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April
2002
IRSA meeting
on May 7
ISLAMABAD (April 28 2002) : The
Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has summoned its meeting
on May 07 to finalise the controversial Thal Canal and Satpara
Dam projects. Detail
Cotton remains cheerless,
depressed
KARACHI: The cotton market remained cheerless and depressed
even on Saturday. With all attention focused on Supreme Court
verdict in Referendum case, the market lacked trading
interest.
Detail
Government soon to undertake big irrigation projects in
Sindh: President Musharraf
NAWABSHAH -President General Pervez Musharraf has said that
the government will soon undertake work on big irrigation
projects in Sindh, including construction of Reni Canal and
Sehwan Barrage.
Detail
3 incentive slabs for growers,
ginners: Taint-free cotton
KARACHI- Cotton growers and ginners will now be offered three
different incentive slabs on production and processing of
contamination-free cotton in coming season instead of two
given in the outgoing season.
Detail
WB for tax by districts on farm
incomes
KARACHI-The World Bank (WB) is prompting Pakistan to transfer
income tax on agriculture from the provinces to the districts
to raise revenues. Although agricultural income-tax has
finally been introduced, say the WB officials but they are
dissatisfied that "its yields remain small."
Detail
Agriculture marketing
wings to be run on scientific lines
LAHORE -In order to run marketing wing of agriculture on
scientific lines, emergent steps are being taken so that the
farmers could get better price of their produce.
Detail
Agriculture produce
marketing, storage infrastructure plan on anvil
ISLAMABAD - The government is preparing a short-term marketing
infrastructure plan to solve marketing and storage problems of
agriculture produce.
Detail
Trading Corporation of
Pakistan buys 1,100 more cotton bales
KARACHI -The Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) on Monday
purchased 1,100 bales thus totalling the season's procurement
about 0.4 million bales.
The TCP said that purchasing would continue both in Punjab and
Sindh, and it is purchasing cotton at Rs 1,988 per 40-kg or Rs
1,855 per maund for grade equal to PCSI Grade-III and 8.5
percent moisture along with 3.8 to 4.9 NCL micronaire.
Rahimyarkhan, Bahawalpur, Haroonabad, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan
and Sukkur entered into purchase contracts for 1,100 bales on
Monday.
The TCP, so far, purchased 398,964 bales, and its season's
target is one million bales. Both the ginners and the farmers
have been asking the government for quick buying of cotton up
to one million bales as the delay is depressing prices and
making them to suffer losses.
courtesy Daily
Business Recorder ,
24 April, 2002
Water crises
& management: Committee formed to streamline water resources
HYDERABAD -Provincial
Agriculture Minister Hassan Ali Chaniho has said that a
committee of experts has been constituted to prepare
comprehensive plans for streamlining the management of
existing water resources to offset the losses of agriculture
production causing negative impact on rural economy of the
province.
Detail
Drip; sprinkler irrigation
system to be introduced
ISLAMABAD - The government's agriculture strategy attaches
high priority to solution of water shortage and introducing
drip and sprinkler irrigation system in the country.
Detail
Kharif crops:
canal water rotation directed
LAHORE - Secretary Agriculture,
Punjab, Junaid Iqbal, and Secretary Irrigation, Punjab, Jawed
Majeed, have directed the field formations of their
departments to plan canal water rotation for its equitable
distribution during the coming Kharif season.
Detail
Pak
agro-based products may attract good business in Chinese
market
BEIJING - Pakistan agro-based
products including rice, wheat, vegetables, fruits, tobacco
and raw cotton may attract good business in the Chinese
market.
Detail
President to
be briefed on small loans to farmers
ISLAMABAD -President General Pervez Musharraf is scheduled to
take the briefing on "Small Loans to Farmers" on April 22 by
Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan, sources told
Business Recorder here on Saturday.
The interesting part is that this meeting was scheduled for
May 22 but in the wake of Referendum has been brought forward.
"The President wants to know that during the last two and a
half year of what amount the loans have been given to the
small farmers and if the announcement of doubling the amount
can be made before the referendum", added the sources.
A decision in this regard was taken on Saturday as the GHQ
asked the Finance Ministry to make the arrangements for the
meeting on Monday.
courtesy Daily
Business Recorder ,
23
April, 2002
Move to close
Sindh Seed Corporation resented
HYDERABAD -General Secretary,
Sindh Seed Corporation(SSC) Employees Union warned the
provincial government that the closer of Sindh Seed
Corporation, sole seed producing unit in private sector, would
not only render over 250 employees but also left the farmer
community on the mercy of multinational companies.
