Daily Times

Research and Development require a lot of resources and time to develop something new and efficient. Pakistan has not produced a single seed since the last almost 15 years and as a result our per-acre yield is far lower from our neighbors. These views were expressed by the President of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry Irfan Iqbal Sheikh during the launch of two research reports titled “Roadmap for Enhancing Rice Exports of Pakistan” and Halal Meat a Growing Sector in Pakistan’.

President LCCI said that we have particularly focused on finding ways to address supply chain issues of rice sector and encouraging the exporters to concentrate on value addition and branding of rice, adding in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak, we need to take innovative steps to overcome the challenges posing serious threats to overall export sector of Pakistan. He said we have organized a CAC exhibition in the month of November last year. The purpose of this particular agri based exhibition was to focus on Hybrid seed, research and to bring latest machinery i.e harvesters to Pakistan. He said we hope that the government would take interest and will participate in hybrid seed sector. He demanded the government to pave the way for the registration of hybrid seed producers instead of creating hurdles in their way.

He also said that the testing labs and certification process of halal sector which is too costly and the government must play its role to facilitate the exporters in this matter.

Speaking on the occasion, Senior Vice President LCCI Ali Hussam Aghar said that the government should establish halal processing zones for the facilitation of this sector as this sector has a potential of over one trillion dollars and our share in this is not much. He said these sectors also need relaxations and amnesty like the government has provided for construction sector, adding that India only has 25 universities working on research of hybrid seed and we have 5 varsities for this purpose that is not enough. He said the government should work for hybrid basmati rice development, adding we don’t want that our basmati seed should be disturbed for this particular process but to develop a new variety which needs less water and provides better yield. He said we are confident that the range of variety and exclusive quality of Pakistani rice can fetch better share in international markets if we devise a well-thought out plan keeping in view the recommendations of Lahore Chamber.

Vice President LCCI Mian Zahid Jawaid Ahmed and Former President Muhammad Ali Mian were also present on the occasion.