By Asad Cheema
ISLAMABAD: Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam on Wednesday was informed that Pakistani farmers were growing 8-10 years old wheat varieties, causing 50 percent less production and reduced national output of major crop.
The minister chaired a meeting on increasing wheat production, where Country Representative of International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) Dr M. Imtiaz briefed him about the wheat crop scenario in the country.
Dr Imtiaz told that Wheat Productivity Enhancement Programme (WPEP) and Agricultural Innovation Programme for Pakistan (AIP) interventions had a positive impact on productivity. The intervention had increased wheat yield from 12 percent to 40 percent aiding to a food secure future, he added.
The meeting also discussed the potential strategy for increasing wheat productivity for food safety and security, which involved three factors, including fast increase of seed of new varieties, closing the yield gap and grain minimum price. It was informed that new wheat varieties contribute 50 percent to productivity single handedly.
It was informed that CIMMYT’s had trained 10,000 farmers on quality wheat seed production and marketing for a sustainable local seed system strengthening. The CIMMYT initiated Seed banks with NRSP, 7 were active in Bhakkar, P.D Khan, Gujjar Khan, Chakwal, Attock, Mirpur Khas and Swabi.
It supported them with newly released varieties, seed graders and trainings on seed production. From these seed banks, local farmers were getting quality seeds with 11 percent lower prices than the market and thus contributing to increase in wheat productivity. The meeting was apprised that less than 60 percent wheat was grown in cotton-wheat and rice wheat systems both of which delay sowing and expose wheat to the terminal heat stress and to rust attack resulting in low yield.
There was a need to discourage or ban wheat sowing after mid-December and replace with other short duration corps. Dr Imtiaz also briefed the minister about impact of Wheat Productivity Enhancement Program on Pakistan wheat improvement.
