Pakistan's Agriculture, Cotton & Textiles - News and Updates

[ameer219]

Kharif season: fertiliser demand seen at 4.138 million tons


ABDUL RASHEED AZAD
ISLAMABAD (April 09 2010): In the ongoing Kharif season, Pakistan's total fertilizer demand would be 4.138 million tons whereas the available stock is 4.357 million tons, a report of Ministry for Food and Agriculture revealed. According to the report, urea consumption is projected at 3.140 million tons against 3.094 million tons of the previous Kharif season, showing an increase of 1.5 percent.

The off take of DAP fertilizer is expected to increase by 3.8 percent over last Kharif, whereas, other phosphate (TSP/MAP) and potash (SOP/MOP) demand may also increase. The estimated overall off take will be 4.138 million tons that shows 2.2 percent increase against the last Kharif. The country will require 3.140 million tons of urea, 9.40 million tons of DAP, 45 thousand tons of other phosphoric fertilisers (TSP/MAP) and 13 thousand tons of Potash, the report added.

According to the report, Punjab total fertiliser demand will be around 2.888 million tons. The province will require 2.200 million tons of urea, 6.50 million tons of DAP, 30 thousand tons of other phosphoric fertiliser (TSP/MAP) and 8 thousand tons of Potash. Sindh will require 6.50 million tons of urea, 2.00 million tons of DAP, 15 thousand tons of other phosphates and 5 thousand tons of Potash. Similarly NWFP's urea demand will be 2.00 million tons and DAP 60 thousand tons. Balochistan will need 90 thousand tons of urea and 30 thousand tons of DAP.

The estimated supply demand situation will remain as under: Kharif 2010 will start with an opening inventory of 1.23 million tons of urea, 2.700 million tons will be produced domestically, whereas 4.00 million tons will be imported taking urea's available stock to 3.223 million tons, the report added.

The off take is estimated at about 3.140 million tons. The availability of DAP would be 1.027 million tons comprising 1.12 million tons of opening inventory, 3.15 million tons of local production and 6.00 million tons of imported supply. The estimated off take would be 9.40 million tons with closing balance of 8.7 million tons, showing comfortable situation.

The opening inventory of other phosphate fertiliser (TSP/MAP) will be 2.7 million tons along with 50 thousand tons import taking the total availability to 77 thousand tons. A demand of 45 thousand tons is estimated against the above availability. Similarly 30 thousand tons of potash fertilisers will be available against the demand of 13 thousand tons. Off take of Potash (SOP/MOP) may be higher in next Khairf due to subsidy by the government.

It further said that the Rabi 2009-10 was opened with a balance of about 176 thousand tons of urea out of which 2495 thousand tons was domestic production and 671 thousand tons imported, thus making a total availability of 3342 thousand tons.

The availability of DAP was 943 thousand tons including 129 thousand tons of opening balance, 305 thousand tons of local production and 509 thousand tons of imported supplies. Total availability of other phosphoric fertiliser products (TSP/MAP) during the season under review is 82 thousand tons against the off take of 55 thousand tons, leaving an inventory of 27 thousand tons. Total availability of potash fertilisers (SOP/MOP) was 21 thousand tones against expected off take of 11 thousand tones, thus leaving closing balance of 10 thousand tons.


Copyright Business Recorder, 2010
Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]

 

[ameer219]

'7.5 million tons of wheat to be procured this year'


ISLAMABAD (April 09 2010): Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Nazar Muhammad Gondal said on Thursday the government would continue to support the farmers and had set the target of 7.5 million tons of wheat to be procured this year. Talking to a private news channel, he said the government had set the target of 7.5 million tons of wheat to be procured this year besides the existing stocks of 4.4 million tons available at present to fulfil the domestic requirements for the year 2010-11.

He assured the farmers of the country that the government would purchase the wheat from them at the announced support price. To a question, the minister said the government would not dispose off the available stocks of wheat at the present and asked the provincial food departments and Passco to take care of the stocks. He said there was no inter-provincial restriction on the movement of wheat in the country.

