Govt Takes Initiative To Introduce Quality Date Palm Varieties

Provincial Minister for Cooperatives Mehr Muhammad Aslam Bharwana said that Punjab government has taken an initiative to introduce premium quality exotic date palm varieties which would help to yield maximum dates for the strengthening of Pakistan economy and export oriented date industry

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Apr, 2019 ) :Provincial Minister for Cooperatives Mehr Muhammad Aslam Bharwana said that Punjab government has taken an initiative to introduce premium quality exotic date palm varieties which would help to yield maximum dates for the strengthening of Pakistan economy and export oriented date industry.

He was distributing tissue culture date palm varieties to farmers of South Punjab here at new Senate Hall of Agriculture University. Secretary Cooperative Punjab Mansoor Qadir, VC UAF Prof Dr Zafar Iqbal Randhawa, Director Horticulture Prof Aman Ullah, farmers and students were also present.

The Minister said that cooperative department had imported date varieties from UK and UAE and after initial nursing at the Institute of Horticultural Science of UAF, plants were being distributed among growers.

He appreciated the vulnerable support of Agricultural University to promote the project of exotic tissue culture date palm.

Provincial Minister said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had focused special attention on agriculture sector and prosperity of the farmers was the prime agenda of present govt.

He said that Green Pakistan and Clean & Green Punjab program were being implemented successfully and farmers were also participated in these programs with dedication and devotion.

Secretary Cooperative Punjab said that under this initiative the plants of elite date varieties Ajwa, Anbarah, Khalas, Barhi, Medjael and Ghanami were distributing among farmers. He said growers would contribute half of the suckers of these plants which would again be distributed among other growers by the cooperative department.

He said that the project would continue in phases.

VC UAF said that date palm was an important fruit crop of the country and distribution of tissue culture date palm plants among the growers was a remarkable project of government.

He assured the full cooperation from UAF to promote this project. Director Horticulture said that Pakistan was the 6th largest date producing country of the World. He also briefed the farmers about the care and nourishment of the date palm plants.