Islamabad : Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Syed Fakhar Imam delivered opening remarks during a webinar on China Pakistan Seed Industry Cooperation and Exchange.
The minister said that Agriculture is 19.3% of the GDP of Pakistan and this cooperation provides a great opportunity for gainful employment for the people of Pakistan. Pakistan has one of the Largest contiguous irrigated area in world where Almost 90% cropped area is irrigated. Pakistan has 30 different fruits and 30 vegetables, and also 5 diff Lerner pulses.
Seed certification registry provides quality seeds for growers and farmers. A total of 27 seed testing labs are set up all across Pakistan to cater to the 8-10 major ecological zones in pakistan. There are around 600 Private seed production and marketing companies that work in producing quality wheat, paddy, maize seeds amongst many other, even hybrid vegetable seeds are researched upon. Oil seed production or research is not vibrant or dynamic but Pakistan is trying to establish itself in the oil seed side as well.
The minister said that this forum will provide a fruitful enabling environment for agricultural sector growth in pakistan.
He also said that the Seed sector is vital element of agriculture in Pakistan because the Seed industry is the backbone for progress in our agriculture sector that can help alleviate poverty.