Lanka-Pakistan enhance agriculture cooperation

Pakistan and Sri Lanka should enhance cooperation in education and agricultural research. Development of different varieties of sugarcane and other crops to increase their productivity can be helpful for both countries to increase their farmers' income.

This was stated by scientist Dr. Aruna Wijesuriya from the Sugarcane Research Institute of the Ministry of Minor Export Crop Promotion during his visit to the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) last week. He called on the UAF Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Iqrar Ahmad Khan. Dr Muhammad Afzal from Sugarcane Research Institute, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute and Prof Dr Jalal Arif, UAF Principal Officer, Public Relations and Publication and entomologist were also present.Dr. Wijesuriya said Sri Lanka records eight to 12 percent in sugarcane recovery whereas recovery in Australia is 16.5 percent. He said the island cultivates various crops from Pakistan, Brazil, Australia, Hawaii (US) and other countries.

He said one of the few countries in the world that provides free education from primary to higher education for their inhabitants, Sri Lanka's free education system was established in 1945. As 22 universities function in Sri Lanka preparing manpower for every field. All of them provide education in the field of agriculture, he said.