The Sindh government is set to overhaul its agricultural seed procurement policy, opting to produce and supply its own seeds to farmers at subsidised rates rather than purchasing from the private sector.
According the government information today, the move coincides with a new directive to implement digital geo-marking for all agricultural lands managed by the Sindh Seed Corporation to safeguard against encroachment.
These strategic decisions were finalised during a high-level meeting at the Sindh Secretariat, chaired by provincial Agriculture Minister Sardar Muhammad Bux Mahar, to assess the performance of the Sindh Seed Corporation (SSC). The meeting included key officials such as Agriculture Secretary Muhammad Zaman Narejo and SSC Managing Director Abdul Fattah Halio.
During the session, officials reported significant operational improvements. The Managing Director informed attendees that wheat cultivation on corporation lands had increased by 352 acres, reaching a total of 2242.85 acres. The organisation also generated substantial income, earning 12 million rupees from cotton and 16 million rupees from rice paddy cultivation.
The financial health of the corporation was also highlighted, with officials confirming that employee salaries for four months have been disbursed, and sufficient funds are available to cover the next four months. In its service to local growers, the SSC provided 2,170 bags of wheat, ginned 295 maunds of cotton, and earned additional revenue from on-site fish ponds.
On the issue of land security, the meeting was briefed that two First Information Reports (FIRs) have been registered against individuals involved in illegal land grabbing. In a notable success, 120 acres of encroached SSC territory in Ghotki were recovered and have since been cultivated with wheat.
Minister Mahar issued firm directives for the swift geo-marking of all SSC agricultural lands. This initiative will involve using GPS technology and digital maps to record the precise boundaries, area, and location of the properties in a centralised computer system, preventing future disputes and illegal occupation. He also instructed the corporation to better publicise its achievements through social media.
Addressing the participants, the Agriculture Minister stated that the SSC’s performance had improved significantly. He emphasised that the provincial government is committed to ensuring local farmers receive quality, low-cost government-produced seeds and urged an acceleration of efforts towards this goal.
The minister remarked that the formerly struggling institution has not only achieved financial stability but is now actively supporting farmers. The performance report presented at the meeting will be forwarded to a sub-committee of the Sindh Cabinet before being presented for full cabinet review.
Mr Mahar concluded that the revitalised corporation is poised to launch new initiatives aimed at boosting agricultural production and facilitating farmers, which will serve to further strengthen the agricultural sector across Sindh.