Detail
Water
resources to be improved to boost farm output
ISLAMABAD -A medium-term plan for
radically augmenting water resources is being undertaken for
sustainable development of agriculture sector in the country.Detail
President orders relief for small
farmers
ISLAMABAD-President Pervez Musharraf on Monday directed
Finance Ministry, Food and Agriculture Ministry and ADBP to
jointly draw a relief package for small farmers with focus on
drought-hit areas.Detail
Governor's
remarks irk Sindh farmers
HYDERABAD-Sindh Governor Mohammadmian Soomro's remarks during
a meeting with the journalists at Karachi that "the Sindh
government is bound to support construction of Greater Thal
Canal because it has been mentioned in the Water Accord of
1991 which has been signed by the then provincial government"
has sparked a sharp reaction amongst the farming community
here.
Detail
Wheat
procurement: State Bank asked to give credit at 12 percent to
private sector
ISLAMABAD - A meeting on Monday directed the State Bank of
Pakistan (SBP) to extend credit facility at 12 percent to the
private sector for wheat procurement, besides offering other
facilities granted to the public sector.
Detail
15pc GST
likely on import of farm items
ISLAMABAD- The government is likely to levy 15 per cent
general sales tax (GST) on agricultural produce on their
import from the financial year 2002-03. Well-placed sources
told Dawn on Monday that the decision to this effect is
expected to be announced in the budget of 2002-03.
Detail
Dull trading
on cotton market
KARACHI- Trading on the cotton market on Monday resumed on a
dull note as both sellers and buyers remained locked in a
battle of nerves to get an upper hand but it seems to be a
no-win situation.
Detail
Pakistan
Atomic Energy Commission launches wasteland rehabilitation
project
ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission has launched a
project to rehabilitate 25,000 acres saline wastelands of the
country with the participation of the farmers at a cost of Rs
176.82 million.
Detail
'Rawal Dam's
water contamination increasing'
ISLAMABAD-Water quality of Rawal Dam, the major water supply
source to Rawalpindi, is deteriorating with increasing
contents of human and poultry refuse, warns Environment
Protection Agency (EPA).
Detail
Wheat procurement
centre inspected
LAHORE–Punjab minister for finance and industries, Tariq
Hameed paid a surprise visit to wheat procurement centre at
Muridke to review the procurement arrangements there.
The minister was briefed by the staff of Punjab Food
Department about the procurement arrangements of wheat and was
informed that the distribution of gunny bags (bardana) has
been started and bardana is being provided to the growers at
the rate of Rs.50 per gunny bag.
The minister was also told about storage capacity of godowns.
He went round the godowns and expressed satisfaction over
cleanliness arrangements.
He directed the concerned officials to ensure wheat
procurement at Rs.300 per maund. The government would procure
whole wheat to be brought at the centre and farmers would be
given proper price of their production, assured the minister.
courtesy Daily The Nation ,
20
April, 2002
Wheat
procurement to start immediately
ISLAMABAD- The government has decided to launch wheat
procurement process immediately to boost market prices of the
wheat protecting interests of the farmers, Shafi Niaz, Advisor
to Chief Executive on Food and Agriculture said here on
Friday.
Detail
Musharraf
offers farmers incentives
MULTAN -President Gen Pervez Musharraf announced on Friday
lifting of the entire wheat stock with the growers at a
support price of Rs300 per 40kg as well as one-third subsidy
on power consumption by farm tubewells.
Detail
Wheat price
to be increased: Moin
DADU -The wheat price would be increased and all the wheat
stock lying with the growers would be purchased at the
government rate. This was said by the federal interior
minister, Moinuddin Haider, while speaking to Nazims , Naib
Nazims and councillors at the Zila council hall Dadu and
public gathering at Mehar town on Friday.
Detail
Provision of
land to people affected by dam ordered
ISLAMABAD-President Pervez Musharraf has instructed the
provincial governors to ensure immediate provision of land to
those affected by the construction of Tarbela Dam as per the
distribution done by the federal government.
Detail
Need to adopt
bio-safety guidelines in cotton stressed
ISLAMABAD-Pakistan is likely to be left out of international
cotton business in the coming years if it does not adopt
bio-safety guidelines without further delay to introduce
genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) for new and efficient
varieties.
