Pakistan can do paradigm shift in agriculture: Fakhar Imam.

ISLAMABAD -- Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam has said Pakistan can do paradigm shift in agriculture.

He said this on Wednesday while chairing a meeting of the Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA) about Khareef season. He said agriculture can be a leading sector of country's economy.

According to a press release, Fakhar Imam was of the view that Prime Minister Imran Khan has also stressed on importance of agriculture. He said agriculture will be part of main stream economy of the country. The Committee meeting formally started with statistics on wheat. Last year the target of wheat production was 27 mn tonnes. This year there is a shortfall of 1.4 mn tonnes. This year 79.95% target is achieved for procurement. Syed Fakhar Imam said we have to increase wheat production. We need to have a breakthrough of high yield wheat variety through genetic engineering. He said our country has best irrigation system which is not optimized properly. He said wheat is 36% of cultivated area of Pakistan. On the other hand Food Security Commissioner Dr Waseem mentioned that after many years our country has produced chick pea more than the target i.e. 540,000 tonnes. So this year there will be saving of Rs.87 million as there will be less chick pea import. This year production is increased to 23.71%.Last year potato production was 4.4 mn tonnes. While this year its production is 4.43 million tonnes. Balochistan has bumper crop of tomato this year. Syed Fakhar Imam said we need to increase...