Punjab Government will do legislation for agri sector:Malik Ahmed Ali

Lahore: has said that legislative process regarding pesticides, fertilizers and seed act would be completed in consultation with all stakeholders in the Punjab province soon.

He stated this while presiding over a high level meeting at Lahore, which was attended by Member Provincial Assembly Tahir Ahmed Sindhu, Secretary Agriculture Punjab Azmat Ali Ranjha, former Federal Secretary Food and Agriculture Zia-ur-Rehman, former Secretary Agriculture Punjab Fiaz Bashir, Vice Chancellor Agriculture University Faisalabad Dr. Iqrar Ahmed, Additional Secretary Agriculture Aamir Khatak, Director General Agriculture Dr. Anjam Ali, Director General Agriculture (Research) Dr. Noor-ul-Islam, Chief Executive PARB Dr. Mubarak Ali, Director Regulation Law and Parliamentary Affairs Mohsin Abbas, former Chairman Pakistan Agriculture Research Council Dr. Kausar Abdullah Malik as well as representatives of farmers and representatives of private companies were present.

Talking on the occasion the Provincial Minister said that after 18th amendment, agriculture is now a provincial matter and consultation with all stakeholders is continuing regarding agriculture legislative process in order to make it comprehensive, well-coordinated and effective. He further said that effective steps are being taken to ensure provision of quality agriculture pesticides and fertilizers to the farmers due to which a great deal of reduction in adulteration has been made from 8.64 percent to 2.70 percent in agriculture pesticides and from 8.6 percent to 5.1 percent in fertilizer. He said that as many as 1702 cases have been registered against persons involved in adulteration and substandard pesticides while spurious pesticides, worth Rs. 43 crore rupees, consisting of 9 lakh 11 thousand litters have been confiscated. He said that 17 lakh, 27 thousand 914 kg spurious fertilizers, worth 36 crore, 25 lakh rupees have been also confiscated.

The Agriculture Minister formulated three committees of stakeholders for necessary amendment in Pesticides Ordinance, Fertilizer Control Order and Seed Act which will present their final recommendation within seven days after reviewing the existing laws in order to expedite the legislative process.