Federal Minister for Food & Agriculture, Nazar M. Gondal has said that the newly formed democratic government of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) would be helped in all possible ways to help it move in the right direction. He said all developmental projects must consider GB for their operations, and issued instructions in this regard to help GB achieve sustainable growth in the agriculture sector.
The minister was holding a meeting with a delegation led by Muhammad Jaffer, Minister for Food & Agriculture, Gilgit-Baltistan. "What I suggest is that your ministry focus on apricot, cherries and fisheries instead of going for less productive crops. Value addition and cold chain can greatly increase the returns for your organic fruits. We would help in the food processing and setting up dehydration plants," Gondal told the minister.
He asked the delegation to come up with concrete proposals so that immediate work could be started on building irrigation channels and other facilities in GB. The GB minister said since GB is recently empowered, it needs support of the federal government to enhance institutional arrangements for the well-being of the agriculture sector.-PR