He said surplus wheat was the result of good support price to the farmers and the government would continue to support the poor farmers of the land. Gondal said Pakistan was an agro-based economy and the country's prosperity was directly related to agriculture. "Our survival depends on agriculture. Pakistan is a blessed country but we need to properly manage our natural resources", he added.

Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]


Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2010

 

[ameer219]

Loans worth Rs 106.26 billion disbursed to growers during July-December

RECORDER REPORT

ISLAMABAD (April 08 2010): The banking sector during July-December 2009-10 has disbursed total loans worth Rs 106.26 billion to the growers, out of which Rs 95.41 billion were production and Rs 10.85 billion development loans, a report of Food and Agriculture Ministry revealed to Business Recorder.

According to the report, the disbursement of loans was 6.8 percent high as compared to Rs 99.45 billion extended during the same period last year. The report said that the Agricultural Credit Advisory Committee (ACAC) allocated Rs 260 billion for the year 2009-10 as compared to Rs 250 billion target fixed for last year. According to report, out of total credit target of Rs 260 billion, Rs 124.0 billion were allocated to five big commercial banks, Rs 80.0 billion to ZTBL, Rs 6 billion to Punjab Provincial Co-operative Bank Ltd and Rs 50.0 billion to Domestic Private Banks.

The province and sector wise targets of ACAC are 78 percent, 14 percent, 6 percent, 1.5 percent and 0.5 percent to be disbursed in Punjab, Sindh, NWFP, Balochistan and AJK and Northern Areas (NA) respectively. It shows an increase of Rs 6.8 billion in absolute terms over the disbursement made by the banks during the same period of last year.

Overall, the performance of five major commercial banks, ie United Bank Limited, Allied Bank Limited, Habib Bank Limited, MCB Limited and National Bank Limited and specialised banks ZTBL and PPCBL remained satisfactory during July-December 2009-10 in the sense that these banks improved the disbursement of Agriculture Credit, report added.

It said that Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) was the single largest provider of agricultural credit to the farming community as during July-December 2009-10, the bank disbursed Rs 30.42 billion, out of which Rs 22.01 billion was production loan and Rs 8.41 billion development loans, showing an increase of 9.7 percent over the disbursement during the same period of last year.

Punjab Provincial Co-operative Bank Ltd (PPCBL) disbursed Rs 2.28 billion (production loan Rs 2.14billion and development Rs 0.14 billion) during the period as compared to Rs 2.18 billion (production loan Rs 2.03billion and development loan Rs 0.15 billion), showing an increase of 4.6 percent over the disbursement during the same period of last year.

Total Agri loans disbursement by five major commercial banks during the period were Rs 55.39 billion out of which Rs 53.88 billion production loan and Rs 1.51 billion development loan, against the disbursement of Rs 48.64 billion in last year, it shows an increase of 13.9 percent over last year.

The report said that fourteen Domestic Private Banks (DPBs) disbursed Rs 18.16 billion during the period out of which Rs 17.38 billion production loans and Rs 0.78 billion development loans. Last year private banks disbursed Rs 20.89 billion as agriculture loans. It shows a decrease of 13 percent; depicting that the performance of DPBs remained below the mark.

During the period the banks recovered Rs 103.20 billion or 36.38 percent of recoverable amount of Rs 283.70 billion as compared to Rs 90.92 billion or 33.55 percent of the recoverable amount of Rs 270.97 billion during the same period of last year.

The five major Commercial Banks recovered Rs 56.69 billion or 50.79 percent of their recoverable amount of Rs 111.61 billion, ZTBL recovered Rs 24.74 billion or 21.30 percent of the recoverable amount of Rs 116.15 billion, DPBs recovered Rs 18.79 billion or 42.97 percent of their recoverable amount of Rs 43.73 billion and PPCBL recovered Rs 2.97 billion or 24.34 percent against Rs 12.20 billion of its recoverable amount.

The net credit expansion (disbursements minus recoveries) during the period was Rs 3.06 billion as compared to Rs 8.53 billion during the same period last year. This trend indicates that net credit to the farming community has decreased during the first six months of the current financial year 2009-10; which is mainly due to the liquidity crunch and such other socio-economic crisis.


