ISLAMABAD: The Chairman of the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) has said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will give a tremendous boost to agriculture in the country.

“The council is playing a leading role in educating farmers of Balochistan and Northern Areas to get benefit from the CPEC. Scientists and experts are providing training to the farming community of Balochistan in this regard,” said Dr Nadeem Amjad during a meeting with scientists and experts on Sunday.

Attended by senior scientists working at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC), the meeting discussed future strategy about the CPEC.

Dr Amjad said: “Farmers find it difficult to sell their produce in the market due to variety of problems. But after launching of the CPEC, growers in Balochistan and other parts of the country will be able to sell their produce at better prices.”

He said the ultimate goal of PARC was to bring prosperity and alleviate poverty.

He urged the scientists to focus on making vegetable and fruit production more profitable and introduce value addition of major crops and livestock production.

NARC Director General Dr M Azeem Khan said, “Our focus is on research for productivity enhancement, development of research infrastructure, strengthening of existing establishment and strategic planning for a productive agricultural research system”.

Published in Dawn, February 22nd, 2016