ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the Variety Evaluation Committee (VEC) was held at the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) on Wednesday to discuss recommendations on the newly-developed potato and banana varieties.
The meeting, which was presided over by PARC Chairman Dr Muhammad Azeem Khan, approved general cultivation of six potato and two banana varieties.
The meeting was attended by PARC Member (Plant Sciences) and VEC Chairman Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali, along with technical members from National Agricultural Research System (NARS) and private seed companies.
The PARC chairman emphasized that the private sector should share its wisdom with PARC scientists for the uplift of country’s agriculture sector.
He said that such agricultural commodities should be introduced in line with the agricultural and regional environment of Pakistan that could facilitate an ordinary farmer in increasing his sources of income.
PARC Horticulture Coordinator Muhammad Farooq Chaudhry briefed the participants about the varieties being put before them for approval. “New Banana varieties, NIGAB-1 and NIGAB-2, are high yielding as compared to Basrai variety for nutrition and consumer acceptability, while new varieties of potato crop have been prepared that can withstand severe weather conditions and have strong immunity against diseases.”
VEC Chairman Dr Ghulam Muhammad Ali concluded the meeting with a vote of thanks and appreciated the role of scientists and PARC coordinator for convening the meeting.
