Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department has offered the government of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to help it revive two seed laboratories situated in Muzaffarabad and Mirpur for strengthening the seed production system in this area which at present are non functional.
Sources in the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department toldBusiness Recorder here on Saturday that two seed production laboratories were established in AJK under ‘Seed strengthening project’, which were later handed over to the AJK government.
Nevertheless, the AJK government could not sustain these facilities and they were closed down in 2010. ‘There is no seed production system in the AJK and its agriculture sector fully depends on getting seed from outside its territory. Not even one kilogram of seed of any crop is produced there and it is a matter of concern for the authorities, sources added.
They said that the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department Director General Syed Nasir Ali Shah at a recent seminar in Muzaffarabad had offered the AJK government to help it revive these laboratories. These laboratories could prove helpful in production of wheat, potatoes and other vegetables seed while it can also be used for fruit plant certifications.
Sources said that equipment and buildings are ready while the Department would have to carry out training of the staff. Nevertheless, the AJK government has to formally write to the Pakistan government for getting assistance and as soon as it is done, strategy for revival will be drawn and work would be started, sources said.
