LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Syed Ashiq Hussain has directed all the stakeholders to submit viable proposals for marketing new types of seeds to increase the production of crops and increasing cotton production through biotechnology.

He said proposals filed in this regard by the stakeholders will be reviewed by the experts and sent to the Punjab chief minister for approval.

Kirmani was presiding over a meeting held at the Agriculture House on Monday regarding developing seeds with advanced productivity technology for important crops. Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture Usama Khan Leghari and Secretary of Agriculture Punjab Iftikhar Ali Sahoo were also present on this occasion.

The minister maintained that due to climate change and lack of modern seed technology, the production of cotton crops is decreasing. There is a need to bring modern, high-yielding seeds of cotton, maize and other important crops to the doorsteps of farmers so that production targets can be achieved.

The minister said the innovation of seeds with modern productivity of crops and immunity against diseases is the need of the hour. In this regard, research institutions, academia and other relevant stakeholders should work together. He said the government has increased the development budget of agriculture by 250 percent this year so that priority measures are taken for the prosperity of farmers. A new era of agricultural development is beginning in the province thanks to the farmer-friendly initiatives of the Chief Minister, Punjab, such as the Kissan Card, the Green Tractor Scheme, Solarization of Tube Wells and Agricultural Malls.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024