October 23, 2007	Tuesday	Shawwal 10, 1428

ISLAMABAD, Oct 22: Deputy Chairman Planning Commission and Minister of State, Dr Mohammad Akram Sheikh on Monday called upon the agriculture scientists to play their vital role in producing quality seed to enhance per acre yield of various crops including sugar-beet for the prosperity of the country.

He was addressing an international seminar on “prospects and issues of sugar-beet to supplement sugar production in the country” at the Auditorium of Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC).

The conference was jointly organized by Ministry of Food Agriculture and Livestock (MINFAL), PARC and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Authority and Beet Tech. Consortium Project Germany.

PARC chairman Dr M E Tusneem, member Planning Commission Dr Kausar Abdullah Malik, crops commissioner MINFAL Inayatullah, Dr Pablo Exsonne Beet Tech Consortium Project Germany and Dr Iftikhar Ahmed, member (PSD) PARC also spoke on the occasion. Dr Akram Sheikh said that Pakistan wanted to benefit from the knowledge and expertise of international experts for the promotion of agriculture sector.

Dr Sheikh lauded the efforts of the PARC scientists for the promotion of agriculture sector.

He urged them to promote their research among farmers through simple languages so that they could benefit from research-oriented results of agriculture scientists for the benefit of the country.

Dr Akram Sheikh said the Vision 2030 had focused on targets aimed at transforming Pakistan into a developed, industrialised and prosperous country.

He said that research and development in the agriculture sector would enhance the per acre yield of different crops including sugar-beet and sugarcane, which would ultimately enhance the production of sugar.

Dr Akram Sheikh appreciated the services of Dr Tusneem and Kausur Abdullah Malik in the field of research.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Kauser Abdullah Malik, said that the objective of this seminar was to discuss the prospects and issues relating to the production, marketing and processing of sugar beet.

He said that the sugarcane was a predominant source of sugar and gur production in Pakistan, there was an urgent need to explore alternative sources of sugar such as sugar-beet which held considerable potential of producing sugar.

The PARC chairman said that the per capita consumption of sugar in Pakistan was about 25 kg per annum, which was the highest among the developing countries.

The demand of sugar in the country was likely to increase further in the coming years as a result of population increase and improvement in the per capita income and changing consumer preferences.

According to a rough estimate, by the year 2020, the country would need about 5.5 million tons per annum of sugar to meet the national demands as against three million tons at present.—APP