Detail
More than 80
projects in biotechnology identified: Pak-China cooperation.
KARACHI-A four-member high-level Chinese delegation, led by
vice president, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Prof. Yang
Bailing, has selected 83 different projects in the field of
health, agriculture and industrial biotechnology in Pakistan
to enhance cooperation between the two countries, said
Chairman, National Commission on Biotechnology Dr. Anwar Nasim.
Detail
Water-sharing
under '94 formula slammed
HYDERABAD-A meeting of the Sindh Water Committee held here on
Thursday has condemned the continuation of Indus water
distribution according to the disputed 1994 ministerial
decision.
Detail
Sugar production surpasses
target
KARACHI- Indigenous sugar production would surpass the mark of
3.2 million tonnes this year that is slightly above the
requirement of the country, sugar experts predicted.
Detail
Deep-sea fishing to be allowed
soon: Shafi Niaz
ISLAMABAD- The deep-sea fishing operation will soon be
allowed, but at the same time heavy penalties as proposed by
the Chairman National Fishery Development Board, would be
enhanced so that vessels do not intrude into the areas beyond
35 nautical miles. Shafi Niaz, advisor to the Chief Executive
Pervez Musharraf.
Detail
Wheat procurement
target for Punjab may be raised
ISLAMABAD-The Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) in its
meeting here on Tuesday is likely to increase wheat
procurement target by 1.5 million tonnes for the coming crop,
it is reliably learnt.Detail
Punjab to get full water
share from 21st: secy irrigation
LAHORE-Punjab will start receiving its full water share from
April 21 under the Water Accord 1991. Punjab sacrificed some
portion of its water share for Sindh as a goodwill gesture to
help the growers there and now it will get back its share to
utilise it for cotton crop.
Detail
Punjab resumes full withdrawal of
37,000 cusecs
LAHORE-Punjab on Monday resumed
full withdrawal of 37,000 cusecs, as allowed by Irsa, from the
national pool - 15,000 cusecs from the Indus and 22,000 cusecs
from the Mangla command.
Detail
Thal canal to ruin Sindh: PML(N)
KHAIRPUR- Former governor Sindh and acting president, Sindh,
PML (N) Mamnoon Hussain said that since the Thal Canal project
would cause economic devastation to Sindh, therefore, the PML
(N) rejects it. Detail
'Punjab has open border wheat
procurement policy'
LAHORE-The Punjab Food department to ensure maximum return of
produce to farmers has announced an open border wheat
procurement policy, with Rs 18.75 billion earmarked for
payment to growers. The procurement is to start on April 15.
Detail
Government to procure 4
million tonnes of wheat this year
ISLAMABAD - The government has
decided to procure four million tonnes of wheat from farmers
this year Advisor to the Chief Executive on Agriculture Shafi
Niaz said on Friday.
Detail
Government to ensure wheat
purchase at support price
LAHORE - The Punjab Minister for
Agriculture, Khurshid Zaman Qureshi, has said that the
government would procure every grain of wheat from the growers
and would not let anybody to purchase the wheat at less then
the support price fixed by the government.
Detail
Lower cotton prices fail to attract
buyers
KARACHI- Trading on the
cotton market on Friday was relatively dull as spinners kept
to the sidelines most of time despite the fact that some of
the ginners lowered their asking prices.
Detail
Pakistan gears up to export
1,000,000 tonnes wheat every year: Junejo
ISLAMABAD-Khair Muhammad Junejo, Minister for Food and
Agriculture, said on Monday the government would help the
private sector planning to build food grain storage facilities
to enable the country to export one million tonnes of wheat
every year.
Detail
Water share revision tomorrow
ISLAMABAD- The Indus River System Authority (Irsa) will revise
on Wednesday (April 10) the provincial water share for kharif
in view of raising Mangla Dam storage level by 10 feet (from
1,202 to 1,212 feet), official sources told Dawn here on
Monday. Detail
Procurement will add to surplus
wheat stocks
ISLAMABAD - Procurement of entire wheat produce of current
Rabi at official price will only add to the surplus wheat
stocks, and ultimately end up in the destruction of a huge
portion of the commodity, food department officials said.
Detail
Farmers seek help of Musharraf: Low
wheat price
NAUSHAHRO FEROZE - Small wheat growers have appealed to
President Gen Pervez Musharraf and the Government of Sindh to
intervene in the wheat procurement.