Copyright Business Recorder, 2010

Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]

 

[ameer219]

187 centres set up to procure 7.5 million tons of wheat
ISLAMABAD (April 10 2010): The government has set procurement target of 7.5 million tons the financial year 2010-11 to fulfil the consumption of the commodity. Pakistan Agricultural Supply and Storage Corporation (Passco) has established 187 procurement centres in Punjab and Sindh provinces where as Food Department Balochistan would procure wheat in the province, an official in the Ministry of Food and Agriculture said.

Out of 187 centres 175 centres have been established in 17 different tehsils of Punjab while 12 centres have been set up in two tehsils of Sindh province, he said. Punjab has been given the target to procure about 4 million tons of wheat for the year 2010-11 whereas Sindh would procure about 1.5 million tons of the commodity.

He told APP here on Friday that Passco would procure about 1.6 million tons of wheat, while Balochistan province would purchase 0.3 million tons of the commodity. The Passco would procure 15,60,000 tons wheat from the Punjab and 40,000 tons from the Sindh province to build strategic reserves for future consumption in the country, he informed.

It may be recalled that during the year 2008-09, the government has procured over 9 million tons of wheat to fulfil the domestic demand of current financial year. Existing stocks of 4.4 million tons available at present to fulfil the domestic requirements for the year 2010-11. The government has decided to create fiscal and storage space to export up to 2 million tons wheat at the earliest. It also observed that the wheat production is good but less than the production of last year.


Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2010

Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]

 

[ameer219]

Fisheries department plans to start new development projects
ANWAR KHAN

KARACHI (April 10 2010): Sindh Fisheries Department plans to undertake several new development projects in different parts of the province to facilitate the fishermen and generate employment, officials said on Friday.

The new projects include setting up of a fish feed mill in Jamshoro, training and capacity building programmes for fishermen about marine and inland fisheries, establishment and promotion of shrimp, fin fish and tuna farming with public private partnership and construction of model fish harbour at Keti Bunder, Thatta.

According to officials, the department also plans to carryout a feasibility study for the development of a mini fish harbour at Mubarak Goth and Ibrahim Haideri. For generating employment, the department will establish aqua-culture and shrimp farming which the federal government would finance with Rs 2 billion, they added.

The project includes three demonstration shrimp farms on a plot of 10-hectare land, construction of modern fish market in Sukkur and Thatta, cage culture in Keenjhar Lake, Thatta, besides development of a shrimp farm on 300 hectare plot. The project would create job opportunities for the local fishermen, official said.

Sindh Fisheries Department has already started some other development projects under the annual development programme which include setting up of Carp Fish Hatchery in Sanghar at a cost of Rs 37.737 million, development of a Prawn Hatchery Disease Diagnostic Centre and Research Unit at a cost of Rs 62.774 million, introduction of Modern Technology for the welfare of fishermen of Keenjhar Lake at a cost of Rs 27.180 million, the officials said.

Furthermore, the government is also working on the provision of landing platform, chilling storage, and processing facilities at Zero Point Badin, Keenjhar Lake, Thatta, Manchar Lake Dadu and Jetty at Karachi Fish Harbour at a cost of Rs 334.836 million. Officials said that there was also a project, which is aimed at strengthening and improving fish and shrimp hatcheries in Sindh at a cost of Rs 784.013 million.

The other continued welfare projects include provision of Fishing Gears, Modification of Boats, provision of Ice Boxes and Plastic Crate to Fishermen in Sindh at a cost of Rs 352 million. Model village for fishermen at Dabia Para - Zero Point in Badin, Manchar Lake and Keenjhar Lake at a cost of Rs 481.825 million.

In addition, the department continues to enhance the capacity building of officers and officials of fisheries wing through training and postgraduate diploma and short courses at a cost of Rs 39.993 million. Besides, it has undertaken the rehabilitation and renovation of Karachi Fish Harbour at a cost of 290.271 million, officials added.


Copyright Business Recorder, 2010
Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]

---------- Post added at 09:45 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:44 AM ----------

Government assurance to arrange Rs 119 billion: wheat procurement target of Punjab raised to five million tons

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE (April 10 2010): Following the assurance given by the Federal government to help manage Rs 119 billion to the Punjab government, the wheat procurement target of Punjab for the year 2010 has been increased from four million tons to five million tons. This was stated by Punjab Food Minister Malik Nadeem Kamran while addressing a press conference here on Friday.

