Shahzad Malik Announces Rs 10m Each For Best Rice, Cotton & Wheat Breeders

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 31st May, 2023 ) :Rice Research and Development board Punjab (RRDB) Chairman Shahzad Ali Malik Wednesday announced 'Shafi Malik Plant Breeders Award' of Rs 10 million each for breeders from private and public sector who develops the best quality high yielding seeds of rice, cotton and wheat.

Talking to the media here, Malik stressed the need for immediate steps to increase yield per acre of field crops through the best varieties which is possible by rewarding breeders through a lucrative incentive package/scheme.

Shahzad Ali Malik highlighted that out of five major field crops Rice, Maize, Cotton, Wheat and Sugar Cane, only two crops, Rice and Maize performed well due to high yielding varieties with the main contribution of private sector. He said Rice and Maize helped Pakistan achieve local demand, export earnings and import substitution.

Going one step forward Shahzad Ali Malik on behalf of the Guard Agricultural Research and Services for first time in the history of private sector made announcement of three cash rewards of Rs 10 million each to encourage the breeders. He added that breeders may be from the public or private sector whose variety becomes commercially successful on the basis of at least 10 percent increase in sale and production for three years. However, the incentive would not be for varieties approved on paper only and not being found commercially successful. For rice crop this reward is for inbred (open pollinated) and for hybrid varieties with Average Grain Length 8mm or above.

This announcement would go a long way to help boost the research and production of cotton, wheat and rice seed varieties that would bring revolution in increasing per acre yield.

He said the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan "REAP" took the lead and approved in its Executive Committee meeting in May 2021 an incentive of Rs 10 million for the rice breeders. Following the lead of REAP Shahzad Ali Malik urged the All Pakistan Textiles Mills Association "APTMA" and Pakistan Flour Mills Association "PFMA" to also come forward and announce lucrative incentives for breeders of Cotton and Wheat, respectively. Likewise the government should also encourage Plant Breeders with lucrative award as incentive.

Pakistan is currently importing cotton, wheat, edible oil, pulses and other agro-commodities to the tune of approximately US $ 14 to 15 billion annually. The introduction of higher-yielding varieties in these crops through incentivizing breeders would result in import substitution and help in substantially reducing trade deficit.

While concluding Shahzad Ali Malik reiterated that solution of the current situation lies in the Agro based economy and we need to focus seriously.

On this occasion, Mr Liu Linhui business Manager for Pakistan Market, Mr Long (Breeder), and Agri scientist Dr Raheed also shared their views on rice research.