FAISALABAD, Feb 20: Punjab Governor Khalid Maqbool has stressed the need for linking agricultural research with poverty alleviation by increasing farm production.

Speaking to participants of a two-day international wheat seminar held here at Ayub Agriculture Research Institute (AARI) on Monday, he said the government was taking elaborate measures to strengthen agricultural economy on sustainable grounds.

He said: “Farmers are the focal point of all these steps and in spite of our best efforts poverty is prevailing in rural areas and now we must take new result-oriented initiatives to bring about prosperity in rural areas.”

In this connection, the governor said improvement in agriculture marketing system, value addition in raw products and an over-all quantitative change in rural society were necessary measures.

He said farmers must know that which crop would give them better price at the time of harvesting. Similarly, value addition in farm products was also imperative to strengthen the agricultural economic system.

He said Pakistan was the fifth largest milk producing country in the world.

“We can produce a long chain of various value added products, right from packed milk, butter, cheese and yogurt to flavoured ice cream.”

The governor said it was imperative to encourage farmers and cattle breeders to increase their income by further enhancing the production of milk and meat.

He said best efforts were being made to transfer new technologies to farmers. Earlier, Indian scientist Raj K. Gupta, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) chairman Dr Ehsan Tehseen and other scientists also spoke on the occasion.

Meanwhile, the governor sent 25 truckloads of food articles, medicines and tents arranged by local industrialists for earthquake victims.

He also distributed cheques among the deserving people and brilliant students during a ceremony arranged by the Punjab Baitul Maal.