HYDERABAD: Agriculture experts have identified lack of certified cotton seeds in Sindh and sale of substandard seeds by private companies as the main reasons for losses pertaining to cotton crop and declared cooperation between institutions as indispensable for production of good quality cotton seeds.

Under the auspices of Seed Production and Development Centre (SPDC), vice chancellor of Sindh Agriculture University (SAU) inaugurated an experimental field for the production and expansion of cotton varieties under an agreement signed with the United Bank Limited (UBL) for the development of improved and climate-resilient seeds of wheat and cotton.

Speaking at the inaugural event, SAU Vice Chancellor Dr Fateh Marri said that cotton was the crop that was affected the most by the recent floods, which caused losses of billions of rupees to the farmers in Sindh. During the current season, the farmers are facing a shortage of certified cotton seeds.

To deal with the problem, the SAU in collaboration with the UBL is conducting research on certified cotton and wheat seeds, he said. Around 80 percent of the requirements of cotton seed in the province is being met by private companies, most of which are unregistered companies that buy cotton seed from ginning factories and sell them without processing, causing irreparable loss to the cotton farmers.

Dr Fateh Marri said that his university has developed a new cotton variety named as SAU-1, which is in the registration stage, and that research work is underway with the support of UBL to meet the shortage of quality certified cotton and wheat seeds.

Prof Dr Zahoor Ahmed Soomro, the director of SPDC, said that through the research field, more productive and disease-resistant seeds will be produced, after which the farmers of the province will be able to get rid of inferior seeds.

Well-known agricultural breeder Karam Khan Kaleri said that the SAU has taken important steps in the area of wheat and cotton seeds. Institutions will have to make joint efforts to ease the agricultural crisis, especially with regard to seeds.

Convener of the project Dr Shahnawaz Marri said that in addition to experts, the graduates of the university are also involved in the research work. By the end of the project they will emerge as a trained force for the promotion of new seeds.

Earlier, Ghulam Hussain Wagan of the UBL briefed the participants about the SAU-HBL seed project.

University’s Dean for Crop Production Dr Inayatullah Rajpar, Chairman of the High Power Farms Committee Dr Mujahid Hussain Leghari, Director of Farms Jakhro Mumtaz Ahmed, Dr Saleem Sarki, Asghar Rajpar, and Faheem Memon were also present on the occasion.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023