Over five-year period: NA body concerned at data of increase in sugarcane yields
ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on National Food Security and Research on Tuesday raised serious concerns over the data of an increase in sugarcane yields from an average of 600 maunds to 700 maunds per acre over a five-year period.
The standing committee which met with MNA Syed Hussain Tariq in the chair, expressed concerns about the data presented during the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) schemes meeting, which claimed an increase in sugarcane yields from an average of 600 maunds to 700 maunds per acre over a five-year period under a project funded with billions of rupees by the ministry.
The committee members have doubts over the reliability of this data, noting that it was sourced from sugar mills, which have a tendency to underreport production figures to evade taxes, raising doubts about the accuracy of the reported increase.
The committee criticised the modest yield improvement despite heavy public sector investment, calling it an inadequate return on the nation's resources and time.
During the meeting, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Zulfiqar Ali delivered a comprehensive briefing on the university's research initiatives and academic scope. He noted that UAF currently enrolls 33,556 students and offers 61 undergraduate, 112 postgraduate, and 225 diploma or short-course programmes. Of its 682 faculty members, 470 hold PhDs.
Dr Ali outlined the university's strategic research focus, which includes genetics, seed and breed development, agronomic innovation, agro-technologies, and value addition.
He highlighted progress in developing low-input, resource-efficient crops such as new durum wheat varieties.
Chairman Tariq emphasised the importance of reducing crop cycles to conserve water and minimise pesticide use—an approach that also lowers the burden on farmers and promotes environmental sustainability.
The briefing also showcased notable research progress, including the development of UAF-11, a high-yield Brassica variety, and Okra-3A as part of the vegetable breeding efforts. Further advancements in soybean, maize hybrids, mangoes, citrus fruits, and genetically modified sugarcane highlighted the university's dedication to improving crop yield, quality, and resilience.
Dr Ali further informed the committee of the university's collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), focusing on DAP fertiliser production, import substitution, and precision agriculture. He said these efforts incorporate artificial intelligence, climate mitigation strategies, solar energy, and digital agriculture extension services. With 135 active collaborations — 84 international and 51 national—UAF also supports outreach efforts including Chinese language training and skill development for D-8 and OIC member countries. Under PSDP and ADB-funded projects, the university is establishing advanced laboratories for seed testing and certification to align with global export standards, he said.
MNAs Rana Muhammad Hayat Khan, Waseem Qadir, Nadeem Abbas, Chaudhary Iftikhar Nazir, Musarrat Asif Khawaja, Zulfiqar Ali Behan, Usama Hamza, and Muhammad Ameer Sultan and senior officials of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) attended the meeting.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Express Tribune
Oil climbs over $1 onUS-China talks
Listen to article Brent crude rose more than $1 a barrel on Friday morning and oil prices were on track for their first weekly gain in three weeks after US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping resumed trade talks, raising hopes for growth and stronger demand in the world's two largest economies. Brent crude futures gained $1.50, or 1.61%, to $66.39 a barrel by 1349 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude climbed $1.02, or 1.61%, to $64.39. On a weekly basis, both benchmarks were on track to settle higher after declining for two straight weeks. Brent has advanced 2.75% this week, while WTI is trading 4.9% higher. China's official Xinhua news agency said trade talks between Xi and Trump took place at Washington's request on Thursday. Trump said the call had led to a "very positive conclusion", adding the US was "in very good shape with China and the trade deal". Canada also continued trade talks with the US, with Prime Minister Mark Carney in direct contact with Trump, according to Industry Minister Melanie Joly. The oil market continued to swing with news on tariff negotiations and data showing how trade uncertainty and the impact of the US levies are flowing through into the global economy. "The potential for increased US sanctions in Venezuela to limit crude exports and the potential for an Israeli strike on Iranian infrastructure add to upside risks for prices," analysts at BMI, a Fitch affiliate, said in a note on Friday. "But both weaker demand for oil and increased production from both OPEC+ and non-OPEC producers will add to downside price pressures in the coming quarters." Top exporter Saudi Arabia cut its July crude prices for Asia to near two-month lows. That was a smaller price reduction than expected after OPEC+ agreed to ramp up output by 411,000 barrels per day in July. The kingdom had been pushing for a bigger output hike, part of a broader strategy to win back market share and discipline over-producers in OPEC+, which groups the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and allies including Russia. "The market looks balanced in 2Q/3Q on our estimates as oil demand rises in summer and peaks in July-August, matching supply increases from OPEC+," HSBC said in a note.
