ISLAMABAD, Feb. 14: The Rice Advisory Board in its meeting chaired by the Sindh minister for agriculture here on Saturday decided to improve the availability of quality seed to the farmers in all the four provinces , according to an official spokesman.

Convened in the backdrop of the threatened action by the European Union against the rice exports of Pakistan, the board discussed at length the proposals to redress the situation. The meeting was attended, besides senior officials of the federal ministry of food, agricultural and livestock (Minfal), by representatives of provincial agriculture departments and experts from research institutes.

The experts, while briefing the meeting held at the Minfal drew the board's attention to numerous factors impinging on the production of quality rice - a major item of export.

Main cause of rice yield, it was observed, was sparse plant population. As against the required 80,000 plants per acre, in the farmers' fields, the average population of plants was 55,000-60,000 plants per acre.

Noting that the export of basmati rice to the Middle East was improving, the rice board stressed the need of encouraging the installation of parboiled rice plants so as to fetch greater share of parboiled rice market in Saudi Arabia.

To minimize losses suffered in rice production, the board directed that the cultivation of DR-98, a fine grain variety of Sindh, and of PK-386 in Punjab be banned and the implementation of this decision ensured strictly, the spokesman disclosed.

It requested the provincial governments to approve new rice varieties only after strict evaluation for quality and ascertaining their distinctness from existing varieties.

The meeting also underlined the need to strengthen extension services of Rice Research Institutes now functioning in the provinces. Under another decision, the government would arrange for a number of selected growers to visit the countries distinguished for higher yields of rice.

While reviewing the supply situation of rice, the meeting noted with satisfaction that the country was self-sufficient in rice. Out of the output of 4.8 million tons, 50 per cent was available for every year.

The board further directed that a project for production of hybrid seed of rice in Sindh be included in the Annual Development Programme and that the requisite technical manpower for it made available.

The meeting also expressed its satisfaction over the availability of agricultural credit.