‘Wheat crop in Punjab far below potential’

LAHORE: Average production of wheat crop in Punjab province is only one third of its potential due to knowledge gap and the per acre yield can be doubled within a few years by re-establishing linkages between agricultural education, research and extension activities, Vice Chancellor University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF), Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said while talking to delegation of Agriculture Journalists Association (AJA). UAF Vice Chancellor said unlike Indian Punjab’s Ludhiana Agriculture University, the first agriculture university of the country was entrusted with the responsibility of education only while separate institutions were set up for research and extension activities. This proved counterproductive for the development of agriculture sector in the Punjab province. He said that Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had set up committee to streamline this issue and hoped that a decision regarding this anomaly. Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan said that agriculture journalism was being introduced as a subject in the Bachelor of Science courses in the next academic year and hoped that this step would be instrumental in making all the stakeholders aware of the latest developments in the field of agriculture. staff report

(Source: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011%5C03%5C20%5Cstory_20-3-2011_pg5_15)