Business Recorder
2 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Canada, China agree to ‘regularise communications'
MONTREAL: Canada and China have agreed to regularize channels of communication, the office of Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said, after a period of strained diplomatic ties between the two countries. Tensions in the relationship soared following Ottawa's arrest of a senior Chinese telecom executive on a US warrant in 2018, remaining high in subsequent years amid disputes over human rights and election interference allegations. During the call between Carney and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, 'the leaders exchanged views on bilateral relations, including the importance of engagement, and agreed to regularize channels of communication between Canada and China,' the prime minister's office said in a statement late on Thursday. They also discussed trade and 'committed their governments to working together to address the fentanyl crisis,' the statement added. According to Beijing's state news agency Xinhua, Li told Carney that relations between the countries 'have faced unnecessary disturbances and encountered serious difficulties' in recent years. He added that China is 'willing to work with Canada to jointly uphold multilateralism and free trade' in the face of growing unilateralism and protectionism, Xinhua reported, noting that the call came at Carney's request. The comments were a reference to major disruptions in global trade throughout recent weeks caused by US President Donald Trump, who has slapped stinging tariffs on allies and adversaries alike since beginning a second term in January. China and Canada — both major US trading partners — have been on the receiving end of Washington's recent tariff blitz and are currently engaged in negotiations with the Trump administration. Carney surged to victory in Canada's late April election, a stunning comeback for his Liberal Party that had looked headed for a sure defeat at the start of the year. Beijing stopped short of congratulating Carney following the result, though its foreign ministry said at the time that China was open to improving bilateral ties. Canada's 2018 arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou spurred Beijing to take retaliatory measures that plunged relations into a deep freeze, detaining two Canadians — Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig — on espionage charges.
Business Recorder
2 hours ago
- Business Recorder
US suspends licences to ship nuclear plant parts to China
WASHINGTON: The US in recent days suspended licenses for nuclear equipment suppliers to sell to China's power plants, according to four people familiar with the matter, as the two countries engage in a damaging trade war. The suspensions were issued by the US Department of Commerce, the people said, and affect export licenses for parts and equipment used with nuclear power plants. Nuclear equipment suppliers are among a wide range of companies whose sales have been restricted over the past two weeks as the US-China trade war shifted from negotiating tariffs to throttling each other's supply chains. It is unclear whether a Thursday call between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping would affect the suspensions. The US and China agreed on May 12 to roll back triple digit, tit-for-tat tariffs for 90 days, but the truce between the two biggest economies quickly went south, with the US claiming China reneged on terms related to rare earth elements, and China accusing the US of 'abusing export control measures' by warning that using Huawei Ascend AI chips anywhere in the world violated US export controls. After Thursday's call, further talks on key issues were expected. The US Department of Commerce did not respond to a request for comment on the nuclear equipment restrictions. On May 28, a spokesperson said the department was reviewing exports of strategic significance to China. 'In some cases, Commerce has suspended existing export licenses or imposed additional license requirements while the review is pending,' the spokesperson said in a statement. The Chinese Embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. US nuclear equipment suppliers include Westinghouse and Emerson. Westinghouse, whose technology is used in over 400 nuclear reactors around the world, and Emerson, which provides measurement and other tools for the nuclear industry, did not respond to requests for comment. The suspensions affect business worth hundreds of millions of dollars, two of the sources said. They also coincide with Chinese restrictions on critical metals threatening supply chains for manufacturers worldwide, especially America's Big Three automakers. Reuters could not determine whether the new restrictions were tied to the trade war, or if and how quickly they might be reinstated. Department of Commerce export licenses typically run for four years and include authorized quantities and values. But many new restrictions on exports to China have been imposed in the last two weeks, according to sources, and include license requirements for a hydraulic fluids supplier for sales to China. Other license suspensions went to GE Aerospace for jet engines for China's COMAC aircraft, sources said. The US also now requires licenses to ship ethane to China, as Reuters reported first last week. Houston-based Enterprise Product Partners said Wednesday that its emergency requests to complete three proposed cargoes of ethane to China, totaling some 2.2 million barrels, had not been granted. Enterprise said a May 23 requirement for a license to sell butane to China, in addition to the ethane, was subsequently withdrawn. Dallas-based Energy Transfer said it was notified on Tuesday about the new ethane licensing requirement, and planned to apply and file for an emergency authorization. Other sectors that have been hit with new restrictions include companies that sell electronic design automation software such as Cadence Design Systems.