He was accompanied by Punjab Food Secretary, Muhammad Irfan Elahi. Kamran said the procurement drive would start from April 20 and all the arrangements including procurement of gunny bags, setting up of permanent and flag procurement centres and deployment of staff had been completed.

He said that the federal government had been asked to give clearance for the designated finances till April 12, so that the provincial government could go for the procurement with money in advance so as to buy the wheat in a satisfactory and transparent manner and serve and facilitate the growers.

Kamran said that the Punjab food department had around 2.9 million tons of wheat in surplus with it. This crop is worth Rs 97 billion. Out of this 2.5 million tons would be kept as federal reserves and its liability of Rs 60 billion would be shifted to the centre.

He said that the Prime Minister in a meeting with the Punjab Chief Minister and other high-ups had also ordered that Rs 12 billion which were over-heads for holding and storing this crop would also be paid to the provincial government in instalments. Out of this amount, Rs 3 billion had been released immediately and Rs 5 billion would be released within the current month and another Rs 4 billion would be released between the period of April-June 2010, he added.

Regarding distribution of gunny bags, he said that it would start from April 15. Fifty percent of the gunny bags would be distributed within first 15 days, further 30 percent in next 15 days and rest of the 20 percent during next 15 days would be provided to the growers.

He said that this year due to ban on export of jute from Bangladesh, all the gunny bags purchased were not made of Jute rather the department had also bought polypropylene bags. However, he said that over 50 percent of the purchased wheat would be kept in Jute bags and rest in the polypropylene bags. The Minister said that wheat procurement policy had been devised in such a manner that the middlemen and investors would not be allowed to enter into the process.

He said that the private sector could buy as much wheat as it wanted but it could not sell that wheat to the government so as to ensure avoid a crash in the wheat price. He said that the drive was aimed at facilitating the small farmers. Regarding godowns, he said Punjab government was already working on it and wanted to attract private sector to invest in this regard.

However, he said that the private sector had expressed its apprehension that what would be use of its constructed godowns in case there was no bumper crop in any year. He said that the government had given them assurance that it would take their godowns on rent for 10 years and the department would be asked to first store its procured crop in rented godowns and then use its own storage place.


Copyright Business Recorder, 2010
Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]

 

[ameer219]

Rate of Pakistani wheat highest in world

LAHORE - Pakistan Flourmills Association has suggested the government to export flour instead of wheat as rates of Pakistani wheat according to international market are highest.
Chairman Pakistan Flourmills Association Punjab Liaqat Ali Khan stated this in a press statement issued here on Friday. He commented that purchasing rates of wheat in the international markets are lower as compared to Pakistani wheat.
Wheat exporting countries are supplying wheat in the range of 160 US dollars to 200 dollars per ton in the international market. He said that as compared to the rates of other countries, rates of Pakistani wheat are about 302 dollars per ton to 350 dollars per ton including transportation expenditures according to international market. He said that decision to export wheat would cause huge loss.
He said that the flourmills could earn billions of rupees for the country particularly for the Punjab in case government agrees to give 50 to 60 dollars rebate to the flourmill industry against per ton of flour.


Rate of Pakistani wheat highest in world | Pakistan | News | Newspaper | Daily | English | Online

 

[ameer219]

Govt to sign MoU with Monsanto for Bt seeds today
Saturday, April 10, 2010
By Israr Khan

Govt to sign MoU with Monsanto for Bt seeds today

ISLAMABAD: Government and a leading American biotechnology company, Monsanto, will sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Saturday aimed at introducing insect-resistant Bt-cotton, corn and other advanced seed technologies in Pakistan that will help boost per acre yield.

Officials in the Ministry of Food and Agriculture on Friday told The News that latest Bt-cottonseeds such as Bollgard-II and Bollgard-II X Roundup Ready Flex (BG-II and BG-IIxRRF stack) would be introduced and the company would immediately start evaluating their exotic hybrids keeping in view the local problems of cotton crop, including cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV) and mealybug.

