85 million ton rice, sugar 5.6 million, maize 6.13 million ton and potato 3.8 million during 2016-17.
Zafar further said that modern technology had a pivotal role in the future of agriculture sector in Pakistan. However, a lack of awareness and proper understanding of new technological advancements in this field continues to impede adoption, he said, adding therefore, the role of both print and electronic was very important in terms of carrying a pro-technology message to the farmers, policy makers and the broader citizenry.
Director General (DG) Department of Plant Protection (DPP), Dr Waseem-ul-Hassan said that China and US were not ready to import Pakistan's agriculture produce just to protect their own farmers. "Due to ban on tomato import since last year, Pakistan has saved Rs 12 billion which has benefited growers to a large extent," he said. Hassan said Pakistan had also imposed ban on onion import and now "we have become onion exporting country," he added.
He also claimed that during the last four months, Pakistan had not imported fresh fruit and vegetables and expressed the hope that it would continue in future. DG DDP further said that DDP had taken various measures for capacity building of the country exporters and importers including devising action plan for mango export, surveillance programme for development of pest free areas for potato, citrus, mango and rice.
He said those measures also included the registration of 248 mango orchards in Sindh and Punjab for export and 34 phytosanitary hot water treatment plant (HWT) plant and 50 packing houses for export of mango. Three Vapor Heat Treatment (VHT) plants have been established of which one each in Karachi, Sahiwal and Multan.
Executive Director CropLife Pakistan Dr Muhammad Afzal said that growing population, climate change, scarcity of water and changing lifestyles continued to pose challenges to the country's food security. "To address these challenges, we need to promote sustainable means to grow food and embrace technological innovations that enable the same," he said.
The workshop covered a wide array of technological developments, including those in crop biotechnology, robotics in precision agriculture and information and communication technology (ICT) integrated solutions for farmers. The CropLife Pakistan is a part of a global federation of associations operating in 191 countries representing the plant science industry and advocates international developments with regards to crop protection, seeds and agricultural biotechnology. Its primary aim is to promote and advocate approaches that enhance sustainable agriculture in the interests of farmers, governments, consumers and the environment.