Detail
Kenya to import fertilizer
ISLAMABAD- Kenya Tea Board (KTB) has agreed to import
fertilizer and packaging/ packing material to bring balance in
the trade of both the countries. This was stated by Federal
Minister for Commerce, Industries and Production Abdul Razak
Dawood in a meeting with the visiting delegation of Kenya Tea
Board. Detail
Dull session on cotton market
KARACHI- Cotton market
passed through another cheerless session on the week's opening
session as were conspicuous by their absence despite the fact
that ginners were willing sellers at the previous levels.Detail
Farmers oppose canal project
before ministers
MIRPURKHAS- Growers observed protest against the construction
of Thal canal in an open kutchery held by Sindh ministers for
irrigation, power and agriculture in village Mohammad Hashim
Bhurgari on Saturday.
Detail
Cotton subdued amid moderate
buying
KARACHI-The cotton market
remained subdued on Saturday, owing to the spinners'
reluctance to chase the rising prices'. The ginners too, got
jittery after the release of the PCGA report, which gave
credence to official crop estimate of 10.5 million bales. They
relented in the buyers' favour to ensure speedy clearance of
accumulated stocks.
Detail
World Bank assures assistance
for Sindh irrigation system
KARACHI -The World Bank has assured to provide financial
assistance for improving the irrigation system in Sindh so
that the growers could be enabled to increase their crop
production.
Detail
India takes baby steps to
genetically modified crops, Greens fume
BOMBAY - India's
path-breaking move to allow commercial production of
genetically modified (GM) cotton hybrids has raised prospects
for other transgenic crops even though it could be years
before most win approval, analysts say.
Detail
China hands out farm quotas to
private firms
SHANGHAI - China has
issued the bulk of private firms' low-duty farm import quotas,
including those for corn, wheat and edible oils, as part of
its commitments to the WTO, traders said on Friday.
Detail
Marketing, storage mechanism
to be improved
ISLAMABAD -The Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Live
Stock, Khair Muhammad Junejo, has said a practical and
short-term marketing infrastructure plan is being prepared to
solve marketing and storage problems of the agricultural
production.
Detail
Punjab Provincial Co-operative
Bank allocates credit amount for Kharif
LAHORE -The Punjab
Provincial Co-operative Bank Limited (PPCBL) has allocated
credit amount for all the eight zones of the province for
Kharif crop 2002.
According to the information released by the bank, Rs 444
million will be disbursed among the co-operative societies in
Lahore zone, Rs 249m in Gujranwala zone, Rs 50m in Rawalpindi
zone, Rs 176m in Sargodha zone, Rs 371m in Faisalabad zone, Rs
369m in Bahawalpur zone, Rs 590m in Multan zone, while Rs 166m
will be disbursed in DG Khan zone.
The loan disbursement will continue till June 30, 2002. The
bank will disburse a total of Rs 3 billion among small farmers
through co-operative societies for the Kharif crop 2002
courtesy Daily Business
recorder , 6
April, 2002
Experts fear further cut in Punjab
water share
LAHORE- President
Musharraf's recent directives relating to irrigation water has
alarmed Punjab farmers, and agricultural experts fear further
cut in the already curtailed share.
Detail
Cotton policy for Balochistan
announced
QUETTA -Commerce Minister Abdul
Razak Dawood and Agriculture Minister Khair Mohammad Junejo on
Friday announced Cotton Policy for Balochistan and assured
growers continuity of incentives.
Detail
Pakistan may get share in
Philippine rice tender
KARACHI- Pakistan is
likely to get a sizable share in the Philippines rice tender
for 390,000 tons. This was stated by Trading Corporation of
Pakistan chairman Syed Masood Alam Rizvi while talking to APP
on telephone from Manila on Friday.
Detail
Dull trading on cotton market
KARACHI- Quieter
conditions prevailed on cotton market on Friday as spinners
kept to sidelines most of the session and did not make fresh
commitments. Detail
Iraq keen to import food grains
KARACHI - Iraq is keen to upgrade trade relations and make
Pakistan one of the main supplier of food grains as well as
equipment needed to rehabilitate its economy.
Detail
Huge quantity of wheat destroyed
owing to poor safety measures
KARACHI-Poor safety arrangements at government god owns
destroyed wheat worth millions of rupees and the authorities
feared that more wheat would be destroyed if proper
arrangements were not taken.
