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FAISALABAD, Feb 16 (APP):Agricultural experts believe that the seed processing industry in the country is negligible, which is a matter of grave concern and the government should take immediate steps for promotion of the seed industry to enhance seed productivity and attain food security.
They were addressing a session on “Seed processing, challenges and opportunities in quality seed production”, arranged by the PSDP Seed Project team at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF).
Engineer Shabi Hassan, provincial project manager Punjab Seed Corporation, and Dr Aslam Yousuf, Seed Technology Consultant, were the speakers and Scientific Director PSDP Seed Project Dr Irfan Afzal from the UAF also spoke. Engineer Shabi Hassan said that out of 1,700 seed companies in the county, only few have the seed processing facility. He said that the seed processing ensures the quality in the stock of the seed given for processing. He elaborated basic principles and components of seed processing and highlighted recent technologies for pre cleaning, fine cleaning, grading and value addition of seeds. He briefed about the functioning of the state of the art machines with the audience.
Dr Aslam Yousuf said that seed processing did not improve the seed quality. It only takes low quality seed out of the bulk. He said that processing could add the seed’s physical purity, size uniformity, vigour uniformity, storage life, and seed treatment.
Dr Irfan Afzal called for tangible steps to flourish the seed processing units. He said that under the dynamic leadership of Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan, vice chancellor UAF, the main objective of PSDP Seed Project is to create an enabling environment with advanced seed research for the industry and also initiating seed science and technology program in four partner universities.
They will also establish model seed research and outreach centers in Narowal and Quetta, he added.