FAISALABAD, July 21: An Indian agronomist has stressed the need for mutual cooperation and dissemination of knowledge for boosting the agriculture sector.

Dr Sekraj Singh Dhillon of Agricultural University, Ludhiana, was speaking at a meeting of the agricultural scientists of the University of Agriculture here on Wednesday.

He said the Indian scientists had achieved the goal of self-sufficiency in wheat and 100 per cent implementation of mechanical cultivation. He was all praise for Pakistani scientists for using modern methods in the cultivation of cotton crop.

"We will also plan to use techniques introduced by the UAF scientists for the cultivation of wheat with short water," he added. He claimed that the Indian government was trying its optimum to provide agricultural machinery to farmers at very nominal rates.

Dr Dhillon said the Water Resource Conservation Programme between 10 Asian countries would play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between the researchers of India and Pakistan. Sri Lanka, Indian, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal would get maximum benefit in the agriculture sector due to this gigantic plan, he added.

About the South Asian Agricultural Conservation Network, Dr Dhillon said under the plan the countries would utilize their resources and techniques for increasing the per acre yield of wheat and rice and introduction of methods to use minimum power and water for the cultivation of cash crops, he added.

He claimed the Indian scientists were also trying to use the techniques of Australia and New Zealand for getting maximum yield of rice. The Parachute Technology of Pakistan which it imported from China, would help increase per acre field of rice, he added.

UAF vice-chancellor Dr Bashir Ahmad also stressed the exchange of latest techniques between the two countries for the promotion of agriculture sector.