Despite having surplus productivity in all major crops, as many as 33 percent of the population is malnourished, said University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar A Khan.
He addressed training program on agricultural commodities analysis arranged by US Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies in Agriculture and Food Security, UAF, at the Video Conference Room here on Thursday. He said that we have to take the measures to ensure the nutrition security also. He said that we have to raise awareness about balanced diet, food habits and healthy way of life. He said that top 10 malnourished countries, the population opted to wheat and rice. There is a need of diversification and change in eating habits to lead a healthy life. He said that the country have the suitable environment to grow 500 crops whereas we are only stuck to five crops. He said we are losing grains at 16 percent and fruit and vegetable at 40 percent in the post-harvest process due to weak system. He called for improving the mechanism of storage as there are plenty of corn lying on the mercy of sky let it dry or not. He said that with the passage of time, per capita water availability is decreasing, posing a threat to the food security. He said the agricultural land is also diminishing and being converted into the small units. He said due to regulatory issues of the marketing system, the consumers and the producers are being fleeced whereas middlemen is making the money that is a matter of serious issue. USPCAS Chief of Party Dr Bashir Ahmad said that Pakistan was spending heavy money on the import of the pulses worth Rs 41.49 billion whereas our production on the pulses worth Rs 15.83 billion. He said that if we promote the cultivation we can become self sufficient and overcome the import. He also showed his concern that we are losing our upto 40 productivity due to storage issue as lying under the open sky. Dr Umar Farooq from the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council said that there was a need to stop the agricultural produces’ import from India or put the duty on the import from Indian site. He said that India was giving the heavy duty on the agricultural production. He said that import from India was provoking a low profit margin for our farmers. Dr Mubashir Mehdi said that mango was being produced on the 21 percent of the total are of agricultural fruits. He said that the adoption of modern trends at the orchard will increase the productivity. Dr Abdul Ghafoor, Dr Hammmad Badar and Dr Waseem Ahmad also spoke on the occasion.