MULTAN, June 26: State minister for food, agriculture and livestock Sikandar Hayat Bosan has urged the farm scientists to evolve high-yield varieties to increase the agricultural production.

Speaking at a press conference after a meeting of the agriculture price commission (Apcom) here on Saturday, the minister said the researchers should focus on introducing new varieties that could grow healthier even in unfavourable weather conditions.

He expressed grave concern over the gap in per-acre yield produced by the progressive and small growers.

"The per acre yield of progressive growers viz-a-viz wheat ranges from 40 to 50 maunds against the small growers' 15 to 18 maunds," the minister regretted.

He said measures were afoot to enhance productivity of the small farms by giving farmers an easy access to finances through credit schemes. These credit schemes would have low mark-up rate, he pledged.

He said small farmers remained exposed to the exploitation of 'arhtis' (middlemen).

He hoped that the situation would change in the favour of cash-starved growers with the availability of credit from various commercial banks as well.

According to the state minister,there were only 1,200 officials working with the extension wing of the agriculture department. They imparted modern techniques to as many as 5.5 million farmers.

He said the extension officials had been directed to cover more and more small growers to give them proper advice.

He said a fertilizer policy was in the pipelines to encourage investment in this sector.

The minister said some five ships laden with fertilizers had been arrived at the Karachi port and there would be no shortage in future.

He said laws regulating the pesticides business in the country were being revised to incorporate exemplary punishments for the people found guilty of profiteering and adulteration.

To a question about the import of wheat from India, he said only good quality wheat would be imported in the country.

The minister said the government was planning to maintain strategic wheat reserves in order to arrest inflation in case of a production less than the demand.

The Apcom meeting discussed at length the cost of wheat production in the country.

However, it did not reach any conclusion as to what should be the minimum wheat procurement price for the next season.