VEC for improvement of oilseeds seed business in Pakistan: Chairman PARC

Islamabad(Daily Parliment Times): The Meeting of Variety Evaluation Committee (VEC) on Oil Seed & Sugarcane was held at Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Hqrs, Islamabad.
Chairman Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC), Dr. Yusuf Zafar inaugurated Variety Evaluation Committee (VEC) meeting on oilseed & sugarcane crops held at Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Headquarters in Islamabad. He emphasized the role of Seed Act and Plant Breeders Rights (PBR) and asked the public and private sector to support PARC for correct implementation of the part of this legislation entrusted to PARC.
Presiding the variety evaluation committee meeting, Dr. Muhammad Anjum Ali, Member Plant Sciences Division, PARC highlighted the role of quality seed for the productivity and profitability of farmers and appreciated the role of public and private organizations for making efforts to improve the potential of hybrids/varieties of oilseed crops in Pakistan. He said that meeting of VEC will be arranged according to the calendar given in seed rules to promote high yielding varieties of oilseeds in Pakistan which is earnestly required for crop substitution and reduction in bleeding of foreign exchange.
Fourteen varieties of oilseeds crops like Canola, Rapeseed & Mustard, Groundnut, Sunflower, Sesame and Sugarcane were presented by the National Coordinators oilseeds and Sugarcane respectively. DG Plant Protection, DG (FSC&RD), Provincial representatives and seed companies attended the meeting. Afterwards under the provision of Seed Rules 2016, the standard operating procedures for the management of National Uniform Yield Trials and related business were also presented along-with the standards for evaluation of hybrids/varieties of oilseed/sugarcane crops for evaluating the hybrids/varieties to be implemented from the upcoming crop season. Participants appreciated the role of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council for devising a transparent procedure and setting the new bench marks for testing of hybrids/varieties in Pakistan for the benefits of farmers as well as oilseeds/sugarcane sector in Pakistan. Dr. Waseem, Crops Commissioner NFSR & Advisor Department of Plant Protection and DG, Federal Seed Certification also participants of the meeting.