Daily Times

University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said on Thursday that the country was importing pulses worth $1 billion, which should be a matter of concern for an agrarian country.

He was talking to a delegation of 36th Mid-Career Management Course of National Institute of Management (NIM) Islamabad, led by Syeda Samreen Zahra, at the UAF here. Dr Iqrar said that the university was working on new varieties of chickpea to promote it in irrigated areas and its production would be increased by 500 times. “Now, its average production is 5 maunds per acre, whereas with the new agronomic practice, 25 maunds per acre could be attained,” he added. He said that there was misconception about GM soybean, whereas it is equally good and being used in the developed world.

He said that the university was establishing demonstration of new lines of soybean at farmers’ fields to overcome the import of edible oil and to meet demands of poultry feed. He said that new Faculty of Humanities & Arts is also being established in the university whereas UAF had also planned to conduct research work to promote Punjabi language. In this regard, Waris Shah Chair would also be established, he added. Syeda Samreen Zahra said increase in per acre production was need of the hour to ensure food security in the country. She also called for revival of legendary broadcaster Nizam Din like program as per modern needs for the agricultural sector. The NIM delegation also visited different labs and faculties of the UAF to witness research and development activities in the university.