A Delegation from Asian Development Bank headed by Miss Novriko Sato visit the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute Faisalabad, met with Dr. Abid Mahmood, Director General Agriculture (Research) and other Directors on December 12,2018. During the meeting Dr. Shahid Ahmad, Mansoor Ali and Kazim Saeed, consultant Asian Development Bank, presented a review of mutual sharing plans on rice in Punjab and to be continue such plans in future with collaboration were discussed for the crops like rice, wheat, cotton, pulses and oilseeds crops in which great emphasis was laid on emerging research and the supply of agricultural machinery to the farmers.
Dr. Abid Mahmood, Director General Agriculture (Research) shed light upon the research activities and successful results of Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, especially in rice and its direct cultivation. Through research Scientists have introduced such new verities in which the rice grain length is increased to almost 8 mm and productivity has also increased to a great extent. Besides that keeping in view the shortage of water in country scientists have also introduced the production technology of direct cultivation through seed which is relatively popular among farmers. Pakistan is self sufficient in the production of rice and by exporting rice to different countries playing important role in boosting foreign exchange. A lot more can be earned with increase in export. The various factors to increase rice export were also discussed. The delegation appreciated the research work of Ayub Agricultural Research Institute and assured their mutual cooperation in this regard.