STAFF REPORT LHR: Developing countries like Pakistan would have to adopt genetically modified/biotech crops in the shortest possible time in order to ensure food security for rapidly growing population as the future of agriculture growth depends on biotechnology.

This was crux of a speeches delivered at a meeting convened by the Farmers Associates Pakistan (FAP) here.

“The sale of illegal/substandard seeds especially Bt cotton seeds is another important issue that needs to be addressed by the government on priority basis to tap true potential of agricultural productivity in the country,” they unanimously said while speaking at extraordinary general body meeting of FAP.

The agro scientists were of the view that the sale of illegal/substandard seeds is wreaking havoc on the agriculture of Pakistan and there is fear of huge decline in the production of important crops especially cash crop cotton if the government did not check the sale of fake Bt cotton seeds.

However, they said this issue can be resolved gradually by developing a professional seed industry in the country, they said.

A fresh study suggests that only 4 out of a total of 52 Bt cotton varieties available in the market have the standard gene expression and thats the reason why the country is unable to fully benefit from this high-yielding technology.

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