ISLAMABAD, Jan 15: The government has directed the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) to get into the market and purchase one million bales of cotton, informed Advisor to the Chief Executive on Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Shafi Niaz on Tuesday.

He said the government was making concerted efforts to help the farmers, promote agriculture sector and thus help reduce poverty.

The advisor was speaking at the plenary session of 17th Annual General Meeting of Pakistan Society of Development Economists. The three-day annual meeting has been organized by the Pakistan Society of Development Economists.

He stressed the need for helping the farmers and provide them with profit and incentives. There is need of judicious use of irrigation and proper and effective management in the Agriculture Institutions to promote the produce, he added.

The advisor said farmer has to play a vital role to boost the economy through farm sector. The government was doing its best to help farmers receive their due cash return in terms of prices of the produce.

In this third session a keynote lecture entitled, “Employment Multipliers from Agriculture Growth and Poverty Reduction” was delivered by Prof John W Mellor, President, John Mellor Association, USA, Dr Zafar Altaf and Dr Abdul Saleem also spoke on the occasion.