Speakers at a daylong workshop here on Monday stressed the need for formulating National Seed Policy to ensure quality seeds production, distribution and thereby enhance crop yield in the country. "National Seed Policy and enabling environment are the prerequisites for ensuring development of seed industry in the country," they observed and stressed upon the government to focus on commercial seed production programme for ensuring vibrant agriculture. The speakers argued that there were some South Asian countries, including Bangladesh and India having established seed policies at national level, adding that Pakistan too needed to follow the suit and develop seed policy at national level. The workshop titled National Commercial Seed Production Programme was organised by Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal) with an aim to discuss various issues related to seed and come up with suggestions for the government to promote this important sector of agriculture. In his keynote address, Parliamentary Secretary, Liaqat Ali Khan said that government has been focusing on the seed sector on priority basis for the development of the industry, adding that Prime Minister in his 100-day programme had also assured for the provision of quality seed. He said that agriculture was most import sector of country's economy so government was taking necessary measure to bridge the gap between the agriculture yield and actual potential. He suggested that seed development for the flowers and vegetables should also be given special attention which he said, has been neglected so far. He said that short-term courses on seed production would be initiated to benefit the seed industry as well as train the farmers on quality seed production and utilisation. In his detailed presentation, an international seed sector and marketing expert, Tim K. Ekin highlighted the importance of efforts to be made by both public and private sector for the development of the industry, adding that there should be enabling environment to ensure sustainable and quality seed industry in the country. He was of the view that farmers in Pakistan do no get agriculture output in accordance with the potential of the agriculture land and highlighted the importance of government's support, policy and facilitation to promote the sector. Speaking on the occasion, Additional Secretary Minfal, Shahid Hussain Raja stressed the need for streamlining the seeds sector for enhancing quality and quantity of the crop, adding that greater focus should be given towards hybrid seeds to achieve the desired results. He said that workshop was the timely move towards addressing this pressing issue and stressed upon the multinational seed institutions to play their role in developing seed industry in Pakistan as they have gained experience in the field. He said that strategy also needed to be developed for small farmers, adding that provision of quality seed should be ensured to maximum number of farmers to enhance quality production. In his message to the workshop, Minfal Minister Nazar Muhammad Gondal expressed the hope that the experts participating in the workshop would come up with concrete suggestions to develop the seed industry on sustainable basis.