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LAHORE, Apr 29 (APP): A one-day workshop focusing on sesame cultivation and value addition was held at Agriculture House, Lahore, under the chairmanship of Punjab Minister for Agriculture and Livestock, Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani.
The event was organised as part of a Rs 1 billion initiative, launched in line with the vision of the chief minister of Punjab, aimed at promoting the cultivation and production of oilseed crops, sesame, soybean and canola to reduce the country’s import bill on edible oils.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister Kirmani highlighted that the core objective of this initiative is to boost sesame exports and reduce dependence on imported soybean and canola. Under the project, 592 model farms will be established across 17 districts of Punjab, including Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Bhakkar, Dera Ghazi Khan and others. Approximately 1,000 farmers will each receive financial assistance of Rs30,000 to implement modern production techniques and serve as role models for others.
The minister emphasised that due to climate change, sesame has become one of the major crops in the province, with a significant increase in cultivation area reported last year. He called upon agricultural scientists to develop high-yield and climate-resilient varieties, noting that the government is investing generously to align agricultural research with international standards.
The initiative also includes subsidised provision of modern machinery for oilseed crops and plans to recruit 2,000 agricultural graduates as interns in the next fiscal year to provide technical support to farmers at their doorstep. Value addition and international-standard exhibitions (Expos) will be a key focus of the project, while efforts will be made to engage the federal government for tax reductions on oilseed exports.
Punjab Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo said that modern irrigation systems would be installed on these model farms. Additionally, workshops and mega farmer gatherings will be organised to facilitate knowledge transfer and technical guidance. He noted that sesame, being a low-water crop, offers high profitability and immense export potential.
The workshop was attended by Additional Secretary Agriculture Task Force Muhammad Shabbir Ahmed Khan, Directors General Agriculture Chaudhry Abdul Hameed, Naveed Asmat Kahloon, Sajid ur Rehman, PESRP Project Director Dr. Muhammad Anjum Ali, representatives from agricultural universities, exporters, processors, progressive farmers and other key stakeholders.