Seed watchdog cutbacks spark yield fears |
LAHORE: The federal government’s decision to send nearly 70 per cent of the staff of the Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department (FSC&RD) to the surplus pool has triggered alarm nationwide, with experts warning of serious disruption to certified seed production and a possible record fall in per-acre yields of key crops, including cotton, wheat and rice.
For decades, the FSC&RD has been responsible for registering seed companies, regulating and monitoring certified seed production, and taking action against the sale of substandard seed. Operating under the federal government, it maintained offices in most major agricultural centres and played a........