The 45th meeting of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Seed Council was held in Peshawar, with Minister for Agriculture Major (Retired) Sajjad Barakwal in the chair. The council reviewed and approved new varieties of fruits, vegetables, oilseeds, tea, and other essential crops.
Director General of Agricultural Research, Dr. Abdul Rauf, delivered a detailed presentation on each proposed seed variety, covering aspects such as production potential, suitable cultivation zones, disease resistance, and other critical attributes.
The meeting was attended by Secretary of Agriculture Ambar Ali Khan, Director General of Agriculture Extension Murad Ali, members of the Provincial Seed Council, directors of various agricultural research centres across the province, and representatives from private seed companies.
The provincial agriculture minister appreciated the contributions of private seed companies in developing improved seed varieties, stating that their efforts were commendable. He assured the council that the government is committed to providing all possible support to the private sector for the development of seeds and crop varieties. He also shared that zoning of the province is currently underway based on agricultural land characteristics and climatic conditions, to identify the most suitable crops and seed varieties for each region.
During the meeting, 53 seed variety proposals were presented, out of which 38 were approved for cultivation. These include four new varieties of maize, and one new variety each of rice and wheat.
In the fruit category, two new varieties each of kiwi, apricot, orange, and grapes were approved, along with one new variety each of plum, pecan nut, fig, and ber.
In the vegetable category, two new varieties of okra, three of tomato, and one variety each of onion and spinach were approved. In the oilseeds category, ten new varieties received approval, while the council also endorsed two new varieties of tea.
Major (Retired) Sajjad Barakwal assured farmers that the availability of improved seed varieties would be ensured, leading to a significant increase in per-acre yield. He directed agricultural research centers to intensify their research in line with local crop needs and to introduce higher-performing seed varieties. He also emphasized the importance of educating farmers on proper sowing techniques to maximize the benefits of the approved seeds.
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Other participants included Regional Director of Federal Seed Certification Inayatullah, Director Federal Seed Certification Dr. Hayatullah Tareen, Dr. Abdul Bari, Director of Merged Districts ARI Tarnab Muhammad Younas, Director CCRI Pir Sabaq Fazalul Wahab, Director Planning & Research Tahir Sajjad, Director NEFA Peshawar Dr. Gul Sanat, Director ARI Swat Dr. Roshan Ali, and other members of the Provincial Seed Council.
