Punjab Minister for Agriculture Dr Farrukh Javed has directed to make working group on rice more effective for increasing the rice production and improving its quality in line with the international standards. He was presiding over a meeting regarding paddy/rice at the Punjab Agricultural Research Board (PARB) recently. The meeting was also attended by Additional Secretary Agriculture (Planning) Ahmad Ali Zafar, PARB Chief Executive Dr Mubarak Ali, President Basmati Growers Association (BGA) Hamid Malhi and others.
Chief Executive PARB Dr Mubarak while briefing the minister said that such paddy varieties are being developed in collaboration with the international rice research institution which had resistance against Bacterial Leaf Blight. He said that such genes are also being imported which have resistance against excess water. Director General Agriculture (Extension) Dr Anjum Ali said that Pakistan produces 6.16 million tons of rice annually out of which 3.75 million tons is exported.
