ANALYSIS: free-fall in cotton prices
Cotton prices in Pakistan plunged sharply during last
fortnight and lost anywhere from Rs 100 to Rs 200 per maund
(37.32 kgs) with tendency to concede further ground.
June 2004
What ails Punjab's agriculture
In the pre-independence India, the Punjab province served as
the food basket for the country. The Punjab province of each
country still performs the same function but Pakistan's
province is doing it inefficiently in comparison with the
other side.
June 2004
ANALYSIS: new crop arrival reports, weak world prices depress
cotton market
Harvesting of new cotton crop (2004-05 season) has reportedly
commenced in the early sown areas of lower Sindh while sowing
is still going on in some areas of upper Sindh and southern
Punjab.
June
2004
Food irradiation, Health risks, Misleading consumers, Misuse
of the technology
Food irradiation is being promoted by some international
bodies and industry groups as the answer to the growing
problem of food poisoning, and as a means to combat world
hunger by reducing spoilage and extending food shelf life.
June 2004
ANALYSIS: gargantuan growth in cotton economy
Massive investment is continuing in the textile industry,
which is moving ahead at galloping speed. According to various
reports, another 1.5 million to 2 million state-of-the-art
spindles are being installed during the current 12 months
which is unprecedented in the history of Pakistan.
June
2004
Farmers' package: all depends on implementation
First came the Economic Survey and then the Budget for the
year 2004-5. Policy declarations, speeches and statements of
the President of Pakistan , the
Governor of the State Bank and the federal finance minister
aimed at providing facilities to and enhancing productivity of
the agriculture sector preceded these documents.
June
2004
ANALYSIS: downturn in New York depresses domestic cotton
prices
Further free fall in New York cotton futures prices has
depressed domestic lint values so that little activity is
being reported in the market.
June
2004
ANALYSIS: further fall in cotton prices
Lint prices dipped at least another Rs 50 per maund (37.32kg)
this week following the general decrease in New York cotton
futures prices since last week and also because mills in
Pakistan have booked more imported cotton recently and are
thus adequately covered.
June
2004
ANALYSIS: cotton sellers prevail upon buyers for higher price
Cotton planting has almost been completed in Lower Sindh,
while it is in progress in Upper Sindh and Punjab. Previously,
there was no shortage of canal water, sowing in one area was
simultaneously, but now due to shortage of canal waters,
cotton growers get water on turn resulting delay in sowing.
June
2004
Climate change boom or bust for biodiversity?
Will climate change trigger mass extinctions or will new life
bloom in its wake?
Some of the scientific scenarios are apocalyptic and see a
warmer world leading to the most profound changes since the
demise of the dinosaurs.
June
2004
Whither is Wheat?
According to a report the government has finally decided to
import one million tonnes of wheat. Flip-flop on the part of
the government does not reflect well on the quality of
decision-making.
May
2004
ANALYSIS: rapid rise in cotton prices
Lint prices have risen by Rs 100 to Rs 200 per maund (37.32kg)
during the last week or 10 days denoting a firm price
sentiment prevailing in the market.
May
2004
Gwadar
people's grievances
Dispelling fears expressed by a section of Gwadar residents,
the Balochistan governor and chief minister have done well to
reassure the local people that the building of a new port in
Gwadar will create better job opportunities and other means of
income for them.
May
2004
Farm
sector's neglect adding to rural distress
Despite favourable farming conditions, Pakistan until
two-three years back was not producing sufficient wheat to
meet the domestic requirements. On an average, 2.5 million
tons of wheat was imported every year.
May
2004
Wheat crisis continues
The government's recent decision to import one million tonnes
of wheat confirms that the crop is short of expectation and
that the wheat cisis continues and is severe. Last one year
has been dominated by news of an impending wheat crisis.
May
2004
Improving water efficiency in Balochistan
Balochistan is constantly losing its potential and
productivity due to extreme arid climate and numerous
desertification processes by human and livestock. Over-grazing
and woodcutting are resulting in sheet and gully erosion in
the range lands.
May
2004
Fertilizer and the future
"There is still a lot of misunderstanding and confusion about
mineral fertilizers. The public needs objective, science-based
information from all partners involved in nutrient
management..."
May
2004
Screening of cotton varieties
Since 1947, distribution of seed was one of the functions of
the Agriculture Extension Department. On the recommendation of
the FAO, and with the financial and technical assistance from
the World Bank , the Pakistan Seed Industry Project was
initiated in 1975.
May
2004
The
Shifting Terms of Trade Between Grain and Oil
In 1970, a bushel of wheat could be traded for a barrel of oil
in the world market. It now takes nine bushels of wheat to buy
a barrel of oil. The two countries most affected by the
dramatically shifting terms of trade between grain and oil are
the United States and Saudi Arabia.
