January 1, 2006	Sunday	Ziqa’ad 29, 1426

HYDERABAD, Dec 31: About 500,000 disease-free tissue culture plants of the banana crop will be provided to farmers to boost production of banana.

This was stated by Sindh agriculture secretary Nazar Mohammad Mahar at a meeting here on Saturday.

He said that measures would be taken to increase production of other crops like vegetables, guava and dates.

The secretary said that a floriculture research institute would be set up to promote commercial farming of flowers in the province.

Mr Mahar said all agriculture workshops would be improved to carry out repair of agriculture machinery and implements.

He said agriculture farms for research and seed productions would be modernized with laser levelling, improved watercourses and latest farm machinery.

SEED INDUSTRY: Speaking at a function organized by a private seed company, TASSCO, at a hotel here on Friday, the agriculture secretary said private and public partnership would be fostered to promote seed industry in the province.

He advised private seed companies to guide farmers about managing fields.

Mr Mahar emphasized the need of producing quality vegetables with less use of chemicals to export them to Middle East and European markets.

The secretary said the Sindh Seed Corporation had been revived and was reorganized to offer best services to farmers.