Directive to make Punjab Seed Council active, empowered

LAHORE:Provincial Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani issued orders to take immediate steps to make the Punjab Seed Council active and empowered. The council should have the authority to approve its seed’s varieties and spot checking. He issued this direction while chairing the 59th meeting of Punjab Seed Council (PSC) here on Thursday.

The issue of revival and reconstitution of Expert Sub-Committee of Punjab Seed Council reviewed in the meeting. PSC MD Shan-ul-Haq briefed the minister that a sub-committee consisting of agricultural experts was established to assist the Seed Council in technical matters while the committee was de-notified in the 58th meeting of the Punjab Seed Council.

He said that the terms of references of this committee include spot examination of the varieties, all results of field trials and preparation of recommendations regarding approval and disapproval of various varieties.

The provincial minister directed to aboard the representatives of seed companies, associations, Punjab Agriculture Commission, high officials of the Ministry of Food and Security and Variety Evaluation Cell of the federal government and observers of rice, wheat and cotton to prepare proposals related to seed approval.

He endorsed that the agenda of the sub-committee revival of the Punjab Seed Council should be deferred until the approval of the workable suggestions of the experts related to the seeds. He said Punjab govt is committed to supply quality and authentic seed. Government’s focus is to rid farmers from spurious and adulterated seed and increase per acre yield of crops.

On this occasion, Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo said that there is need to improve the system of approval of new varieties of seeds. He said that the private sector has a key role in the seed business. Any policy formulation by neglecting the private sector is not in the interest of the agricultural sector.

PSC Deputy MD Shamshad Waraich, Consultant Agriculture Department Punjab Dr Anjum Ali, Agricultural Information Punjab DG Naveed Asmat Kahlon, Agriculture Extension DG Ch Abdul Hameed, members and observers of Punjab Seed Council participated in the meeting.