LAHORE: Punjab Agricultural Research Board (PARB), Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP) and Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) have teamed up to promote research and development and determine the future agenda for rice exports from Pakistan.
To encourage coordination between the bodies, a meeting was held here in PARB’s auditorium on Friday. The international rice market, prospects of increasing rice exports and international standards were major topics on the agenda. Giving a detail presentation, PARB Chief Executive highlighted PARB’s vision, priority issues and international collaboration in PARB’s projects. He pointed out that International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Tokyo University, Arkansas University Toronto, Sri Lanka Sugarcane Research Institute, Plant Breeding Institute Sydney and Illinois University Okayama, were major international institutes which were collaborating with PARB. He stressed that rice production should be increased with better yielding and disease resistant varieties as it was an important crop for the country’s economy. He disclosed that PARB had funded six projects on rice. REAP Chairman Irfan Ahmed Sheikh highlighted the activities and setup of REAP when speaking to the participants.
