Governor Punjab Engineer Muhammad Baligh Ur Rehman Sunday felicitated the Chief Executive Officer Guard Agricultural Research and Services Shahzad Ali Malik for evolving two new best quality varieties of rice in the private sector to help boost the cash crop production in the country besides earning direly needed foreign exchange.
He said the government will fully encourage and support the private sector in developing new varieties of seeds of all crops as agriculture is the backbone of our national economy, said a press release.
He said to achieve food autarky, on the explicit direction of Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, he has constituted a high provincial seed committee headed by him to help evolve more new best quality seeds for bumper crops as good seeds play a key role in better yield than traditional seeds.
CEO Guard Agricultural Research and Services expressing his highest degree of gratitude for congratulating him informed the Governor that the Punjab Seed Council after the successful completion of the thorough process approved “ Open Pollinated” extra long grain rice varieties Guard 101 and Guard 102 that ensures 20-25 percent higher per acre yield with maturity within 90 days of sowing.
He said new varieties are beneficial for the country due to high exports potential and attractive for farmers due to the low cost and higher per-acre yield.
Shahzad Ali Malik said “We have been engaged in rice seed research since 1989 in collaboration with Chinese in the private sector without any government support” and contributing lots to the country.
He said we have already successfully developed 5-Hi tech Hybrid rice seeds varieties which suit our climate and give better production.—APP
