RAWALPINDI: President Mohammad Ayub Khan feels that higher potato yields can go a long way in filling the food gap. Three potato crops can be raised in a year with the per acre yield of 250 maunds.

Disclosing this, a spokesman said that the Government has decided to use both modern and indigenous methods of storing potatoes which form a good substitute for foodgrains.

He told newsmen that the three-day Governors’ Conference considered this question while discussing the food situation.

It was further emphasised that storage facilities for the potato crop be increased to ensure the year-round supply of potatoes and the growers should be taught rough and ready methods for preserving the crop until it could be lifted.

One of these methods as suggested at the Conference was that potatoes could be stored in dampened covered pits where requisite temperature of 49 degrees could be achieved to preserve the crop over a period of time. — Agencies [Meanwhile, as reported by agencies in Rawalpindi,] the West Pakistan Government has found “no evidence of organised large-scale smuggling”, either on the Pakistan-India border or on the border with Afghanistan.

This was stated by the Governor of West Pakistan, Mr Mohammad Musa, during the three-day Governors’ Conference which discussed the question in connection with the food situation.

According to an official spokesman, the Governor said the problem was examined with utmost care by the concerned officials. While individual cases were detected on both the borders there was “no evidence of organised large-scale smuggling” (as had been alleged by certain political leaders).

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2017