The Variety Evaluation Committee (VEC) recommended 04 new sunflower hybrids, 03 Mustard varieties/hybrids and 1 variety of each soybean, rapeseed, groundnut while 2 varieties of sugarcane for commercial cultivation in the potential ecologies.

The VEC meeting on Oilseed & Sugar Crops was held on Monday, the October 2, 2023 in the Committee Room of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) Hqs. Islamabad. The meeting was presided over by Dr. Imtiaz Hussain, Member (PSD)/Chairman (VEC) and attended by the committee members belonging to various public and private sector organizations and policy makers.

In the meeting, 21 proposals for Soybean, Canola, Rapeseed, Mustard, Sunflower, Groundnut, and Sesame candidate varieties/hybrids as well as 04 proposals of sugarcane were assessed. After thorough evaluation and discussion, the committee recommended 4 new sunflower hybrids, 3 Mustard varieties/hybrids, 1 variety each of soybean, rapeseed and groundnut while 2 varieties of sugarcane for potential ecologies.

During the opening remarks, before the formal VEC meeting, Dr. Ghulam Muhammad Ali, Chairman PARC, appreciated the efforts of all stakeholders being undertaken for uplifting the crops’ productivity in general and oilseeds in particular. He also highlighted the importance of public-private partnership and urged the stakeholders to work in close collaboration for achieving the import substitution in edible oil.

The meeting ended with a vote of thanks by the Chair to all the members for their contribution and participation in this very important meeting.