ISLAMABAD, Mar 10 (ABC): The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) has proposed Rs4.590 billion five-year initiative to modernize the seed potato sector in Pakistan.
According to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the project “Seed Potato Production and Supply Centre (SPPSC)” is scheduled to run from July 2026 to June 2031.
The center will be established at the National Agricultural Research Centre (NARC) and executed through the National Institute for Genomics and Advanced Biotechnology.
The center will serve as a national hub for localized, virus-free seed potato production. By deploying advanced tissue culture and aeroponics technologies, the project seeks to develop sustainable domestic capacity for producing virus-free foundation seed. A modern cold-chain and post-harvest infrastructure will also be introduced, targeting a reduction of 25-30% in seed losses during handling and storage.
An Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)-based digital certification, traceability, and inventory management system will ensure transparency, real-time record-keeping, and quality assurance.
The nationwide seed certification and traceability system is expected to become fully operational under the project, strengthening regulatory oversight by formally integrating the Federal Seed Certification & Registration Department (FSC&RD) into seed certification and monitoring processes.
The initiative promises wide-ranging benefits for farmers. Domestic production of virus-free seed potatoes is set to increase significantly, reducing reliance on imported seed. Enhanced access to certified, high-quality seed is projected to improve productivity and profitability for over 10,000 farmers nationwide.
The fully constructed and operational center will feature a tissue culture laboratory, screen houses, a cold storage, and a seed packaging unit. Field multiplications will be carried out nationwide, ensuring broad-based distribution and impact.
Public-private partnerships will play a key role in scaling up seed multiplication, optimizing cold storage utilization, and strengthening distribution logistics. Capacity-building efforts will target more than 1,600 stakeholders – including farmers, technicians, and regulators – through structured training programs.
The project will draw on Korean expertise and best practices to support technology transfer and knowledge exchange.
Strategically aligned with the 5Es Framework, the 13th Five-Year Plan, UN Sustainable Development Goals, and NAIGP, the SPPSC supports export growth and import substitution, promotes digital certification under E-Pakistan, strengthens cold-chain infrastructure, enhances productivity, and helps improve farmer incomes.
Once implemented, the SPPSC will mark a significant leap toward modernizing Pakistan’s seed systems, bolstering food security, empowering farmers, and fostering sustainable agricultural growth.
