LAHORE: Governor Balighur Rehman has sought a plan within a week from the local seed companies for promoting local production of hi-tech hybrid seeds and transfer of technology to achieve higher per acre yield and provision of quality seeds at prices af fordable for the farmers.

The plan was sought during a meeting with a delegation of local seed companies, which apprised the governor of the negative impact on the seed industry and consequently on the agriculture sector caused by imposition of 17 per cent sales tax by the previous government.

He assured the delegation of his full support for their cause but directed the representatives of the seed companies to f ormulate a practic al action plan f or protecting interests of local farmers by encouraging local production of seeds for various crops.

The delegation, led Shahzad Ali Malik, said quality seeds of almost all crops, f ruits and vegetables are being imported putting extra burden on the foreign exchange reserves and the situation requires local production of the seeds through transfer of technology and under an incentive package phasing out the seed imports.

He said only the crops based on hybrid seed technology, namely rice and maize, are performing in the country and producing surplus output for exports, while particularly the cotton crop is failing the farming community because its seed has degenerated and efforts have not been made to introduce innovation in the cotton sector.

He sought leasing out of state lands for research and development by the local seed companies, easing the process for registration of new companies, offering cash prizes and national awards to the scientists succeeding in developing new high-yield seed varieties, and abolishing 17pc ST on seeds to make them affordable for the local farmers, over 90pc of whom are small landholders.