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July
2002
PARC offers free modern techniques to fish farmers
Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (Parc) has offered free technical assistance to the fish growers to increase their per acre yield across the country.
Balochistan offers fisheries related units to private sector
The Balochistan government has offered to the private sector facilitate for running fisheries-oriented business at Gwadar on lease basis.
Government to launch Rs 35 million sugarbeet project
The government has decided to launch a pilot project costing Rs 35 million for enhancing the production of sugarbeet in different areas of the country.
Sugar mill allowed extraordinary duty relief
The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has given extraordinary tax concession in the form of deferment of duty and demurrage to a sugar mill for the release of its machinery and equipment lying uncleared at a dry port since 1996.
Sales tax refund facility on rice packing material revived
The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) has revived the facility of refund of sales tax on packing material used for rice exports by the registered exporters.
ECO told to boost farm trade share in world market
President General Pervez Musharraf here on Thursday called upon the ECO member states to develop programmes to increase region's agriculture trade share in the world market.
Federal Minister lays foundation stone of grain testing lab at
K.U.
Pakistan a net importer of wheat for decades- has started exporting wheat and is progressively making its way into the international market.
Farmers
demand share of water
The farmers of the Dilshad Shakh have demanded their due share of water and declaration of schedule of the rotation programme by the irrigation department.
Shortage of irrigation water badly hits Sindh agriculture
The shortage of irrigation water had worst affected the agriculture in Sindh and big province Punjab was not giving the complete share of water to Sindh province. This was observed by the President Awami Tehrik, Rasool Bukhsh Palejo while addressing agriculture and water conference in Wahi Pandhi town of taluka Johi.
ADBP
provide Rs 35 billion loans in 2002-03
Agriculture Development Bank of Pakistan (ADBP) disbursed Rs 29 billion among the agriculturists and recovered Rs 33.5 billion during last year. A credit allocation of Rs 35 billion for the year 2002-03 has been made for the sectoral growth and uplift of agriculture by the government.
Government policy has helped raise mango exports
The Punjab Government policies in favour of growers have encouraged the mango export and boost up the graph following provision of opportunities to exporters for direct purchase of mango from growers.
Poultry exports may
fetch Rs 150 billion
The indigenous poultry industry is likely to fetch Rs 150
billion through export of broilers and hatching eggs during
the next two years.
CGIAR to give
outstanding journalism award
The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research
Announces:
The CGIAR Science Award for Outstanding Journalism 2002 To be
awarded to a journalist whose work has most effectively and
accurately communicated international agricultural science
issues to the general public.
Karachi City
Council slams fishing policy
Karachi City Council
criticised the official fishing policies,specially allowing
international companies to operate their trawlers in
Pakistaniwaters.
Islamabad Declaration:
ECO to formulate agriculture co-operation strategy
The Economic Co-operation Organisation (ECO) agriculture
ministers have agreed to formulate an ECO strategy for
agricultural co-operation and exchange of information through
website.
Musharraf urges ECO
to increase share in world agriculture-trade
The President General Pervez Musharraf on Thursday called upon
the member states of the Economic Co-operation Organisation
(ECO) to develop programmes for increasing the region's
agriculture trade share in the world market.
Economic Co-operation
Organisation Member States and Agriculture
Economic Co-operation Organisation (ECO) emerged in 1985 as a
transformation of Regional Co-operation for Development (RCD)
a regional body established in 1964 through a collective
initiative of Iran, Pakistan and Turkey.
Plant Disease Healthy Clinic starts operations
It is a matter of proud and pleasure that Plant Disease
Healthy Clinic has been started on direction worthy Vice
Chancellor, at Kisan Convention Hall for the benefit of
farmers under the supervision of Dean, Faculty of Agriculture.
Livestock sector
striving to explore European markets: minister
The livestock sector is
striving to explore European markets with a view to enhancing
the exports, said Khair Mohammad Junejo, Federal Minister for
Food, Agriculture and Livestock.
Research
work to promote poultry production
Research work in different disciplines of poultry production,
keeping in view the needs of poultry sector, is being carried
to resolve its problems.
Punjab Governor
directs resolution of farmers' problems
Punjab Governor Lieutenant-General Khalid Maqbool (Retd) has
asked the authorities concerned to make all efforts to resolve
genuine problems confronting to the farmers cultivating
government's lands.
3 water projects'
ground-breaking next month
Chairman Wapda,
Lieutenant General Zulfiqar Ali Khan (Retd) has said that the
ground-breaking ceremonies of three important water projects
to be completed on fast track under National Water Resource
and Hydel Power Development Programme Vision-2025 will be
performed during the month of August 2002.
Sindh declares
several areas as calamity-hit
The Additional Relief
Commissioner Sindh has announced here on Friday that the
government of Sindh has declared following areas as calamity
affected due to drought and shortage of irrigation water.
