PESHAWAR:Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Mohibullah Khan on Friday chaired a meeting on new important projects for further improvement in agricultural research.

Secretary Agriculture Dr Muhammad Israr, Chief Planning Officer Ahmed Syed, Additional Secretary Agriculture Tahir Khan, experts, women experts of Agricultural Research Institute and other concerned officers attended the meeting. Detailed briefing was given to the provincial Minister Mohibullah Khan on the Soil Microbiology project.

During briefing, the minister was informed that the project would help in organic production which would reduce the use of artificial fertilizers and increase the fertility of the soil by utilizing the beneficial germs present in the soil.

Cost of the project is Rs509 million. The Satellite Pesticide Laboratories project was also discussed. The project includes setting up of laboratories in Swat, DI Khan and Hazara. This will help the local landowners to keep the quantity of pesticides in their production at a reasonable level.

These laboratories will also help in preventing adulteration of pesticides. The total cost of the project is Rs1340 million. The commercialization plan of soyabeans was also considered. It was informed on the occasion that the climate of the province is suitable for production of many valuable fruits.

The cost of the project is Rs209 million. It was told that soyabean crop is important not only for production of edible oil but also for increasing fodder for our cattle as well as for fertility of the land. The total cost of the project will be Rs283 million. The Minister directed the officers to use their experience and hard work for agricultural research to increase the productivity so that the landlords could take benefit from the research to the maximum.

The budget of the directorate has been increased from Rs2-billion to Rs160 billion, which is a revolutionary initiative of the present provincial government. Addressing the women research officers, Mohib Ullah khan said that they should play their full role in agricultural research so that the province could become self-sufficient in agricultural production.