Islamabad:
Federal Minister for Food, Rana Tanveer Hussain, revealed an alleged corruption in Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Services Corporation (Passco) on Thursday, amounting to around 1 billion rupees.
During a meeting of the Senate Committee on National Food Security, held under the chairmanship of Masroor Ahsan, Hussain confirmed that corruption was in fact in Passco.
“This is why the government plans to establish a wing of raw materials as an alternative institution,” he added. The minister also said that wheat production this year had reached 29 million metric tonnes, descending the target of 33 million metric tonnes.
He expressed his concerns that the outdoor wheat policy could benefit the intermediaries, and if farmers do not receive equitable remuneration for their cultures, the culture of wheat could be negatively affected next year.
Senator Dash Kumar of Balutchistan expressed concerns about the deterioration of the wheat state, warning that if the harvest was wasted, it could turn into a major scandal. The federal minister said that although part of the harvest was affected, the majority of wheat was still safe.
Hussain also mentioned continuous efforts to improve the quality of seeds. He said measures had been taken against people involved in the sale of false seeds. He said hybrid seeds are imported, while local seed production is also underway.
The Minister admitted that there was a serious shortage of labor in the Ministry of Food with available resources operating less than 50%. He said that the Pakistan agricultural sector is still based on obsolete systems, while neighboring countries have made significant progress.
The meeting also discussed the appointment of the president of Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (Park), the internal policy within the institution and the position of Pakistan in smart agriculture.
