Modern techniques vital to increase agri-export: Minister
By Tariq Chaudhry

ISLAMABAD—There are vast opportunities to excel in world market by adopting modern techniques of fruit-vegetable grading, processing and packing by bringing the product at par to the international standard to increase the exports of the country.
This was stated by Caretaker Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock Prince Esa Jan during a meeting with high officials of the ministry here on Saturday.
Secretary, Joint Secretary MINFAL, Agriculture Development Commissioner, Commissioner Major and Minor Crops and heads of the other allied departments were also present in the meeting.
The minister underlined the need for initiating modern, cost effective technologies for increasing per hectare crop productivity, which he said, besides meeting domestic food consumption needs would help control food inflation in the country.
He said those involved in smuggling, hoarding and blackmarketing would be dealt with a iron hand, adding that he had asked the officials to ensure smooth supply of food items in the country.
Esa Jan said that water reservoirs in the country needed to be improved as water was the basic element for agriculture in the country.
He asked the officials to introduce BT cotton varieties to increase safe and healthy cotton production to earn maximum profit.
Joint Secretary MINFAL Shahid Hassan Raja briefed the minister about the current crop situation and ongoing development projects of the ministry.
He said that concrete efforts were being made to supply quality fertilizers at economical rates, adding that government had involved the private sector to create awareness among farmers about the balanced use of fertilizers.
He said that fertilizer companies had started providing instructions to farmers in their fields.
Joint Secretary informed the minister that government had set a target to produce 24 million tons wheat for next financial year.
He also assured the minister that sugar requirement would be fulfilled with its domestic production if crushing started as according to due dates.