Staff Reporter
Islamabad
A two days R&D Planning Annual Sugar Crops Research Review meeting was held at National Agricultural Research Centre Islamabad on July 25-26, 2020.
Mr. Inayatullah Khan, Secretary General, Pakistan Sugar Mills Association Islamabad, Dr. Shahid Afghan, CEO, Punjab Sugarcane Research & Development Board Faisalabad and representative of Agriculture Extension & Research Departments were also participants of the meeting.
Speaking to the participants, Dr. Muhammad Azeem Khan, Chairman, PARC in his inaugural remarks expressed that PARC working to raise sugarcane yield, improve efficiency of inputs and promote sustainable production. Dr. Azeem also said that Sugarcane is multidimensional crop, food, feed and energy and PARC is committed to strengthen the sugar crops research and development in the country through human resource development and allied facilities. Dr.
Azeem Khan stressed the need for mechanising the agriculture sector and adopting modern agricultural practices to raise productivity. He also added that public private partnership needs to establish for new varieties and technologies development and promotion.
PBR (Plant Breeder rights) should be followed for sugarcane varieties to benefit the breeders. In this case, NIGAB team may support for training of patent development and approval along-with PBR system that will also help to develop basic, pre-basic and certified seed.
