In Pakistan, Business Recorder reported that Pakistan’s National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research raised serious concerns over the data of an increase in sugarcane yields from an average of 600 maunds to 700 maunds per acre over a five-year period.
The standing committee expressed concerns about the data presented during the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) schemes meeting, which claimed an increase in sugarcane yields from an average of 600 maunds to 700 maunds per acre over a five-year period under a project funded with billions of rupees by the ministry.
The committee members have doubts over the reliability of this data, noting that it was sourced from sugar mills, which have a tendency to underreport production figures to evade taxes, raising doubts about the accuracy of the reported increase.
The committee criticised the modest yield improvement despite heavy public sector investment, calling it an inadequate return on the nation’s resources and time.
During the meeting, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali delivered a comprehensive briefing on the university’s research initiatives.
The briefing also showcased notable research progress, including the development of UAF-11, a high-yield Brassica variety. Further advancements in soybean, maize hybrids and genetically modified sugarcane were discussed.
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Category: Food & Agriculture
