Wheat crisis after cotton crop

Ijaz Siddiqi (President)

Agriculture Reform Movement (ARM)

International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) gave historical and Eye-opening comments in its report of 2012 about Pakistan cotton crop. “Cotton Crop is life line of Pakistan’s Economy”.

Wheat crisis after cotton cropSeed ensure genetic potential of a variety. FSC&RD is alone constitutional, ultimate and technically responsible federal department being a supreme body to regulate, maintain, monitor and manage the quality of seed in the country, which is co-related and directly linked with our Food-Security.

FSC&RD has failed to ensure availability of quality seed of cotton to the farmers. Unfortunately this legitimate and safeguard system of FSC&RD has collapsed and dismantled during last 05 years. Especially during the period of present incapable management/mafia is playing with food security of country. Current wheat crisis and the following reasons reflect the disasters condition of the department:

  1. New cotton varieties are not being registered practically based on merit. Breeders and seed mafia are powerful enough to get their varieties registered by unfair support of FSC&RD.
  2. Seed production pedigree cycle is not operational both in public and private seed sectors due to criminal negligence of FSC&RD. Quantum of certified seed is being produced without requisite production of pre-basic and basic seed………?
  3. Monitoring of seed quality in the market by FSC&RD is meager and fake (quality of seed confiscated & seal of seed stores) due to illegal association of seed mafia and FSC&RD leadership and management.
  4. There is a very weak internal quality control assessment of FSC&RD professionals either in the form of seed testing, DUS Studies and pre/post control trials.
  5. Overall, FSC&RD management is not playing their due role in operation of seed quality control system in letter & spirit. That is why, even good varieties lost their potential in deteriorated seed production and Certification System within two years at farm level.
  6. All senior directors other than Iftekhar  Haider (punished in profession dishonesty and candidate of next DG)  has transferred from head office, and the department is being run with less capable/professional junior most people. So FSC&RD is feeding crisis currently, resultantly Food-Security at risk in future.
  7. Cotton farmer are being deceived by tagging of sub-standard seed in the name of approval category. All seed lots fail at NSC Certified seed category, are put in approved seed category. Under viable  seed production & certification system, quality seed of improved variety has to reach the common farmer with 3-5 years but in present scenario, the impact of certified seed from 10-15% is not being observed in yield due to use of sub-standard seed. Now, it has lead to 40 % reduction in cotton production in Pakistan and has up sit the economy of the country. 
  8. Present DG is not only going on retirement after few days and has also planned to fly abroad just after retirement.

Professionals, Technocrats, Farmers Associations, Legal Forums and Media are being requested to play their role for the sake of food-security and sovereignty of Pakistan.