[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text dp_text_size=”size-4″]Engineer Muhammad Baligh Ur Rehman, Governor of Punjab, felicitated Chief Executive Officer Guard Agricultural Research and Services Shahzad Ali Malik on Sunday for developing two new best quality rice varieties in the private sector to help boost cash crop production in the country while earning desperately needed foreign exchange.
According to a press release, he stated that the government will fully encourage and support the private sector in developing new varieties of seeds for all crops because agriculture is the backbone of our national economy.
He stated that in order to achieve food sovereignty, he has formed a high provincial seed committee headed by him to help evolve more new best quality seeds for bumper crops, as good seeds play a key role in higher yield than traditional seeds.
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CEO Guard Agricultural Research and Services thanked the Governor for his congratulations and informed him that the Punjab Seed Council had approved “Open Pollinated” extra long grain rice varieties Guard 101 and Guard 102 after a thorough process that ensures a 20-25 percent higher per acre yield with maturity within 90 days of sowing.
He stated that new varieties are beneficial to the country because of their high export potential and appealing to farmers because of their low cost and higher per-acre yield.
According to Shahzad Ali Malik, “we have been engaged in rice seed research since 1989 in collaboration with Chinese in the private sector without any government support” and have made significant contributions to the country.
He stated that we have already successfully developed 5-Hi tech Hybrid rice seed varieties that suit our climate and produce more rice.—APP[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
