Revolutionary Steps Being Taken For Agriculture Development

RAWALPINDI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 20th Oct, 2019 ) :Federal Minister for Aviation Ghulam Sarwar Khan has said that the present government is committed to the development of agriculture and is taking revolutionary steps as the agriculture development is indispensable to improve country's economy.

He expressed these views in connection with the Agriculture Emergency Program of Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday.

Speaking on the occasion, the Federal Minister said according to Prime Minister Imran Khan's vision, efforts are underway for the development of agriculture and the subsidy on Canola under the Prime Minister's National Plan for Promotion of Commodity will prove to be an important milestone for farmers' prosperity and meeting domestic edible oil needs.

Punjab Agriculture Minister Malik Naman Ahmed Lingdiyal said that under this scheme, Rs 3 billion is being spent for promoting oiled commodity in Punjab. The subsidies will be provided to farmers on development seeds and agricultural machinery, he said.

The Minister further said that to meet the growing needs of the growing population in Pakistan, there is a need for increased area under cultivation and production of oily commodities.

Pakistan exports about Rs 350 billion worth of edible oil every year. It is estimated that we produce 12 percent of our own edible oil, while the rest we have to import.

That is why, at the special direction of the Prime Minister, the project started at the national level to achieve self-sufficiency in edible oil. The purpose of this project is to meet the requirements of domestic edible oil, he expressed. He also advised the farmers to cultivate canola on maximum area and play their national role in reducing the domestic import bill.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Mohammad Hashim Popalzai, Federal Secretary of food said that the government was presently introducing a variety of revolutionary programs to increase the production of oily commodities.

State Minister for Revenue Colonel (R) Malik Mohammad Anwar said that developing new posts in agriculture is an urgent need of the hour.