Pakistan to benefit from China's high-yield seed development technology: PM

ISLAMABAD, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that his country will follow China's footsteps in the field of agriculture and get benefit from China's high-yield seed development technology.

Addressing a ceremony to give away "farmer card" to farmers in the country's east Punjab province on Monday, the prime minister said that his government had taken an important step to make the agricultural sector a vital part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor to uplift the sector and lives of the farmers.

He said that Pakistan's own research institutions on seed development will also be revamped to produce good quality seeds at home.

He said that unlike China, Pakistani farmers are still using old techniques of agriculture, which needs a major transformation, and with the government's efforts, the farmers will gradually shift to modern agricultural modes.

Khan said that under the "farmer card," the local farmers will get subsidized fertilizers, seeds and pesticides besides low-interest loans and compensation for damaged crops in case of any natural calamity.