The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security & Research speaks they will definitely use agri technology for helping farmers but they will never take any such decision that hampers the interests of Pakistani farmers.
The committee decided to refer the ministries of health, commerce and climate change to know the exact situation around GM technology approval for maize.
The committee met at the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) to discussed about the usefulness of latest agricultural technology for future generations in the country.
The committee also invited representatives from Crop Life Pakistan Association for a presentation on the benefits of GM technology.
Representative from Crop Life Pakistan Muhammad Asim Shared the details about benefits of GM technology for agriculture and highlighted the advantages saying that more than 70 countries were using GM food and 26 countries were cultivating GM crops.
He also shared that GM maize hybrids had between 10-45% yield advantages in the government field trials (NUYT). Similarly, yield data from countries with GM maize adoption showed significant yield growth compared to pre GM period.
Secretary Ministry of NFSR Hashim Populzai discussed the advantages and disadvantages of genetically modified seeds.
He told to the committee that the ministry was not against the GM technology and they were ready to work with the industry for cotton crop but they needed time to review the GM seeds to be introduced for maize crop.
Chairman Standing Committee Rao Ajmal said they had already wasted a lot of time. He mentioned that India chosen agri technology two decades ago and now it was far ahead of Pakistan in per acre yield of cotton.
He said Pakistan was losing international market share in the agri sector for being slow with adoption of technologies.