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Agri uplift top priority:
Junejo
ISLAMABAD–Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture, Khair
Muhammad Junejo on Thursday said government attaches priority
to the development of agriculture to attain self-sufficiency
in agri production.
He said industrial sector cannot move in right direction in
the absence of agriculture development and it is prerequisite
for the progress of country.
He stated this while speaking at oath taking ceremony of PARC
Employees Association here at NARC.
Junejo said, "President Gen. Pervez Musharraf is also taking
keen interest in the development of agriculture sector
considering it imperative for the progress of the nation."
The government is spending Rs.6 billion for setting up new
water reservoirs to cope with problem of water shortage in
case of drought, he added.
Emphasising the need of bringing about improvement in water
management, he said, the agri-scientists should concentrate to
explore new ways and means to cope with the drought like
situation recently experienced by the country.
Complimenting the contributions of agriculture scientists and
farmers, the minister said, Pakistan managed to become wheat
exporting country due to their concerted efforts.
He said. "We are expecting bumper crop of cotton this year but
growers are suffering due to prevailing price slum in the
international market.
The minister urged the farmers to concentrate on enhancing per
acre yield to bring down cost of production to overcome the
losses being incurred due to varying market mechanism at the
international level.
Commending the efforts of PARC scientists, he said, Pakistan
has become tea producing country owing to their determined
efforts. Though tea plantation has initially started over 300
to 400 acres of land yet it has to be expanded to over 150,000
acres of land to fulfil our domestic needs.
Complementing the outcome of scientists work, Junejo
underscored the need of dissemination of scientific research
knowledge to the growers enabling them to avail full advantage
of it.
The minister said no down sizing is being carried out in PARC
but the process of reorganisation is under way to properly
utilize the capabilities of the working force.
Earlier, Aziz Ahmed Choudhry, President of the employees
association while presenting welcome address, highlighted the
significant achievements of the PARC scientist for bringing
about improvement in agriculture production.
He also pointed out certain problems being faced by the
scientists and allied staff and sought amicable solution to
these.
The Nation, 21 September, 2001
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