ISLAMABAD, Jan 6 (APP): President Dr Arif Alvi Thursday said use of modern technology and latest methods of cultivation were imperative to increase per acre yield of major crops and boost the agriculture sector.
Speaking at the Farmers Day ceremony here, he emphasized that use of modern technology and new seeds like BT cotton would uplift the agriculture sector of the country.
He said it was heartening to note that the farmers earned a record Rs 1100 billion from the production of their crops.
He said the agriculture sector immensely supported the country’s economy during the COVID 19 pandemic and food needs of the people were met due to efforts of the farmers.
Talking about issues faced by the agriculture sector, he said low per acre yield of wheat, cotton and other major crops was a problem.
He underlined the need for tackling the issue of scarcity of water by adopting drip and spray irrigation and lessening use of flood irrigation.
He pointed that the presence of middleman in the supply chains of crops was lessening profits of farmers, adding middlemen were making money at the expense of farmers.
He said farmers could get better prices for their crops by using mobile phone and IT applications as was done by the fishermen in the past who got good prices for their produce.
The President observed that urea prices in the international market were very high but prices of the fertilizer were kept low by local manufacturers, adding the government kept a stock of urea to keep prices under control.
An increase of one million bales of cotton would add Rs 100 billion to the national economy, he explained.
He lauded the farmers community for producing ample crops of rice, wheat and maize last year.
He called for implementation of plant breeder act to improve variety of seeds and ensure their reliability.
President Alvi told that there was great potential of growth in the livestock sector and the government reduced duties and taxes to facilitate growth of this particular sector.
He said the farmers could earn more by cultivating high value crops. Crop substitution could be used to grow crops which required less water.
He was of the view that corporate farming along with vertical farming could be adopted to develop the agriculture sector on modern lines.
He mentioned that Netherlands which had far less area than Pakistan had now become the second biggest producer of food in the world by using latest technology and cultivation methods.
Pakistan had the potential to come at par with other countries in terms of getting higher per acre yield, he opined.
Governor Punjab Chaudhry Sarwar and Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Fakhar Imam also spoke on the occasion and assured that the government would resolve issues faced by the farmers.
The minister said the government would form a commission to find ways and means to modernize the agriculture sector.
He urged the need for more investment in research in agriculture.
Agriculture expert Khalid Khokhar and Chief Executive Officer Fatima Group Fawad Mukhtar spoke about the issues of the farmers
