Hybrid seeds can revolutionarize Pakistan’s agricultural economy

LAHORE: Echoing the decades of success of hybrid rice in Pakistan, hybrid seeds have great potential to replace our country’s imports and develop surplus production for export in other crops such as cotton, wheat, oilseeds and pulses.
Speaking to reporters here, Pakistan Hitech Hybrid Seeds Association (PHHSA) Chairman Shahzad Ali Malik said that hybrid seeds can transform Pakistan’s agriculture.
“Hybrid rice has shown its effectiveness by significantly increasing the yield per hectare compared to conventional rice varieties. By applying similar methods and technology to other crops, Pakistan has significantly reduced its dependence on imported agricultural products, resulting in significant savings and economic benefits,” he said.
In the case of cotton, he said, the adoption of hybrid varieties can increase the yield per hectare, thereby reducing the need for imports and creating a surplus for export. Since Pakistan is one of the largest producers of cotton in the world, such a change could have a significant impact on the country’s economy. Similarly, the introduction of hybrid wheat varieties can increase productivity and quality, which can reduce dependence on imported wheat and make Pakistan a net exporter of wheat.
Shahzad Ali Malik said focusing on hybrid varieties of vegetable oil crops such as soybean or sunflower can increase domestic production and reduce the need to import expensive vegetable oil. This not only saves foreign money but also improves food security within the country.
He believes that investing in hybrid pulses can solve the persistent shortage of pulses in Pakistan, which often leads to imports to meet domestic demand. By increasing domestic production through hybrid varieties, Pakistan can reduce its dependence on imports and become a surplus producer for export.
He said that this strategic shift towards hybrid varieties not only ensures food security and self-sufficiency, but also opens up opportunities to export surplus produce, thus improving agriculture and the economy as a whole.