LAHORE: Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi on Sunday said the government was utilizing all available resources to facilitate mango growers, suppliers and exporters. He said this while talking to representatives of Multan Mango Growers Association, said a press release issued here.

He said that second phase of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was going to start and agriculture had big share in it. The Minister said that all agricultural laboratories of the province would be upgraded so that production, trading capacity and agricultural exports could be boosted.

He further said that approval regarding types of agricultural commodities had been made conditional with variety registration and DNA fingerprinting. Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi said the government was focusing on preparation of quality seed so that per acre production of important crops could be enhanced.

Better strategy was being evolved to provided subsidy on fertilizers, he added. He said that field formation was carrying out continuous monitoring to ensure availability of agriculture inputs on fixed prices.

The Minister said the government was implementing zero tolerance policy against those involved in the business of spurious fertilizers and pesticides. He said that only 6 percent of country’s mango production was being exported, adding that mango pulp demand was increasing in local and international markets.

The Minister said, “Pakistan produces almost 1.7 million tonnes of mango and more than 110 good varieties of mangoes are produced in the country.”

On this occasion mango growers apprised the minister about their problems and requested for solution.