About 9,449 Metric Tons Of Improved Pulses Seed Varieties To Be Required In 2019-20

The requirements of improved seed varieties of different pulses for crop year 2019-20 was estimated at 9,449 as against the availability of 1,401 metric tons of same period of lat year

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 19th Aug, 2019 ) :The requirements of improved seed varieties of different pulses for crop year 2019-20 was estimated at 9,449 as against the availability of 1,401 metric tons of same period of lat year.

The availability of improved pulses seeds varieties was comprising only 15% of the total requirements and the government was determined to enhance the capacity to provide high yielding seed varieties to enhance per-acre crop output to fulfill the domestic requirements as well as for exporting, said an official in the Ministry of National food Security and Research.

Talking to APP, he said that the availability of improved seeds during last year (2018-19) was recorded at 1,401 metric tons, which was about 15% of total requirements.

He said that government was also determined to promote the oil seed production in order to reduce the import bill and forecast the oil seed requirements at 2,116 metric tons during 2019-20 as against the availability of 105.

14 metric tons of last year.

The official said that availability of improved seed has pivotal role in agricultural productivity, adding that after removal of legislative issues investment was expected to enhance in seed industry by local and international firms, he observed.

Besides, 5,070 metric tons seeds of different vegetables would also be required during the period under review as against the availability of 2,979.53 metric tons during of the year 2018-19 to promote vegetable output in the country, he added.

He further said that about 40,138 metric tons seed of fodder would also be produced as against the availability of 21,060.29 metric tons of last year to encouraging the cultivation of fodder crops.