New cropvarieties approved

LAHORE:Minister for Agriculture Malik Nauman Ahmad has given approval of 31 new varieties of different crops for general cultivation.

Presiding over 52nd meeting of Punjab Seed Council, the minister said progress is being made under the ‘vision of making farmer prosperous’ by Prime Minister Imran Khan and Chief Minister Usman Buzdar.

He said Punjab being the elder brother is aware of fulfilling its responsibility to provide cheap and quality food for the growing population of the country and the present government will not disappoint. In the meeting, Dr Ghazanfar Ali, Managing Director Punjab Seed Council, briefed the minister about the varieties of crops. The minister gave approval of 31 total varieties for general cultivation. Three sugarcane, 4 oilseed, 2 rice, 2 onion while flowers 3, peas 1, oat 2, fig 1, grape 3 and 1 variety of hybrid rice has been approved in the meeting. It is learnt that cotton varieties was not discussed during the meeting despite being one of the agenda item.

The meeting was attended by Ubaidullah Additional Secretary (Planning), Dr Ghazanfar Ali, Managing Director Punjab Seed Council, Dr Abid Mahmood, Director General Agriculture (Research), Rana Riffat, Director Seed Council, Muhammad Rafiq Akhtar, Director Agriculture Information, Shahid Qadir, Media Adviser to Minister for Agriculture Punjab, along with a large number of scientists.