Agri scientists of Pak-Indian Punjab urged to work jointly

FAISALABAD: Indian Punjab State Farmers Commission Mohali Chairman Dr Gurcharan Singh Kalkat has urged Indian and Pakistani Punjab agricultural scientists to jointly work for addressing productivity, climate change and water scarcity issues.
He was addressing the business meeting of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad alumni at Syndicate Room in which Indian UAF Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, Director General Research Dr Abid Mehmood, Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana (PAU), India Vice Chancellor Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, DG Extension Dr Anjum Ali Buttar, DG Field Dr Muhammad Bashir and other notables also participated in the event.
Dr Gurcharan Kalkat stressed making rational use of God-given gifts including land, water and air. He said work should be done to minimise the cost of production of inputs. He said India was giving subsidised water, energy and inputs to its farmers. That’s why water and energy are being misused by the farming community. He called for providing latest agricultural machineries to farming community on rent to increase productivity.
UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Iqrar Ahmad said agriculture could help alleviate poverty from the country. He said both countries were facing similar challenges including poverty, low productivity and climate changes. He said improper sowing, misuse of resources and imbalance use of inputs are the hurdles to obtain the optimum potential. We have to take tangible steps to provide a secured future for the coming generations.
DG Research Dr Abid Mahmood said our land is facing 95 per cent deficiency of nitrogen, and 90pc of potassium. He said 50pc of the farming community sow wheat crop later than the recommended date which is a reason for not tapping the optimum potential of the land. He said the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute had produced many varieties of all crops.