April
2004
Time for farm stakeholders to unite
This is the time of the year when the centre and the provinces
begin the annual ritual of consultations on the formation of
next year's budget and also annual plans.
April
2004
A deadly weed reservoir of predatory beetle
Generally considered as useless, the weed belongs to the
category of the most unwanted plants not only because it can
be harmful due to its poisonous substance but also due to the
reason that it is often found interferring with the
agricultural operations consequently reducing productivity and
inflating labour and agriculture cost.
April
2004
Govt wheat procurement favors black marketers
The crises of wheat availability for local consumption is
feared at the mid season as the black marketers and profiteers
clutches the whole procurement.
April
2004
American bollworm in mango orchards
The American Bollworm, one of the deadly threat to the cash
crop cotton has unexpectedly been found in a mango orchard
near tehsil Kabirwala which stunned the researchers when they
were conducting field survey following the conclusion of mango
growers' Farmer Field School at Gardezi Fruit Farmt.
April
2004
Impact of participatory irrigation
Despite the fact that "Participatory Irrigation Management"
(PIM) is a new concept for the people of Sindh. It has started
delivering concrete results in a short period of about one and
half year in the form of increase in the collection of Abiana
in the jurisdiction of at least one area water board.
April
2004
Chicken run!
A candid view at the plight of chickens and the role of man in
the equation. Bird flu, the deadly epidemic that has infected
millions of fowls (specially chickens) across Asia and is
inexorably on the rise.
April
2004
Cereal
stocks to decline again in 2003/04
But cereal production is forecast to increase in the coming
season.Global cereal stocks will fall sharply again by the end
of the 2003/2004 season, FAO said today.
April
2004
Mango
orchards at stake
A strong threat of lethal disease Quick Decline to the mango
orchards has established in South Punjab after elimination of
species of Shisham trees while thousands of mango trees were
observed last year showing black colored stink liquid at the
collar portion of the stem.
April
2004
Agriculture crucial to combat Afghan opium economy
FAO appeals for $60 million in support of farming sector -
projects in main poppy producing regions.The fight against
opium production in Afghanistan should be based on law
enforcement and the rehabilitation of agriculture, FAO said
today on the eve of an international donors' conference in
Berlin.
March
2004
Rural
women at work
Rural women in Pakistan play a significant role in
agriculture, with participation rate of about 43 per cent.
They are involved in a number of on farm activities- weeding,
hoeing, grass cutting, picking , cotton stick collections,
besides separation of seeds from fibre and in cotton ginning
factories.
March
2004
WTO - role of the provinces
Dr Ishrat Husain, Governor State Bank of Pakistan, has said
that if banks do not operate agriculture credit in accordance
with the instructions of the SBP, leasing companies would be
asked to come forward and take up the task.
March
2004
The wheat flour catastrophe
All the warnings of shortage in wheat, which is staple food of
all Pakistanis, were ignored and now the crisis has become a
catastrophe. It needs to be highlighted that the catastrophe
is not due to any natural calamity like drought or unexpected
pest attack or water shortage but it is entirely due to
horrible policy blunders.
March
2004
It's 'Chapati'
now
The preceding decade saw western seed companies prowling
around in the subcontinent, India in particular, to look for
an opportunity to grab intellectual property rights of Basmati
and Neem.
March
2004
Water vision:
2025
Presently the country is facing
serious water crisis due to the increasing population and the
declining water resources. Since the construction of the
Mangla Dam , the population has risen to 145 million and is
estimated to go up to 280 million by the year 2025.
March
2004
GM Technology
Scientific advances in cell and molecular
biology have culminated in the genetic engineering or
modification of crops. This latest technology allows the
routine development of genetically modified (GM) plants in
which DNA from any source can be transferred to specific
crops.
March
2004
The whole truth
about bird flu
It's an early morning in Karachi. As a poultry farmer gets up
and goes to his flock, he sees some of the birds gasping.
Their heads are swollen, legs thave turned reddish and water
is running from their eyes.
March
2004
2003-04
Avian Influenza Out break
An outbreak of avian influenza,
more commonly known as bird flu, is affecting bird populations
in countries throughout Asia. The outbreak is caused by the
H5N1 subtype of influenza A. Human cases also have been
reported.
March
2004
Improving Balochistan's agriculture
Balochistan is the largest
province with a land mass of 34.7 million hectares comprising
44 per cent of the country's 79.6 million hectares geographic
area. Although the largest province, its population is 5 per
cent of the total population and nearly 80 per cent of which
lives in rural areas.
March
2004
Dismal wheat production scenario