ISLAMABAD, March 17 (ABC): The Pakistan Agricultural Research Council (PARC) has proposed a Rs1.65 billion project to promote oilseed cultivation and reduce reliance on imported edible oil.
The five-year project, titled “The National Crop Diversification and Import Substitution Program (Oilseeds),” will run from July 2026 to June 2031 across the country, according to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan.
Boosting domestic oilseed production
The initiative aims to increase domestic oilseed production through climate-smart agriculture, modern seed systems, farmer training, and improved value chains.
In addition, the programme will introduce cluster-based crop diversification. It will also establish farmer field demonstration hubs and digital advisory systems to help growers adopt modern farming practices.
Strengthening seed systems and productivity
The plan focuses on strengthening the national seed system by expanding breeder, foundation, and certified seed production. This approach is expected to improve both yields and profitability of priority oilseed crops.
At the same time, the initiative supports agricultural innovation and growth. It aims to reduce edible oil imports by 10 to 20 percent through local production.
Cluster development and farmer support
Under the proposed plan, authorities will carry out national zoning for six oilseed crops and develop 10 to 15 production clusters across Pakistan.
The project will also establish 20 to 50 operational model farms. Moreover, cluster expansion will shift around 100,000 acres towards oilseed cultivation.
In addition, 50 to 100 demonstration hubs will be set up, each covering two to five hectares. Training programmes will benefit 2,000 to 5,000 farmers and extension workers.
Research, seed production and partnerships
The proposal includes evaluation of around 6,000 germplasm accessions. It also aims to scale up certified seed production to between 2,000 and 5,000 tons.
Furthermore, the project will establish 10 to 15 seed multiplication farms. Authorities also plan five to seven public-private partnership agreements to strengthen certified seed supply and industry linkages.
Overall, the initiative is expected to improve domestic oilseed productivity and help reduce Pakistan’s edible oil import bill through locally produced alternatives.