Abadgars concerned
over innumerable taxes
The President Sindh Abadgar Board, Abdul Majeed Nizamani has
expressed grave concern over the levy of innumerable and
unreasonable taxes on the agriculture sector .
New cotton season to set
high domestic, global consumption records
The cotton crop development is reportedly progressing
smoothly. The weather is quite conducive to the growth of
plants. The water supply through canals is quite satisfactory.
Call for
preparing schemes to help agriculture research
The Sindh Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries,
Aftab Ahmed Qureshi, has directed the Agriculture Research
Wing to formulate schemes for development of varieties and
crop technologies suitable to the changing climatic
conditions, the different levels of soils and the water
availability.
Low cholesterol egg
An egg with low cholesterol content suitable for people with
high blood pressure, and those on diet-control could be a
doorstep commodity with proper marketing effort.
Ghee, oil supply to
unregistered units: new Revenue Board instructions
The Central Board of Revenue (CBR) on Thursday issued new
instructions to all the collectors of sales tax for
interpreting the new status of Section 73 of the Sales Tax
Act, 1990 on the local supplies of vegetable ghee and cooking
oil to the unregistered units.
Premium
formula for contamination-free cotton revised
The Federal government
has changed premium formula for contamination-free cotton for
2002-03.
Pakistan to host
Economic Co-operation Organisation moot from July 23
First Ministerial Meeting of the Economic Co-operation Organisation's
(ECO) agriculture ministers will commence from July 23 in
Islamabad.
Package for corporate farming
sector soon
The government has
decided in principle to extend labour laws to the corporate
farming sector to make this concept a success in Pakistan.
Abiana, agri tax remitted in
calamity-hit areas
Punjab Relief Department has remitted Rs 303.18 million as
Abiana (Water Rate) and Rs 204.75 million as Agricultural
Income Tax amongst calamity stricken areas of Punjab from
January to May 31, 2002.
Seven agri tech institutes approved
LAHORE (July 19
2002) : Governor of Punjab, Lieutenant General (Retd) Khalid
Maqbool chairing a high level meeting here on Thursday has
approved establishment of seven agricultural technology
institutes in the province.
The institutes will be established at Sargodha, Bhakkar,
Sahiwal, Vehari, Rahimyarkhan, Chakwal and Rawalpindi. These
institutions will provide training to scores of para agri
staff that will serve as front workers in agriculture fields
of the province.
1.3m bales gap in output, demand feared
The Federal Textile Board on Thursday feared a wide
gap of around 1.3 million bales between production and
consumption of raw cotton during next cotton season 2002-2003.
National Fertiliser Corporation to
export 70,000 tonnes Kissan urea
The National Fertiliser
Corporation (NFC) will export 70,000 tonnes of Kissan urea
fertiliser as the orders have been placed with the NFC which
are double compared to private sector's export order while the
prices are better.
Engro Chemicals' Term Finance
Certificates oversubscribed
Engro Chemical Pakistan Limited (ECPL) on Thursday announced
that its public offer of Term Finance Certificates (TFC) of Rs
200 million has been four-and-a-half times oversubscribed.
'Fauji Fertiliser Company saves over
$3 billion through import substitution
Fauji Fertiliser Company (FFC) has saved over $3 billion
through import substitution and contributed over Rs 35 billion
to national exchequer.
Fertiliser policy has made
new investment impossible
The new Fertiliser policy has made any new investment well
nigh impossible because of lack of fiscal incentives. This was
stated by the chairman of Fauji Fertiliser Company, Lieutenant
General Amjad Shuaib (Retd) here on Tuesday.
Cotton demand put at
12m bales for next year
The domestic cotton
demand would be around 12 million bales for next year. This
figure was worked out in a meeting on Tuesday, which was
presided over by Abdul Razak Dawood , Federal Minister for
Commerce and Trade, and attended by representatives of All
Pakistan Textile Mills Associations (APTMA).
Lint cotton exports
drop
Private sector has registered a significant drop in export of
lint cotton during the last fiscal to $2.458 million (0.206
million bales) against $139.118 million (0.794 million bales)
the previous year , according to official figures released by
the Federal Bureau of Statistics.
Tarbela Dam to be filled by next month
Tarbela Dam, the largest water reservoir of the
country received 162,000 cusecs water on Tuesday and release
remained higher than inflow of 200,000 cusecs.
Five major problems cited:
Ghee mills to close down from July 17
The Pakistan Vanaspati
Manufacturers Association (PVMA) on Monday announced closing
down of ghee/cooking oil mills across the country from July
17, against heavy taxation and payment by buyers through
banks.
Spain to provide Rs 1.35 billion
for agri Export Processing Zone
The Spanish government will provide assistance of Rs 1.35
billion for the construction of Agriculture Export Processing
Zone in Karachi.
