Pledge to improve crop productivity with special focus on oilseeds and sugarcane, Chairman PARC

ISLAMABAD (Staff Reporter) The Variety Evaluation Committee (VEC) recommended four new hybrids of sunflower, three hybrids of mustard and one variety of soybean, rapeseed, groundnut and two varieties of sugarcane for commercial cultivation in potential environments. Is. VEC Meeting on Oilseeds and Sugarcane Crops was held on Monday 2 October 2023 at Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Headquarters. The meeting was chaired by Dr. Imtiaz Hussain, Member (PSD)/Chairman (VEC) and was attended by committee members from various public and private sector organizations and policy makers. The meeting reviewed candidate varieties/hybrids of soybean, canola, rapeseed, mustard, sunflower, groundnut, and sesame as well as four sugarcane proposals. After thorough review and discussion, the committee recommended four new sunflower hybrids, three varieties/hybrids of mustard, one variety of soybean, rapeseed and groundnut, and two varieties of sugarcane for potential ecology. During the opening remarks, Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali, Chairman PARC, appreciated the efforts of all stakeholders to increase the productivity of crops in general and oilseeds in particular. He also highlighted the importance of public-private partnership and urged stakeholders to work closely together to achieve import substitution in edible oil.