Pakistan may reduce soybean import by 76pc

ISLAMABAD: China’s maize-soybean strip intercropping technology completed harvest at 12 demonstration sites in irrigated areas of Punjab and Sindh recently, and the production of maize and soybeans reached 7,603 kg and 1,052 kg per hectare respectively in the intercropped fields.

According to China Economic Net (CEN), more specifically, at the 10 sites in Punjab, intercropped maize and soybeans achieved 8,018 kg and 842 kg per hectare with the strip intercropping technology.

In Bahawalpur, the research team obtained the highest intercropped maize yield which is 9,885 kg per hectare, and in Vehari the highest soybean yield of 1,176kg per hectare was achieved.

At the two sites in Sindh, intercropped maize and soybeans achieved 5,527 kg and 2,099 kg per hectare.

Compared with the production of solely cropped maize and soybeans at these 12 sites which are 8,719 kg and 2,228 kg per hectare respectively, the intercropping technology definitely creates much more economic benefits.