Staff Reporter
Islamabad
Pakistan Agricultural Research Council held two-day annual wheat planning meeting at NARC which was chaired by Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sayed Fakhar Imam.
Dr. Muhammad Azeem Khan, Chairman, PARC, scientists from all over the country related to the wheat research / extension were the participants at the opening session. It was mainly to discuss the wheat projects’ progress and future prospects in varietal development.
Syed Fakhar Imam, regarding the positive endeavour of PARC towards sustainable wheat production, said being in ten major wheat producing countries, Pakistan should have now become hub of agro economy.
“This year’s wheat crop was more susceptible to rust disease due to adverse impacts of climate change hence, fell off in wheat production occur and 1.5 million tons of wheat was being imported,” he said.
He directed to set out to identify disease resistant, high yielding varieties of wheat. He emphasized, “We are facing channels of climate changes, input costs, the competition in cost of production as compare to the world and disease like rust.”
Dr. Muhammad Azeem Khan while giving opening remarks at inaugural session said that amid this covid-19 crises Pakistan has yet to mull over the ongoing wheat crises as it is a basic need of the people.
He said, PARC has identified 18 new wheat varieties so far, Markaz-2019 and AZRC-DERA another disease free developed varieties introduced by PARC scientists.
Chairman PARC also stressed the scientists to avail this opportunity in the form of funds and through this meeting consolidated outcome should come which can help and guide the policy makers to streamline all the matters related to narrow this yield gap.
Dr. Azeem also motivated the scientists to enhance Breeder Nucleus Stock and protection of their varieties will be ensured through Plant Breeder Rights.
