ISLAMABAD (February 06 2010): The present
government has always striven for making
agriculture competitive and profitable
through enhanced crop production on
sustainable basis both at farm and country
level.
A senior officials of the Ministry of Food
and Agriculture highlighting major
initiatives and achievements during current
financial year (2009-10) told APP that the
present government decided to review
National agricultural policy for uplift of
agriculture sector through agricultural
modernisation, organisation restructuring,
structural transformation, value addition
and quality enhancement in order to meet the
demands of modern world.
He said that the first draft of National
Agricultural Development Policy Framework
2010-15" was prepared and submitted to
attached departments for improvement at
their end. He said that a strategy for
effective implementation of this policy will
be worked out.
"Strategy for ensuring regular supply and
rational support price policy of major and
minor crops was approved by the ECC of the
Cabinet and being implemented accordingly",
he remarked. Regarding ensuring fair returns
to Wheat, Rice, Cotton and Sugarcane
growers, the government realised that the
poor interest of farmers in the agriculture
sector is due to lack of adequate incentives
in agriculture.
The government arrived at the policy to
ensure, safeguard and guarantee the economic
benefits of the farmers of the country
successfully accomplishing the strategic
role of food production for the entire
nation, he added. The government, he said
made a record increase in the support price
of wheat ie Rs 950/40 kg for year 2008-09
that reflected farmers friendly policy of
the government.
"Timely announcement of this attractive
Support Price was the most important step of
present government that encouraged the
farmers to grow more wheat", he remarked. To
maintain the momentum of growth in wheat
production, the government retained the
support price of Rs 950/40 kg for the
current year in spite of the declining trend
international price of wheat, he said.
The official said that the government also
adopted farmers' friendly policy and
attained food security. "The attractive
support price resulted in record production
of about 24 millions tons of wheat during
2008-09 and the government was succeeded in
record procurement of 9 million tons of
wheat", he remarked. Similarly, he said that
the government has also announced the
intervention prices for both types of rice
ie, IRRI type (Rs 700/40 kg) and for Super
Basmati (Rs 1250/40 kg).
This, he said resulted in record production
of 6.9 million tons of rice. The PASSCO, he
said was instructed to establish their
procurement centre in the Kalar belt of
Basmati Rice and for IRRI other parts of the
country. "This save the farmers from the
expected loss due to decline in market
price", he added.
For the cotton crops, he said that the
government prepared the draft policy for
incentive price but pended the decision in
view of revenue rated prices the open market
in the larger interest of farming community.
Similarly, he said that the policy analysis
for sugarcane another minor crop were
conveyed to the provincial governments for
announcing their indicative prices wherever
they deem fit.
Regarding Benazir Tractor Scheme for
promoting Farm mechanisation, the official
said that in order to improve various
farming practices, Benazir Tractor Scheme
was formulated to provide subsidised
tractors and agricultural machinery to the
farmers. He said that 10,000 tractors were
distributed to farmers with a subsidy of Rs
200,000/tractor". About the availability of
Quality seeds, he said that seed is a most
important primary input in crop production
system.
"Availability of pure quality certified
seeds of high yielding varieties of various
crops were ensured during the last few
seasons to serve the basis for maximised
production. About 35,000 mt certified seed
of cotton while 15,000 mt seed of rice was
available for planting during the season",
he remarked.
The senior official said that there were
good seed quality reports throughout the
crop belts. He observed that the
distribution of good quality seeds resulted
in better crop stand establishment thus
significantly raising the yield bars in
various crops like wheat, rice, maize, gram,
mung, pearl millet etc. "A special project
was started to promote local production of
vegetables seeds", he said. The Government,
he said also facilitated the access of
growers to elite international germplasm of
various crops.
"During the year 2008-09, 22 high yielding
and stress tolerant hybrid rice varieties
were screened and their import was allowed
by the government to maximise rice
production in the country to import after
adaptability testing with the objective to
ensure food security and produce exportable
surplus for international marke", he
remarked.
"Their import was facilitated by exemption
of 10% custom duty on their import", he
added. This, he said played a key role to
elevate the production levels of rice this
year. "About 1500 MT hybrid seed of 5 exotic
rice hybrids was imported from China and
Philippine.
He added that a scientific system of
evaluation of exotic hybrid rice varieties
has been developed and strictly implemented
by the federal government to ensure the
import of most promising hybrids in the
country and restrict the import of huge
number of varieties. "Import of hybrid rice
from India was also allowed", he remarked.
He said that import of most productive
varieties of hybrid maize, sunflower,
canola, fodder sorghum and vegetables was
also facilitated. Regarding the Access to
Crop Biotechnology through Genetically
Modified Varieties of Cotton, he said that
present government adopted a policy that
Biotechnology would provide powerful tools
for sustainable development of agriculture
in Pakistan.
"It will ensure food security and poverty
alleviation at rural level. Biotechnology
can play a significant role in meeting the
needs of an increasing and expanding rural
as well as urban population in the new
millennium", he remarked. He said thus the
government planned to introduce hi-tech
seeds (hybrid and Bt cotton seeds) in the
country with the collaboration of
multinational seed companies like Monsanto
etc. "Testing of Bt cotton varieties is in
process", he remarked.
He said that the Transfer of this technology
in the country was also ensured through
signing an LOI and developing an MOU with
Monsanto. Regarding Funding for Agricultural
Development Projects, he said that the
government has allocated an amount of Rs 18
billion for 51 projects (36 on-going and 15
new projects) for agricultural development
through Public Sector Development Projects (PSDP)
during the year 2009-10.
Copyright Associated Press of Pakistan, 2010
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