KOHAT, Oct 21: The research wing of the Barani project has developed two varieties of wheat, which can give the best results in the barren land of southern NWFP.

The senior research officer of the wheat wing of the agriculture development department, Dr Naveed Akhtar, told newsmen on Tuesday said that the new varieties, KT-2000 and KT-2003, would be available to the farmers from the next season for cultivation in the southern belt of the province.

He said the varieties had been approved at a meeting of the provincial seed council on Oct 8.

He said KT-2000 and KT-2003 had the capability to survive in the arid zone spread over millions of acres in Kohat, Shakardarra, Takht-i-Nusrati, Karak, Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Tank. He said the scientists had developed Karak-I and Karak-II varieties of gram and Karak-I of moong.