Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed the commitment to provide all necessary facilities to develop the agricultural sector and enhance agricultural production. Chairing a review meeting on the matters related to the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, he termed agriculture as the backbone of the national economy.
According to Radio Pakistan, the Prime Minister emphasized the need to engage young agricultural researchers from across the country for the advancement of the agricultural sector. He also directed strict and swift action against companies involved in the business of substandard agricultural seeds. Additionally, Shehbaz Sharif instructed the acceleration of measures to boost the production of edible oil in Pakistan, aiming to save valuable foreign exchange spent on imports.
The Prime Minister called for the activation of research work in the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council at the earliest. He stressed the importance of promoting farm mechanization across the country, ensuring collaboration with provincial governments, the private sector, and other stakeholders. Regarding fruit and vegetable production, he highlighted the need for youth training in value addition and the provision of easy agricultural loans.
Furthermore, Shehbaz Sharif ordered the swift resolution of all necessary issues related to the dissolution of PASSCO. He expressed satisfaction with the development of a strategy to digitize the entire supply chain for agricultural exports, from farms to ports.
During the meeting, it was briefed that the establishment of the National Agri-Trade and Food Safety Authority is in its final stages. A laboratory conforming to European Union and international standards for testing agricultural commodities has been established at the HEJ Center, University of Karachi. Additionally, a National Ministerial Forum on Agriculture has been formed to foster coordination between the federal and provincial governments regarding the agricultural sector. Drafts of national policies related to seeds, agricultural biotechnology, and organic food are in various stages of approval.