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Hybrid rice technology to improve yield, says Junejo
LAHORE: Introduction of hybrid rice technology in Pakistan
would go a long way in improving the per acre yield of the
crop and reduce cost of production on this crop.
This was stated by the Federal Minister for Food and
Agriculture, Khair Mhammad Junejo while speaking on completion
of the acquisition of the hybrid rice technology transferred
by China here at Gaurd Rice Mills.
Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan, Lu Shulin, Chairman, Guard
Group of companies, Muhammad Shafi Malik, Managing Director,
Guard Group, Iftikhar Ali Malik, Chief Executive, Guard Rice,
Shahzad Ali Malik and a progressive grower Rao Ikram Ali Khan
also spoke on the occasion. A good number of rice growers also
attended the function.
He thanked the Chinese government for the assistance. He also
complimented the private company, Guard Rice for carrying out
intensive research in agriculture sector.
He said rice was one of the important produce of the country.
He said Pakistan exports 50 per cent of its 5 million tonnes
rice it produced every year. He said competitiveness of the
Pakistani rice was eroding after the development of high
yielding hybrid varieties from other countries. He said
introduction of hybrid varieties in Pakistan would make
Pakistani rice more competitive.
He advised the farmers not to cultivate those varieties of
rice, which had no market in foreign countries. He said with
the new parachute transplant technology the rice plant
population could be increased to 120,000 plants per acre.
This, he added would increase the per acre yield of the crop.
He said government would ensure widespread distribution of
credit to the agriculture sector. He said government would try
to import smaller harvesters from China and Japan to
facilitate harvesting in wet fields.
Khair Muhammad Junejo said that Rice Exporters Association of
Pakistan present concrete suggestions and recommendations for
the solution of the problems being faced by the rice growers.
He also promised to arrange their meeting with Federal Finance
Minister Shaukat Aziz for the resolution of tax-related
problems of rice sector. He also promised to take up the issue
of providing 10-acre agri land in northern areas for boosting
rice production. He further assured that the government would
take up the issue of import of medium size combined harvesters
from Japan.
The federal minister said that the total rice production of
Pakistan is five million tonnes out of which 2.5 million
tonnes are usually exported. The slowdown in the international
market has also reduced the rice prices and demand for rice,
resulting in the severe problems for the rice exporters. He
was of the view that the best way for resolving the problems
of rice sector is to formulate integrated policies by a joint
committee comprised of government functionaries and
representatives of the private sector. He lauded the efforts
and research carried out by the Guard Rice and Chinese experts
in connection with Hybrid Rice and Parachute Technology.
Junejo lauded the interest shown by the private institutions
in the rice production. He was of the view that the private
institutions like guard group's agricultural research and
services wing would succeed in achieving some important goals
set by the present government including economic development,
provision of job opportunities and boosting the agriculture
production.
Addressing on this occasion, Chinese Ambassador, Lu Shulin
appreciated the efforts of Guard Rice for taking the local
farmers with it for the development of rice crop. He stressed
upon the farmers to take benefit of parachute transplant
technology by sowing hybrid rice on their land.
"In the past, China was facing food shortage problem, but now
situation is different, as China has succeeded in increasing
its food grain by adopting hybrid technology. Only 7 percent
rice cultivated land of the world is in China from which food
requirements are being catered for the Chinese people," he
stated.
China is ready to share its agriculture research with
Pakistan, besides extending all out co-operation to the
Pakistan government and guard agricultural research and
services in this regard, he assured.
Chief Executive Guard Rice Shahzad Malik in his speech said
that agricultural sector always played an important role in
strengthening Pakistan's economy. He said that utility and
importance of research and new technology could not be denied
in agriculture sector when it has become imperative in all
other sectors. He said that guard rice since its inception
started co-ordinated and comprehensive efforts to resolve the
problems faced by the rice sector of Pakistan. He claimed that
it introduced super basmati rice in 1990, which is now sown on
almost 65 percent area in Punjab.
Pakistan has to import the seed and plastic sheets for
parachute transplanting every year and government is charging
hybrid rice customs duty 10 percent, sales tax 15 percent and
income tax 6 percent, whereas on plastic sheets customs duty
30 percent, sales tax 15 percent and income tax 6 percent are
being charged. He said that guard rice made an agreement with
'Won Long Pin Hi-tech Agricultural Company Limited' in October
1999 to introduce hybrid rice in Pakistan.
November 2, 2001
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