HYDERABAD, Feb 28: Adoption of modern technology is vital for the development of the agrarian economy as it will help the farming community to increase their crop production.

This was stated by the Chairman of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission Pervez Butt on Thursday while speaking at a function, organised by the Nuclear Institute of Agriculture, Tando Jam, on the occasion of the Farmer’s Day.

Mr Butt said the research scholars should focus their efforts on areas related with nuclear technology to resolve the problems of the agriculture sector.

Stressing on the need for efficient use of resources for sustainable progress, he said the use of bio-technology should be expanded for quantitative and qualitative improvement of crops.

Mr Butt said the institute had developed an infection-free variety of banana. The institute, he added, had an annual capacity to develop 100,000 saplings of this variety.

Similarly, he said, the PAEC had also developed a ‘laser land leveller’ at half the cost of imported laser, adding the cost could further be reduced with local mass production of the leveller.

He said the PAEC had also developed an indigenous sprinkler irrigation system, which would minimise the use of water and prove useful in areas with less water availability.

The member, biosciences and administration, PAEC, Dr Abd-ullah Malik, said that despite the increase in the production of vegetable crops, the growers had been deprived of benefits because of market volatility.

Urging farmers to adopt modern technology, he said that this would encourage entrepreneurs to set up agro-based industry, which in turn would broaden the base of job opportunities.

Dr Malik said that the PAEC had launched Farmers’ Participatory Saline Land Development Schemes in nine different places, including Badin and Jacobabad districts.

The director and chief scientific officer, National Institute of Agriculture, told the audience the institute had introduced six varieties of wheat, adding Sarsubz and Kiran varieties were being cultivated over 50 per cent of the area under wheat cultivation in the province.

He said two other varieties, Bhitai and Khermal were also in the pipeline, which were early crops and less water intensive.

Four varieties of rice and a variety of sugarcane, with improved yield, had also been introduced, he said.