Detail
Syria keen to buy fertiliser, wheat,
rice
ISLAMABAD-Pakistan and Syria on Thursday agreed to further
enhance and strengthen the existing trade cooperation between
the two countries with the latter showing interest in
Pakistani products like fertilisers, wheat, rice and sugar.
"Syria needs fertilisers, wheat, rice and sugar from Pakistan
and we are looking what we can supply from these products,"
Commerce Minister Abdul Razak Dawood told APP after the
signing of a Protocol Agreement between the two countries at
the conclusion of the fourth session of Pakistan-Syria Joint
Ministerial Commission (JMC) here.
Detail
PCSIR to help industries raise
export
KARACHI-The Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial
Research (PCSIR) will provide necessary assistance and
technical facilities to the industrial sector to enhance
productivity and export. The project is one of various
programmes of the National Commission on Science and
Technology (NCST) for speeding up economic growth through the
application of science and technology.
Detail
Hike in onion, tomato prices
short-lived
ISLAMABAD: The present hike in the prices of onion and tomato
is short-lived, the situation is expected to improve with
harvest from Sindh and Punjab provinces in coming few weeks.
According to official sources the onion crop is under stress
because of low supplies from Sindh but the country will be
soon having sufficient stocks for exports because Pakistan is
net exporter of onion.
Detail
Prices ease on higher Phutti
arrivals
KARACHI-Cotton prices on Thursday
eased slightly from the previous levels amid fears that higher
arrivals of phutti into the ginneries could work against the
underlying sentiment in the coming sessions.
Detail
Phutti
arrival increases
KARACHI- Phutti arrival from fields into ginneries made a
maiden increase of 0.31 per cent for the current season as
indicated by figures up to March 31, 2002, released by the
Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA), here on Thursday.
Detail
Kenya Tea Board team due today
KARACHI- A delegation of the Kenya Tea Board (KTB) is
scheduled to arrive today (Thursday), which will hold a
meeting with the Pakistan Tea Association (PTA).
Detail
WB mission, PARC discuss agri
scenario
ISLAMABAD: A five-member World Bank mission held discussions
with chairman Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) Dr
Badruddin Soomro and his team of executive members, on the
current agriculture scenario and future government policies on
the restructuring of entire farm sector research system of the
country.Detail
Prices rise on cotton market
KARACHI- Cotton prices
on Wednesday rose modestly in sympathy with international
markets amid fresh buying offers from the spinners and the
mills followed by report of pressure on the supply of quality
lots. Detail
Iraq to
buy sugar, fertilizer plants
ISLAMABAD- Iraq has agreed to purchase sugar and fertilizer
plants from Pakistan and set up its own flour mills in Karachi
for import of finished products instead of wheat.
Detail
Govt cannot
purchase unsold rice stock
KARACHI- Sindh Governor
Mohammedmian Soomro said on Tuesday the government could not
purchase unsold rice stock lying with growers and millers as
it carried huge financial implications.
Detail
Brisk trading on
cotton market
KARACHI- Firm trend was witnessed on the cotton market on
Tuesday as spinners made an extensive covering purchases amid
a briskly traded session. About 12,000 bales including some
big lots changed hands.
Detail
Farm bank in private sector suggested
KARACHI - The Governor of Sindh Mohammedmian Soomro on Tuesday
suggested that an agriculture bank in private sector be
established to supplement government efforts for increasing
farm production of all major cash crops.
Detail
Sindh govt to purchase less wheat under new procurement policy
KARACHI-The Sindh government has
changed its procurement policy and decided to reduce the
purchase of wheat from 0.7 million to 0.3 million tonnes in
current season with the rate of Rs 300 per 40kg. Sources
disclosing this to The News said that the Sindh Food
Department also decided to close its 250 procurement centers
in the province.
Detail
Punjab to experience 22pc
water shortage
LAHORE-The Punjab will
suffer an overall 22 per cent water shortage during the
six-month Kharif season, with water scarcity touching a
whopping 44 per cent during the first three (cotton-sowing)
months - April, May and up to June 10.
Detail
Cotton market lacks lustre
KARACHI- Trading on the
cotton market on Monday resumed on an insipid note as spinners
were not inclined to make bigger commitments apparently in a
bid to maintain a status quo in regard to selling prices.
Detail
Rice export falls by 20pc during 9 months
KARACHI-The country's
rice export has declined by 20 per cent or $67.1 million to
about $266.68 million during the first nine months of the
current fiscal year. According to statistics, Pakistan's rice
export was estimated at $333.68 million during July-March
2000-2001.
Detail
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