In case of introduction and development of licensed hybrid Bt-cotton, Monsanto would not claim any technology fee and royalty. The ministry would only facilitate and assist the company to develop hybrid Bt-cotton cultivation culture in the country through implementation and enforcement of necessary legislations and rules.

Under the agreement, for corn crop, YieldGard and Roundup Ready Corn 2 technologies and other technologies developed by Monsanto would be introduced under public-private partnership.

The MoU will be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Pakistan and reviewed annually. It may be amended or modified at any time by written agreement between the parties and terminated by either party at any time on 30-day notice.

Cotton contributes about 3.2 per cent of gross domestic product and helps the country earn about 60 per cent of its foreign exchange through export of textile products.

Pakistan is the world’s fourth-largest cotton producer, the third largest raw cotton exporter and a leading yarn exporter, but its yield per acre is at 13th position in the world. On an average, Pakistan is importing about 3-4 million bales of cotton annually as it is producing nearly 12 million bales. The country needs 16 million bales.

High input prices, high intensity of insect and pest attack, shortage of good-quality seeds, water shortage, lack of access to advanced technologies and awareness are causes of the low yield.

 

[Hyde]

i don't think we need a seperate thread for this purpose. You could have posted these news under economy section

Thanks for the news btw

 

[SekrutYakhni]

i don't think we need a seperate thread for this purpose. You could have posted these news under economy section

Thanks for the news btw

Zaki bhai aik documentary zaror dekhein!!!

It is called Food Inc!!

A must watch!


Mosanto is the shi****** company ever!
Allah Pakistan to bachay!

Zaki bhai please watch the documentary!!

 

[Hyde]

Zaki bhai aik documentary zaror dekhein!!!

It is called Food Inc!!

A must watch!


Mosanto is the shi****** company ever!
Allah Pakistan to bachay!

Zaki bhai please watch the documentary!!

Where is the link? you can PM me if you wish to....... this is off topic or you could have said that in sticky "Whatever" thread in members club.

Its off topic you can pm me the link

 

[ameer219]

Agriculture Support Fund panel approves Rs 22.5 million projects

Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]

RECORDER REPORT

LAHORE (April 11 2010): The appraisal panel of Agribusiness Support Fund (ASF) has approved grants projects worth Rs 22.5 million for different agribusiness sector small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The panel approved these grants in its 22nd meeting held recently here, according to a spokesman of the Fund on Saturday.

Grants for SMEs approved by ASF appraisal panel were for a variety of projects including support for conducting field surveys and feasibility studies for setting up fruit processing units and dairy farms, support for capacity building training in certified vegetable seed production and mushroom cultivation and support for HACCP certification for fruit processing units and support for establishment of pack houses for fruit and vegetable processing units.

To improve the condition of dairy and livestock sector, grants were approved for provision of extension services regarding breed and feed management and fattening in different areas of Punjab with special focus on preservation of local breeds known for their high milk yield. Agribusiness SMEs will also be supported in attaining international certifications including British Retail Consortium (BRC), ISO 22000 and Integrated Management System Certifications.

Grants were also approved for supporting enterprises engaged in the export businesses to get registered with the 'Export Coaching Program' (ECP) of the 'Centre for the promotion of Imports from Developing Countries' (CBI), Netherlands, which will help the Pakistani exporters to understand the international procedures to enter into the EU markets.

ASF was created under the auspices of the Rs 4.1 Billion ADDP (Agribusiness Development & Diversification Project of Minfa) with support from ADB. The aim of ASF is to develop the agribusiness sector in Pakistan and thereby supporting economic growth and employment generation. ASF has been tasked with promoting the private sector agribusiness enterprises by providing matching grants for purchase of 'Business Development Services' and also providing capacity building support to BDS providers.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2010

 

[ameer219]

Cotton production: Minfa signs MoU with US firm for technology transfer

ABDUL RASHEED AZAD

ISLAMABAD (April 11 2010): The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (Minfa) on Saturday singed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an American firm, Monsanto, for the transfer of technology to produce disease-resistant cottonseed. Secretary Minfa, Muhammad Zia-ur-Rehman and head of Marketing Monsanto, Rick Gaudet signed the MoU. Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture, Nazar Muhammad Gondal was the chief guest on the occasion.

