ISSUES

Corporate farming

THE Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture, Khair Muhammad Junejo, has recounted the advantages that would accrue, if an agricultural country like Pakistan were to adopt corporate farming, and has disclosed that the government has decided to go ahead with the scheme.Detail

The Quaid on corporate farming

Prof Rafiullah Shehab
THE Punjab Government, according to a news item, has reserved 100,000 acres of land for corporate farming. This type of framing is the developed form of feudalism. The Quaid-i-Azam had, even before the establishment of Pakistan, declared to eliminate this evil from the society. But it is strange that Pakistani rulers, in spite of their claims of following the ideas of the Quaid, not only supported it but also provided legal cover to it in one form or the other. Detail

Major cotton marketing crisis may hit Sindh

HYDERABAD: As a 1999-like major cotton crisis is feared to hit the province of Sindh this year, the provincial government is likely to ask Centre to stop cotton import forthwith so that local cotton growers may get suitable prices for their produce. According to sources, the Sindh government is also considering to ask the Centre to make requisite arrangements for cotton procurement from the growers. Detail

Iran refuses to buy rice, defers wheat import

ISLAMABAD-Federal Minister of Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood Wednesday said that Iran had deferred importing wheat from Pakistan terming it diseased, and had also refused to buy rice. Detail

Pakistan may join proposed rice export countries body

LAHORE-Pakistan, one of leading rice exporters of the world, has expressed interest in joining proposed "Organisation of Rice Exporting Countries (OREC), during the annual meeting of foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Detail

Mangla Dam filling:
Punjab Water Council shows concern over IRSA's decision.

Unanimously disagreeing with the decision of Indus River System Authority (IRSA), farmers belonging to various districts of Punjab have expressed their grave concern over IRSA's decision of not to fill the Mangla Dam.

In an emergency meeting of the Punjab Water Council, the farmers demanded that federal government should take back the decision asserting that it is very important to fill Mangla Dam now and any fault would not only cause a great loss to rabi cultivation but would also have negative effects on kharif maturing.

The said that the areas of Punjab irrigated by Mangla cannot be fed by Tarbela and in case of water shortage not only agriculture production but the national economy will suffer an irreparable loss. 

They said that additional representations given to Sindh in IRSA should also be taken back so that the credibility of IRSA's decision making is restored.

"The Punjab's water gifted to Sindh should move more effectively to defend the genuine rights of the farmers of the province" they demanded. The farmers feared that as cotton growing areas have no irrigation water till date and the negative effects will be detrimental not only to Punjab but also to the entire nation.

Among others, Ch Hamid Malhi, Ghulam Muhammad Tiwana, Rasheed Beig, Ibad-ur-Rehman, M Amin Chatha, Omer Sarfraz Cheema, Naeem Ullah Malik, Ahmad Hayat Kalyar and Rabia Sultan attended the meeting.

Experts reject Sindh proposal on dams.

Despite drought conditions, there will be no shortage of wheat in the province as well as in the country.

This was informed in the meeting of Punjab Cabinet which met here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Governor Punjab, Lt Gen (Retd), Muhammad Safdar. 

According to the wheat survey, it was briefed in the meeting that 10-12 per cent shortfall in the wheat production target is expected mainly due to water shortage. However, there would be no shortage of wheat in the country as sufficient wheat was available in stock. It was also informed that the crop was adversely affected in barani areas of the province.

The cabinet was also informed that the Provincial Food  Department will procure 15 lac matric tons of wheat from farmers during the procurement drive from April 15 to June 15 next. At present the total wheat stocks alongwith carry forward from the last year crop comes to 30 lac matric tons with the Food Department. Movement of wheat, purchased from Punjab, to other provinces will be allowed while there will also be no restriction on inter-district movement of wheat within the province. The other provinces have been asked to complete the transportation of balance quantity of the 25 lac matric ton of wheat allocated for them from the Punjab by April 30 next.

The Food Department has already paid back Rs 41 billion out of a loan of Rs 55 billion to various commercial banks obtained for purchase of wheat last year. The State Bank has also approved a loan worth Rs 14 billion for purchase of wheat from growers during the forthcoming procurement operation, for which 197 permanent purchase centers and 130 flag centers have been set up in the province.