Govt agrees on FMD-free zone, DAP supply and potato exports

Mettis Global reported, citing a press release, that federal and Punjab authorities have agreed to create an area free of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) beside a major motorway in the province. The decision came at a meeting between Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain and Punjab Agriculture Minister Syed Muhammad Ashiq Hussain Kirmani, which also reviewed DAP fertilizer availability and potato production and exports.

Measures in the zone will cover vaccination, controls on livestock movement and monitoring along key routes, with both governments stressing federal-provincial coordination. A disease surveillance system now under development is designed to track livestock illnesses, spot outbreaks early and improve reporting among departments. Participants also reviewed what federal and provincial authorities are doing to keep DAP available for growers this crop cycle, and agreed to tackle any shortages as they arise.

On potatoes, talks centred on output planning, access to markets and overseas shipments. Rana Tanveer Hussain urged this season's potato output to target new overseas buyers, arguing wider destinations would support steady demand, ease pressure at peak output and raise farm returns. He also highlighted market intelligence to identify importing countries and said the government would keep working with provinces to resolve farmers' concerns.