Pakistan is among the top 6 countries in the world in terms of wheat production. Last year, due to improved weather conditions, new wheat varieties introduced by scientists at Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, modern production technology, and the hard work of farmers, a record production of 31.8 million tons of wheat was achieved. This year, wheat has been cultivated on 16.2 million acres in Punjab. If the weather conditions improve in March after the recent rains, the set target will be achieved. Dr. Abid Mahmood.
Faisalabad:
Press Release February 25, 2025, Pakistan is among the top 6 countries in the world regarding wheat production. Last year, due to improved weather conditions, new wheat varieties introduced by scientists at Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, modern production technology, and the hard work of farmers, a record production of 31.8 million tons of wheat was achieved. If the weather conditions remain favorable, it will help in achieving the set target. Agricultural scientists of Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad, have introduced 710 varieties of different crops including vegetables, fruits, and fodder through their research efforts.
These views were expressed by Chairman PARB, Punjab Dr. Abid Mahmood while addressing national and international agricultural experts, researchers, and policymakers participating in the inaugural session of the 2-day international conference along with Chief Scientist Wheat Department Dr. Javed Ahmed. Agricultural experts and scientists from Pakistan, Australia, Mexico, Egypt, Turkey, Libya, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and Iraq participated in this international conference. A 2-day international conference on combating the challenges of climate change and achieving food security has begun under the Wheat Department of Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad.
At this conference, agricultural experts, researchers, and policymakers gathered on a platform and discussed in detail the challenges faced in increasing wheat production. The conference emphasized the problems of rising temperatures, water scarcity, climate uncertainty, and damage to the wheat crop and the importance of joint efforts to solve them. Speaking at the conference, Director of PBI, University of Sydney, Australia, Dr. Richard Treithwan said that wheat is an important crop in most countries of the world. He inspected the research trial in the wheat field of Ayub Agricultural Research Institute, Faisalabad along with the conference participants and appreciated the research work of agricultural scientists.
He appreciated the efforts of agricultural scientists under the leadership of Dr. Javed Ahmed for introducing high-temperature and high-zinc varieties in Pakistan with low water use. Project Director IOFS Kazakhstan, Professor Dr. Zulfiqar Ali, while expressing his views, said that the organization of this conference and Joint research efforts among agricultural scientists from major wheat-producing countries will pave the way for innovation.
A large number of agricultural experts and scientists, including Vice Chancellor of Ghazi University DG Khan, Professor Dr. Ashfaq Ahmed, Vice Chancellor of Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Agriculture University Multan, Professor Ishtiaq Ahmed, and Director of Global Wheat Program (SUMM) Kevin Pixley, participated.