Pakistan and Netherlands need to make an arrangement of potato seed multiplication at Pakistan in order to reduce the cost of production and to increase per acre yield that would promote the mutual business. This was urged by UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan while addressing an International seminar on future perspectives of potato biodiversity and food security as chief guest. The seminar was organized by Institute of Horticulture Sciences here video conference room on Wednesday morning.

Dr Iqrar A Khan said that Potato was a significant crop in Pakistan but it remained in crises for the last two consecutive years due to marketing issues that left the farmers with no option to dump the crop and in such an environment somebody else made the money. He said by dumping a huge amount of potato we lost lots of carbohydrates as discouraging price mechanism had compelled the farmer not to make more labor for selling out the crop. He said Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif has recently announced 100 billion rupees package to uplift the agriculture in the province, adding that potato was on the priority cards of the government. He urged the government to pay special attention towards multiplication of the potato seeds in the country, adding that provision of quality potato seeds to the farmers would lower the cost of production and provide an enabling environment to flourish the sector. He said that storage and capacity building of the growers need to be prioritized so as to increase per acre yield. He said following the Kisan Convention chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif, similar gathering are being organized at district level to take input from all stake holders thereby evolve a comprehensive policy. He said that India has stabilized the cost by introducing numerous pro-farmer initiatives, adding that same handholding of the farmer was the need of the hour. He said hydroponic/aroponic is the new area to work on in order to seed multiplication. He urged the government to produce mini-tubers in the county to ensure seed multiplication with 3 times more yield. He said the new intervention will increase the rate of multiplication. Dr. Khan said that Wageningen University was the top Agriculture University of the World and vowed to have a same working relationship with it as we have with University of California, US. He urged the visiting scientists from Wageninen University to stimulate the Netherlands Government for setting up a project of seed multiplication with Pakistan that would benefit both the countries.

Earlier delivering the keynote address, Mr. Romke Wustman from Wageningen University & Research Centre, said in order to have quality potato seeds, we need to have a seed certification to prevent spread of diseases and to maintain absence of diseases in nuclear stock. Describing the key factors for successful seed supply system, he urged to introduce special varieties for table, processing and starch etc. Highlighted the significance of true potato seeds (TPS) mechanism, he said that TPS is low cost and easily to transport. He said import of potato seed is a common practice in Pakistan adding that annually this country used to import 5000 ton of potato seed. He said at present the per acre potato production is around 20 ton against the potential of 45 ton, so a huge gap need to be filled by introducing best practices of the world. Dean Faculty of Agriculture Prof Dr Riaz Ahmad and Director Institute of Horticultural Sciences Prof Dr Amjad Aulakh also spoke on the occasion.