Pakistan research council distributes 50,000 potato tubers to Gilgit Baltistan to promote disease free potato production

Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) has provided over 50,000 potato tubers to Agriculture Department of Gilgit Baltistan (Northern Areas) in order to promote disease free potato production as well as for research and development for enhancing the output of crop in these areas.

The Council has also provided seeds of various other crops including transferring technology for banana tissue culture, besides it would also open Pakistan Agrotech Company display center at GB, said Chairman PARC Dr Muhammad Azeem. He stated this while talking to Minister of Agriculture GB Muhammad Kazim Mesam, who visited PARC and National Agriculture Research Center (NARC) here on Monday.

The minister visited different institutes of NARC and was briefed about the objectives of the council. He was informed that both the institutions would extend its full support and collaborations for the GB government in promoting agriculture and low cost farming in the these areas.

The minister was also briefed about the establishment of quality check farm, certified laboratories, mombasa grass production for high milk production in animals, certified seeds of different crops.

The minister was informed that PARC was also Intended for collaborating in the areas of horticulture research and was keen to establish high value fruit, dry fruit orchards and high tech vegetable farms with improved yield in order to promote high value agriculture in Northern Areas of the country.

He was told that the different intervention which had introduced would help the farming communities to enhance their output that would not only help to increase farm income but help to increase exports and reduce local import bill.

Chairman PARC further informed that GB was a high potential area for olive cultivation, therefore in future olive production with the help of PARC will also be made possible.

Dr Muhammad Azeem urged the participation of women from GB in farm development of Angora Rabbit and exploiting the potential of trout fish farming. He said that PARC would arrange training programs for farmer in fish hatchery and rabbit farming that will generate income for the poor farmers.