Hydroponics technique: Pakistan can increase fruits and vegetable production by 20 times
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FAISALABAD - The country can increase vegetables and fruit production by 20 times by adopting modern agricultural technique 'hydroponic'.
This was stated by agricultural experts at the inauguration of hydroponic greenhouse, arranged by the Water Management Research Centre, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) here Friday.
UAF Vice-Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ashraf inaugurated the hydroponic. He was flanked by DG Water Management Punjab Dr Muhammad Akram, Water Management Research Center UAF Director Dr Muhammad Irsahd, Dr Ahmad Waqas and other notables also attended.
The VC said that it had become need of the hour to shun traditional farming and to promote high-efficient irrigation agriculture for a better tomorrow. He said that hydroponic would help the country increase the vegetable and fruit production manifold with low water usage. He said that in China, every farmer had adopted the hydroponic which is disease and pest free agriculture. H
e said that the production under hydroponic is totally safe for health and meet the international standards so that we can earn even heavy foreign exchange by exporting it after meeting our demand.
He said that by traditional way of farming, the agricultural produces is unsafe for health due to excessive pesticides and other factors. He said that hydroponics is a method of growing plants without soil by using mineral nutrient solutions in a water solvent.
He said that flood watering had become outdated and we have to take the measures to replace it with other ones. He said that at the time of inception of the country, per capita water availability was 5,000 cubic meter which has not declined to 900 cubic meter.
Water Management Research Centre UAF Director Dr Muhammad Irsahd said that with the passage of time, per capita water availability was decreasing. "We have to adopt modern agricultural trend keeping in view various issues like health, decreasing agriculture land and food security," he said.
DG Water Management Punjab Dr Muhammad Akram said that the modern agricultural practices would pave the way for the development of the country. He said that there are 26,000 villages in the province in which 12,000 laser levelers had been provided and 10,000 more laser levelers were on the cards.
Dr Ahmad Waqas said that university had developed indigenous hydroponic system which will cost the farmers Rs 150 per square feet.
He said that hydroponics is an important growing technique in green houses in many developed countries.
