Potato Research Institute Sahiwal organizes Seminar for farmers
On the occasion of the seminar, the students also set up stalls of food items made from potatoes.
Potato Research Institute Sahiwal has organized a seminar for guidance of potato growers in which Commissioner Sahiwal participated.
Commissioner Sahiwal Division Shoaib Iqbal Syed has said that for the food security of the country, it is necessary to increase the agricultural production and for this, along with the modern method of farming, also give awareness to the farmers for the value addition of the products.
Potato is a major crop of Pakistan which is being exported and earning billions of rupees in foreign exchange. There is a need for the Department of Agriculture with the support of Agricultural University and Research Institutes to provide guidance to the potato farmers in view of climate change over time.
He said this while addressing a seminar organized by Potato Research Institute Sahiwal to guide potato farmers, which was supported by Farmer Development Association.
On this occasion, Director General Research Department of Agriculture Dr. Muhammad Akhtar, Director Potato Research Institute Sahiwal Dr. Syed Ijaz Al Hasan, Director Agriculture Sahiwal Shahbaz Akhtar, Director Agriculture Information Punjab Naveed Ismat Kahlon, Chairman Potato Research and Development Board Maqsood Ahmed Jutt and President Chamber of Agriculture, students of Agriculture University Okara campus including Shaukat Chadhar and potato farmers from across the division also participated in large numbers.
Commissioner Shoaib Iqbal Syed urged the investors to set up industries for the manufacture of potato related products in Sahiwal to increase the export of potatoes and potato products for which there is a strong need to establish an industrial state in Sahiwal. He also assured of cooperation.
Earlier, Director General Research Punjab Agriculture Department Dr. Muhammad Akhtar said that the Agriculture Department is in close contact with the farmers to increase the potato production and their problems are being solved on a priority basis.
He announced the initiation of a research project for Potato Research Institute Sahiwal. Addressing the seminar, Chairman Potato Research and Development Board Maqsood Ahmed Juttt said that potato is the third largest crop of Pakistan, most of which is produced in Sahiwal Division.
He said that after meeting the country’s needs, more than 400,000 metric tons of potatoes are being exported from Pakistan annually, which is worth more than 110 million dollars. can go and the farmers also get full compensation for their crops.
On the occasion of the seminar, the students also set up stalls of food items made from potatoes.