Potato production tech introduced

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) on Thursday introduced nucleus seed harvest through tissue culture and aeroponic technology, which is expected to increase potato crop in the country.

Syed Fakhar Iman, federal minister for National Food Security and Research inaugurated the technology that was firstly introduced in the country. During the ceremony, Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali, chairman at PARC briefed the federal minister about the present potato crop status in the country.

He informed that in three years, potato production would increase to 28 tons per hectare and the country's total potato production would increase to 5.6 million tons.

The chairman envisaged that it would not only meet the country food and seed requirements, but would be able to export to the neighboring countries and definitely boost the economy of farmers and the country.

He said potato is grown on 196(000) hectares with total production 4.8 million tones and average yield 23 tons/ha, which is although higher than the world average (20 tons/ha), but lower than the other potato growing countries like Iran, Egypt and Turkey having potato yield of around 30 tons per/ha.