Federal Minister for Textile Industry, Rana Farooq Saeed Khan and other officials also attended the MoU signing ceremony. While briefing journalists Gondal said that it would revolutionise the seed sector of the country and significantly enhance the production of cotton.

Technology transfer would bring positive changes in agriculture sector, especially it would improve cotton crop production, besides protecting the crop from various diseases, he said. Introducing modern agriculture technologies and facilitating the farmers was the top priority of the government, he said.

"The deal will increase our cotton production and meet our growing demand as Pakistan's 60 percent exports are dependent on cotton. Since the formulation of PPP led federal government we were trying to sign this agreement with Monsanto in a bid to increase and protect our cotton crop and its production," he maintained. The minister said that the entire process was transparent as seven top companies of the world were asked to bring Bt cotton technology in Pakistan but only Monsanto responded positively and was well equipped to meet requirements.

Monsanto plans to introduce Bollgard-II cotton technology, which is undoubtedly the most extensively researched cotton technology in the world. The rigorous scientific study demonstrates that the company's products were safe for the environment, human beings, animals and agriculture, he said. "We believe that the Bt cotton technology will help increasing yield per acre," Gaudet said.

For the past several years, Pakistan has been importing only 2 million cotton bales due to acute shortage of cotton production. Therefore, Pakistan needed to increase its cotton production in the near future. Biotechnology is one of the tools that could help increase the productivity. In more than 20 countries, millions of farmers were already reaping the benefits of Agri biotechnology, Gaudet said.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2010
Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]

 

[ameer219]

Cotton prices hit high mark at Rs 5,975 in tight supplies

RECORDER REPORT


KARACHI (April 11 2010): Rates hit the new high on the cotton market on Saturday as the ginners raised the asking prices due to falling unsold stock, dealers said. The Karachi Cotton Association (KCA) official spot rate was inert at Rs 5,625, dealers said. In the ready business about 2,500 bales of cotton changed hands between Rs 5700-5975. Phutti prices in both the Punjab and Sindh were at Rs 2100-2200, they added.

A few buyers were in the market as the ginners raised the asking prices due to falling supply, they said. Some mills showed interest in fresh buying but could not finalise the deal due to higher rates in tight supply position. Prices may hit the new high in the near future, they said. On Friday, the NY cotton futures finished at a fresh seven-week low on chart-based selling as the market shrugged off for the most part a government crop report, brokers said.

The key May cotton contract fell 0.53 cent to end at 78.07 cents per lb, trading from 78 to 79.42 cents. It was the lowest finish on the spot continuation charts since February 18, according to Thomson Reuters data. On the week, the contract declinned 3.43 cents or 4.2 percent Volume in the May contract hit 18,409 lots at 2:37 pm EDT (1837 GMT). July cotton shed 0.38 cent to finish at 79.50 cents and new-crop December fell 0.22 cent to close at 75.26 cents.

Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]

 

[ameer219]

Kharif season: cotton output target set at 14 million bales

ABDUL RASHEED AZAD

ISLAMABAD (April 13 2010): The federal government has set cotton production target for the ongoing Kharif season at 14 million bales against last year's output of 12.7 million bales, rice production target 6 million tons against last years target of 6.7 million tons and sugarcane production target at 53.7 million tons against last years production of 47 million tons.

These targets were set here on Monday during the 92nd meeting of the high powered "Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA)" with Nazar Muhammad Gondal, Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture in the chair. While briefing the media, Gondal said that locally developed insects resistant Bt cotton varieties are being introduced by public and private sector and in this regard Minfa has signed an MoU with an US based company (Monsanto) for introduction of hi-tech Bt cotton seeds.

He said that as many as nine new improved Bt cotton varieties are being released during Kharif season for cultivation. The minister said that maize production target for the ongoing year is set at 3.45 million tons against the last year's production of 3.2 million tons.