Corporate farming
initiative rejected
Speakers at a media
seminar strongly rejected the government's initiatives on
corporate agriculture farming (CAF), termed it against the
interest of small farmers, threatened food security and
control over resources of small and landless farmers by
multinational companies and feudal lords.
Export Promotion Bureau
chief discusses problems facing mango exporters
The Export Promotion
Bureau (EPB) has confirmed that it would be impossible for
Pakistan to achieve the target of exports of $10 billion owing
to September 11 terrorist attack which took place in US, and
which hit the entire world economy and market business.
25 percent increase
likely in mango export
An increase of 25 percent is expected in country's mango
export this year, Director-General Export Promotion Bureau, (EPB)
Multan, Haider Raza said on Monday.
Geological Survey of Pakistan
recommends rock testing to overcome water shortage
Geological Survey of
Pakistan (GSP) played a vital role to cope with water shortage
problem in Quetta valley by recommending hard rock testing
here as a potential source of good aquifers on the basis of
its studies, which proved of great importance and relieved the
residents of the city from the haunting fear of mass migration
from a water starved city.
Pakistan Atomic Energy
Commission chief emphasises on applied research
The Chairman, Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), Dr
Pervez Butt, on Monday emphasised on applied research to usher
in an era of development in the country.
Punjab to follow
policy of Centre on water issue: Governor
"We will prefer to act
on the policy of the federal government regarding water issue,
and will not take any step contrary to decisions of the Centre
as well as Indus River System Authority (IRSA),"
Mangla Dam can be raised
safely: WAPDA clarifies
Mangla Dam can be
safely raised and there exists no doubt regarding
sustainability of the raised Mangla dam as per the studies
conducted by the international consultants at the time of
original design and provisions made for future raising.
MULTAN: Corporate farming
cast away
Leaders of small growers, tenants and right activists cast
away the government initiative of the Corporate Agriculture
Farming (CAF) here at a media seminar.
Authorities urged to
develop fishing villages of Karachi
Pakistan Fisherfolk Forum (PFF) has urged the government to
improve the standard of living by providing basic facilities
to traditional fishing villages of Karachi located at the
shore of Arabian Sea.
Mango exports tripled
Mango (L. Mangifera
indica) is the most famous fruit of Pakistan and belongs to
the family "anacardiaceae". It originated from the area now
comprising Pakistan and was gradually spread to the many parts
of the world.
Foodgrain markets enjoy
comfortable week
The Karachi wholesale
commodity markets showed firm trend during the previous week,
as prices of most of the essential items remained around the
previous levels.
'50,000 tonnes sugar purchase under study'
A spokesman of Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (Punjab Zone)
said here on Sunday that summary regarding export of 200,000
tones of sugar is almost ready while another proposal is under
consideration to buy 50,000 tones sugar from the industry at
ex-mill price of around Rs 22 per kg as a first step regarding
export of surplus sugar.
Fisheries tube-wells to
get 30 percent rebate on power bills
The Water and Power
Development Authority (WAPDA) will give 30 percent rebate on
power bills for tube-wells installed at fisheries centres.
Policy on government
role in agriculture uplift soon
The government is
likely to announce shortly a policy setting out its role in
the development of agriculture sector and reducing the role in
marketing of agricultural commodities.
Farmers urged to adopt value
added varieties of crops
The NWFP Governor Lieutenant General E Syed Iftikhar Hussain
Shah has said that the present government is fulfilling its
responsibility of serving the people with highest degree of
sincerity and devotion and the efforts being made by govt have
started bearing fruits.
10 Nuclear Institute
scientists awarded productivity allowance
The Pakistan Council of Science and Technology (PCST) has
awarded 'productivity allowance' to 10 selected scientists of
the Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB) for
the financial year 2001-2002.
Corporate farming
initiative rejected
Speakers at a media seminar strongly rejected the government's
initiatives on corporate agriculture farming (CAF), termed it
against the interest of small farmers, threatened food
security and control over resources of small and landless
farmers by multinational companies and feudal lords.
Measures taken for
dairy, livestock development: Finance Minister
Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz has said that agriculture sector
is the engine of growth and government is giving priority to
this sector for the socio-economic development.
UK company suggests ways
to develop livestock
A four member team of
British company MSI Corporation in a detailed presentation
pointed out various ways for the development, identification,
trace-back and disease control management to facilitate
Pakistan meat entry to the American and European markets.
Government to exempt canola
seeds from general sales tax
The government has
decided to exempt canola seeds from General Sales Tax (GST) to
bring the commodity at par with other seeds, informed sources
in the Central Board of Revenue (CBR) told Business Recorder
here on Tuesday.
