MUZAFFARGARH: Up to 70 BT and non-BT cotton varieties will be developed to strengthen the cotton sector this year.

Central Cotton Research Institute Director Dr Zahid Mahmood said this at a meeting of the Agricultural Research Committee.

He said as agriculture is the backbone of Pakistan’s economy and seeds are a basic and important input, the federal government is working at the national level to adopt scientific methods of agriculture to increase production per acre. He said agricultural scientists should make the cotton crop profitable by developing the disease- and pest-free seed varieties.

Cotton Commissioner Dr Khalid Abdullah said the cotton production per acre had been on a decline for years because of the insufficient supply of quality seeds. He said public and private sectors had to work together to meet the required quantity of pure and disease-free seeds.

Convocation: Governor Chaudhry Sarwar distributed medals and certificates among students at the convocation of the Institute of Southern Punjab in Multan on Friday.

Speaking on the occasion, he said the government was trying to provide modern education and technology to the youth.

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2022