Chairperson Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali here on Wednesday emphasised the need to use modern rice production machinery and suitable varieties to enhance the production of rice for tackling the growing domestic needs as well as to export. Addressing a two-day annual rice research review and planning meeting, which was held at National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), Dr Ali said that PARC was committed to strengthen rice research and development in the country through advanced techniques in research, human resource development and allied facilities. He appreciated the role of private and public sector for taking interest in research and development of rice in the country and said that it would help to enhance per-acre output of the major cash crop of the country. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Sadaruddin Siddiqui, Ex Member, Plant Sciences Division, PARC appreciated the role of seed companies and public sector institutes for making efforts to improve the potential of rice hybrids varieties in the country. The representatives of private sector expressed their interest to work in collaboration with the public sector. The meeting was also attended by representatives from National Agricultural Research System including the Director Rice Research Institute, Kala Shah Kaku, Director Soil Salinity Research Institute Pindi Bhattian, Director Planning Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and other scientists from agricultural research institutes.