PARC to establish company to ensure seed varieties to farmers: Dr Azeem.

Islamabad -- Pakistan Agriculture Council Chairman Dr Muhammad Azeem Khan on Thursday said they are establishing their own seed company in order to provide high quality seed to farmers.

He said this while talking to media persons who were visiting Directorate of Public Relations and Protocol (PR and P) of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC). The exposure visit was arranged by PARC for Electronic and Print Media journalists.

The visit was aimed to acquaint the media about agri-research and development activities being carried at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Islamabad to disseminate further these R and D activities / new innovations / technologies and information among stakeholders through media.`

Dr Azeem Khan said farmers in the country will be provided with varieties in seeds in order to improve production, adding that so far the council has introduced eight new varieties of wheat aimed 8 mound per acre increase in the production of wheat.

Talking about zaitoon crop, he said the council is going to collaborate with private section to increase production. He said zaitoon will be produced on 37 acre of land. He further said that the zaitoon plants which were imported from Italy started producing fruit.

Dr Khan said the council has produced 250,000 plants at the nursery of NARC. He said the world is tilting toward herbals and these are very costly, adding that they are planning to introduce herbal on commercial basis. He said we have over 190 plants and flowers which were being used in herbal medicines.

The media visited NARC Agricultural and Biological Engineering Institute (ABEI) where a number of farm machines were displayed whereby they were briefed about farm machinery including olive extraction machine, wheat straw chopper, and sisal decorticator with practical demonstration.

Ispaghol Processing Plant was also seen by the Media which is a very much usefull technology for Ispahgol Processing especially in Southern Punajb and Sindh Areas where Ispaghol is cultivated widely. Portable Solar Irrigtion System developed by ABEI, NARC was also shown and intrtoduced to the visitors.

Briefing about solar system, Media was told that it was developed and demonstrated as pilot project at Chakri. Solar drying technology for fruit and vegetables to manufacture value added products was also demonstrated.

On-going research work on different fruits plants in green houses was also presented.

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