Moong and mash pulses production targets for the year is set at 160,000 and 15,000 tons against previous year's production of 126,000 and 13,000 tons, adding that chilies production target is 158,000 tons against last year's production of 105,000 tons. The minister said that despite water scarcity during the Rabi season, wheat's estimated production will remain around 23.90 million tons against last year's output of 24 million tons.

The meeting was also attended by Secretaries of provincial Agriculture Departments of Sindh and NWFP, Additional Chief Secretary, government of Balochistan along with representative of AJK and Fata. Giving the details of the FCA meeting, Gondal said that the committee reviewed the status of Rabi crops (wheat, gram, lentil, potato, onion and oilseeds) 2009-10, besides water availability, inputs status (fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, and agricultural credit) and meteorological conditions for Kharif crops (cotton, sugarcane, rice, maize, pulses, etc).

The minister said that estimated wheat production will be 23.87 million tons as compared to 24.03 million tons of the last year. He said that gram production is estimated at 571,000 tons as compared to last year's production of 740,000 tons, reflecting a decrease of 23 percent over the last year and due to drought.

He said that lentil production is estimated at 11,660 tons as compared to 14,400 tons of the last year's production reflecting a decrease of 19 percent. The minister said that potato production is estimated at 3.01 million tons as compared to 2.94 million tons of the last year, which shows an increase of 2.4 percent over last year, and onion estimated production is 1.52 million tons against last year's production of 1.7 million tons.

On a question, he said that Pakistan during Kharif season needs 67.11 million acre feet (MAF) of water, but as reported by Irsa anticipated availability will be 65.80 MAF, showing 2 percent water shortfall. Gondal said that total availability of urea fertiliser will be 3.22 million tons against estimated demand of 3.14 million tons out of which 2.7 million tons will be local production and rest to be imported.

He said that DAP availability will be 1.03 million tons against estimated demand of 0.94 million tons out of which 0.315 million tons will be local production 0.112 million tons carry forward stock while the remaining 0.600 million tons will be imported.

He said that the government will provide Rs 500 subsidy on each bag of Potash to promote the balanced use of fertiliser. He said that the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has allocated Rs 260 billion for the agriculture sector as credit for the ongoing year as compared to last year's allocation of Rs 250 billion.

The government will provide 10,000 tractors to the farmers in June under the Benazir Tractor Scheme giving a subsidy of Rs 2,00,000 on each tractor. Total cotton seed availability will be 28,000 tons, which is about 70 percent of the total seed requirement of 40,000 tons, and paddy seed availability will be 17,410 tons, which is about 45 percent of the total seed requirement of 38,920 tons, Gondal added.

Maize seed availability will be 12,400 tons, which is about 46 percent of the total seed requirement of 31,170 tons, he said. Total pesticides availability for coming cotton crop will be 17,166 metric tons, which is higher as actual consumption of 2009 13,330MT.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2010
Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]

 

[ameer219]

Rs 13.7 million subsidy being provided to off-season vegetable growers

RECORDER REPORT

FAISALABAD (April 13 2010): Subsidy of Rs 13.70 million is being provided to the successful farmers of draw under the tunnel technology promotion of Punjab government in agriculture sector for growing un-seasonal vegetable. This was stated by EDO Agri Farman Ali Khan at a function held in his office for distributing cheques for subsidy among farmers.

He said that under the given target, 120 low and high tunnels had been set up in different rural areas of the district and good results had been achieved in cultivation of off-season vegetables by farming under the technical guidance of Agri department.

He said that Punjab government was following various revolutionary policies introduced in agriculture for the welfare and betterment of small farmers, and the agriculture department was mobilising all its resources for providing facilities and technical guidance to the farmers at their doorsteps to apprise them about the advanced technology of cultivation of different crops.

He advised the farmers using tunnel technology for cultivation of unseasonal vegetables to promote this technology among their fellow farmers for prosperity and strengthening the agriculture sector. DO Agri Abdul Hameed gave details of tunnel technology promotion programme of Punjab government and said that applications were invited for intending farmers for providing 50 percent subsidy of total cost in setting up tunnels. He claimed that all process of this programme had been made transparent. Later, the EDO and DO Agri distributed subsidy cheques among the farmers.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2010
Business Recorder [Pakistan's First Financial Daily]