New seed to help increase corn yield

LAHORE
Punjab Agriculture Minister Dr Farrukh Javed has said the high yielding hybrid maize seed jointly evolved by the Breeders of Maize and Millet Research Institute, Sahiwal and the experts of Punjab Seed Corporation is a greatest achievement.
Addressing the launching ceremony of Maize Hybrid Seed YH-1898 organised by Punjab Seed Corporation at a local hotel on Monday, the minister said introduction of new high yielding seed would gear up the growth of agriculture Sector and would be helpful to restrict monopoly of multinational companies in Pakistan. He said the yield potential claimed by the breeders concerned is highly promising to achieve better crop comparable to imported seed.
He appreciated another important factor that the price of local hybrid maize would be at least 3 times less than the improved seed which would substantially reduce the production cost of the farmers.
The minister said the agriculture experts and the breeders would be encouraged with cash rewards and national awards on such remarkable efforts to increase the yield of major and minor crops for ensuring food security.
He said implementing the vision 2025 of the CM, a large number of projects have been started to increase the exports of agriculture products by adopting value addition technology to meet the world market’s requirements as per standards of the WTO regime.
He said the Punjab government has taken valuable initiatives to introduce various farmers’ friendly policies to strengthen the national economy and ensure prosperity of the farming community.
Rashid Mahmood, Punjab Agriculture Secretary, said the government would soon implement new seed act to curb seed mafia and would also implement amended Breeders Right Act for encouraging hi-tech seeds evolving initiatives of the agriculture research scientists by paying reasonable royalty along with excellence awards in recognition of their commendable efforts. He said the PSC must organise field day events on harvesting of the hybrid maize seed so that the yielding potential of the seed may be shown to the general farmers to strengthen their trust upon hi-tech seed.
Khaqan Baber, Managing Director, PSC, said: “We are working on a comprehensive plan to make PSC the most profitable organisation of the province. He said the PSC required direct area of seed production farms for establishing its own research and development base for producing hi-tech seeds of latest technology by signing joint venture pacts with national and international research institutes.