It is a matter of concern that Pakistan ranks 60th in per-hectare sugarcane production worldwide, despite the fact that it has the fifth largest area allotted to sugarcane cultivation, several participants at a national conference at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, on Tuesday.
The conference theme was Prospects, Challenges and Strategies to Maximise Sugarcane Production. It was arranged in collaboration with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI).
The UAF vice chancellor said the government had set up the Sugarcane Research and Development Board to address the issue. He said that a lack of latest tools and poor farming practices were weak areas in sugarcane production.
He said that UAF scholars had written 150 theses on the transformation of sugarcane into various products.
He said poverty alleviation was directly linked to rural development.
Sugarcane Research and Development Board Punjab Chairman Nauman A Khan lauded the steps taken by the government to boost agricultural productivity and ensure food security.
He said that collaboration between experts and stakeholders was essential to catch up with the developed world in terms of per acre production. He hoped that workshop recommendations would help boost production.
AARI Director General Dr Abid Mehmood said over one million hectares was being used to cultivate sugarcane in the country. He said it was providing employment to 1.5 million people.
He suggested the introduction of new varieties of sugarcane.
He also recommended using organic fertiliser to reduce the cost of production and water conservation methods to increase productivity.
UAF Agriculture Faculty Dean Muhammad Arshad said agriculture was the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, and collaborative effort was needed to deal with challenges in sugarcane production.
Endowment Fund Executive Director Zahir Ahmad Zahir said the conference aimed at providing a platform to scientists and stakeholders to find a way to increase sugarcane production.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2014.