Govt Will Not Allow Seed Imports: Food Minister

Caretaker Federal Minister Dr. Kausar Abdullah Malik on Wednesday said that any kind of seeds will not be allowed to be imported.

“Rules and regulations are our priority and according to our law, no seed can be imported,” said the minister. He said that the Ministry of National Food Security and Research will provide all the possible support to the industry.

The Minister said that technical and commercial research report should be submitted in a week regarding Soybean (Glycine max); it is our vision to solve livestock and poultry problems on a priority basis, he added.

He expressed these views while presiding over the meeting of All Pakistan Solvent Extractors Association regarding reducing the price of chickens and importing soybeans. Secretary, Minister of National Food Security and Research Captain (r) Muhammad Mahmood and Chairman PARC Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali were also present.

Dr. Kausar Abdullah Malik said that complete work should be done on soybeans before importing them, it is necessary to check which seeds have more economic benefits in the same season. He said that it is better to grow something for the sake of domestic and national interest on the land where nothing can grow.

Secretary Ministry of National Food Security and Research Captain (retd) Muhammad Mahmood advised to form a committee comprising of Chairman Pakistan Agriculture Research Center, the Director General of the Department of Plant Protection, and the Director General Federal Seeds Certification and Registration Department and submit a research report within a week on the SOPs and protocols of soybean import and export in the world.

He said that a practical solution should also be presented which is feasible not only for the industry but for the government as well.

Source: Pro Pakistani