Few Persons Damaged Crops Zoning System: Minister

Provincial Minister for Agriculture Hussain Jehanian Gardezi on Saturday said few persons damaged agriculture zoning system and inflicted heavy loss to cotton sector especially in South Punjab

MULTAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Jan, 2021 ) :Provincial Minister for Agriculture Hussain Jehanian Gardezi on Saturday said few persons damaged agriculture zoning system and inflicted heavy loss to cotton sector especially in South Punjab.

Cotton remained an important cash of South Punjab as millions of people were associated with the crop, the provincial minister expressed these remarks while addressing a ceremony at Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Gardezi remarked that cotton had vital role in country's exports and provision of employment opportunities to the people in the region.

Reduction in cotton production put huge burden on country's economy, he stated.

Loss in cotton sector was very much difficult to recover, he noted. Pakistan has important raw material now.

However, Pakistan had enough cotton for preparation of value added goods. Hussain Jehanian remarked adding that country could make progress by focusing on agriculture, production and commercial sectors.

He stated that Bangladesh was not producer of cotton but it was exporting textile products. He, however, added that Pakistan's textile sector was working with full capacity. Country's exports were on increase due to effective policies of the government, he said adding, to boost exports further, the country would have to focus on cotton sector.

"We will have to follow modern technology", he remarked, adding, research institutes should also be upgraded.

Gardezi also informed that government was also aware of the issue of subsidy on fertilizers through token. The government was working on its substitute, he said hoping for rapid progress on it soon.

Jehanian also focused on promotion of tunnel farming. He also expressed concern over construction of housing societies at agriculture land. The housing societies damaged fertile land, he said.

Responding to a question, the provincial minister said provision of electricity to tube wells on subsidize prices was better option if compared to fixed rates. The fixed price policy remained failed in the neighboring country.

The minister stated that he was aware of complaints against plant protection department of agriculture. He sought proposal for improvement in that regard. He also assured that he would talk to high up for introduction of another industrial city in Multan.

The minister hoped that Multan would be the business Centre of country in future. "The city is linked to China Pakistan Economic Corridor route", he said.

Recently, Prime Minister Imran Khan gave approval of construction of five new cement factories in Punjab. Similarly, the government was also very much interested in Construction Industry. On this occasion, a good number of representatives and members of Multan Chamber of Commerce and Industry were also present.