Rs 1994.09m Project Under Execution For Multiplication Of Certified Seed: DMD PSC

KHANEWAL, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 1st Jun, 2023 ) :Punjab Seed Corporation (PSC) Deputy Managing Director (DMD) Shamshad Asghar Waraich on Thursday said that a Rs 1994.09 million projects, meant to multiply the certified seed of crops with verification from basic seed, under an agriculture transformation plan to ensure the supply of pure, registered and certified seed to farmers for commercial cultivation and higher production.

PSC enjoys a pivotal status in the seed industry for its trait of supplying pure, registered and certified seed to farmers at a price well below the price tags attached to the seed being marketed by local or multinational companies, said Mr. Waraich while addressing a gathering of farmers at a seminar under PSC's seed promotion initiative at Pirowal, district Khanewal.

The seminar focused on seeds of different crops including cotton, paddy and others.

Director, Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB) Dr. Kausar Malik, Aftab Ahmad Khan Khichchi, director marketing and procurement PSC Malik Muhammad Ilyas, deputy director Amir Suhail Bhatti, deputy director agriculture information Punjab Naveed Asmat Kahlon, besides a number of registered farmers and dealers, were present.

Shamshad Asghar Waraich said that PSC was the only public sector organization that is providing top quality seeds of around 20 crops including cotton, paddy, wheat, maize to farmers at a comparatively low price on self-help basis.

"PSC was the only department of Punjab agriculture that was earning profits and depositing huge amounts as taxes." PSC DMD said that the department not only maintains a supply/demand balance but also holds programs to attract farmers' attention to pure seed. With a network of 1076 registered farmers and 2000 registered dealers, PSC was supplying certified seed not only to farmers in Punjab but also in Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.

He said that PSC was aiming to supply and market 9000 bags of wheat seed next year adding that 110,000 paddy seed bags have already been supplied. He disclosed that seed sufficient for 165000 acres including triple-gene cotton variety CEMB-6 and other varieties would be provided to farmers for general cultivation. Moreover, maize seed as fodder crop, sufficient for cultivation on 80,000-acre area besides hybrid maize variety would be provided to farmers.

Discussing oil seed crops, he said that Raya and Sesame seeds would also be provided to farmers by PSC.

PSC Director of Marketing and Procurement Malik Muhammad Ilyas thanked the participants on behalf of Managing Director PSC Mr. Shan Ul Haq.