Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) has launched a number of projects aimed at cultivating bio-fuel crops for the production of fuel products to enable the country save huge amounts spent on fuel imports. "We have identified three salt-tolerant plants including Jatropha, Salicornia and Castor, which would grow in salt marshes on sea beaches and could even sustain for five years without water," said a senior official of the PARC.
The council has already completed research work for production of bio-fuel crops and has been working on cultivating pilot crops in coastal areas of Balochistan. The council has also started two rice cultivation projects in Punjab and Sindh provinces aimed at cultivating rice by utilising minimum water.
Under the project, only the roots of the rice plants would be kept wet instead of keeping them under water. This would not only help preserve water, but also enhance crop yield. The practice would be very much useful in the areas facing water storage. The government has been focusing on research and development by upgrading research and development facilities and would set up two world class research institutes for wheat and cotton.
The official said the PARC was trying to encourage farmers to utilise organic fertilisers, as it was the best option for producing quality products.