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Call to make a comprehensive plan to cope with WTO challenges
LAHORE (November 21 2002) : All the government departments/agencies, autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies should quickly realign to make a comprehensive plan to cope with the challenges of WTO to be enforced from January 2005.
"We should wage collective efforts, as a lot of time has already been wasted," said Junaid Iqbal, Secretary Agriculture Punjab here on Wednesday.
Delivering his presidential speech at a seminar on WTO implications to Pakistan agriculture arranged by Punjab Agricultural Research Board of Agriculture Department Punjab here on Wednesday, he said: "We will be an isolated nation after enforcement of WTO, if not wake up now to formulate long term strategy."
Agricultural scientists, representatives of different departments and farmer's organisations attended the seminar.
Junaid Iqbal said that the WTO conditionalities are likely to create a challenge like situation for the growers of Pakistan. He said that Pakistan could not sell its wheat on time due to lack of quality testing labs.
He was of the view that all developing countries should form regional alliance to safeguard their interests. He said that after implementation of WTO agreements, it will not be possible for the farmers of developing countries to get subsidy.
He advised the farmers to carefully monitor the impact of pesticides on various crops, while quality of agri commodities should be improved according to international standards. Professor Iqbal A Khan, Dr Khalid Mustafa, Dr Khalid Aziz also spoke.
Courtesy Business Recorder
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Pakissan.com; Advisory Point
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