Pak to fetch Rs
150 bn thru broilers export
Pakistan Poultry Association (PPA) Representative Abdul Basit
has said
Pakistan would fetch Rs 150 billion from broilers and hatching
eggs export
during next two years. “We are capturing United Arab Emirates
besides some
countries of Middle East by replacing India,”
SMEDA, Punjab
Vocational Training Council sign pacts on textile, cattle
farming
Small and Medium
Enterprise Development Authority (Smeda) has entered into
two different agreements with Punjab Vocational Training
Council (PVTC) to promote computer-aided designs in textile
sector and initiate training programme for artificial
insemination in cattle farming.
Seed Cell Foundation set
up
Agriculture Research
Sindh has established a foundation seed cell to fulfil the
requirements of quality seed for Sindh. This was stated by Dr
Qazi Suleman, Director General, Agriculture Extension and
Research Sindh, at a meeting with Sindh Abadgar Board held on
Tuesday.
Sindh draws more water than
its share: Punjab
Punjab on Wednesday accused Sindh of drawing more water than
its share from the national pool and remodelling its canals
without the Irsa certification.
Foreign companies
barred from direct export of their catch
As all the five long
liners have completed first trip after deep-sea fishing and
reported it as positive, the government has barred foreign
companies from direct export of their catch.
Levy of agriculture
income tax in Sindh budget flayed
The working committee
of Sindh Abadgar Board at a meeting held on Sunday under the
chairmanship of Abdul Majeed Nizamani has deeply regretted the
levy of Rs 1.5 billion agriculture income tax in the
provincial budget for the fiscal year 2002-2003.
Government may extend relief package for growers
The Sindh government
relief department is actively considering to extend the date
of President's relief package to growers of calamity-hit
areas, following the reports that 80 percent of the affected
farmers will not be able to benefit by the package.
Kissan Board Pakistan to
approach different political parties
Kissan Board Pakistan (KBP)
has decided to approach all the main political parties of the
country to persuade them for including recommendations in
their manifestos for promotion of agriculture sector.
Dr Rafiq gets
best agri scientist award
The Scientific and Technology Council of Ministry of Science
and Technology has awarded the best Agricultural Scientist of
the year 2001-02 to renowned agricultural scientist Dr
Muhammad Rafiq Atiq.
Rs 116.2 billion water
resources plan initiated
The government has
initiated a medium term plan costing an amount of Rs 116.2
billion for radically augmenting water resources in the
country.
Fertiliser prices
raised by Rs 10 per bag
Fertiliser prices have once again been increased by Rs 10 per
bag of 50 kg, a move to pass on the impact of general sales
tax to the farmers.
Pakistan to face acute
water shortage by 2050
KARACHI (July 08 2002) : By the year 2050 Pakistan will face
an acute water shortage and in this wake an integrated water
resource management seems to he the most feasible option to
overcome this crisis.
Meat, dairy products board
set up
The government has set up a meat and dairy products board to
boost their domestic production and exports. The board will be
headed by the Food Minister. A committee to formulate its
terms of reference is meeting here on Monday next.
Modern
slaughterhouse likely to start operation by next month
Rs 48.07 million most modern semiautomatic slaughterhouse
being constructed partially under an umbrella of Livestock
Sector Development Project of ADP at cattle colony Hyderabad,
is expected to start operation by the end of next month.
'Corporate
farming to streamline output, increased income'
The policy package for Corporate Agriculture Farming (CAF) is
a consensus document which was approved by the Cabinet to seek
efficiency of production and increased incomes.
Sustainable Agriculture
Action Group opposes corporate farming
The organisers of Sustainable Agriculture Action Group (SAAG),
an umbrella of civil society organisations and farmers groups,
claimed here on Friday that they were not allowed to hold a
conference at a local hotel to express their concern about
corporate farming.
Wool, beef
development centres to be set up in Thar
Sindh Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries,
Hassan Ali Chaniho has said that the wool and beef development
centres will be set up at different places in Thar at a cost
of Rs 36 million for increasing the production of wool and
beef.
'Agriculture
to be introduced as subject in seven colleges'
Agriculture will be introduced as a subject initially in seven
selected colleges of the province from the next academic
session.
Pakistan Atomic Energy
Commission launches 5-year saline agriculture plan
Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) has launched a
five-year 'Saline Agriculture Farmers Participatory
Development Plan' to turn productive the barren salt affected
lands in the country.
2m tons wheat may be
exported this fiscal
Pakistan may be in a position to export two million tons of
wheat in 2002-03 out of huge carryover stock of 3.7 million
tons from the previous year.
Irregularities
found: Special audit of Indus River System Authority funds
ordered
The Ministry of Finance has ordered special audit of financial
and administrative irregularities found in Indus River System
Authority (Irsa), official sources told Business Recorder here
on Tuesday.
Corporate farming to ensure
enhanced yields
Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock Khair
Muhammad Junejo on Monday said Corporate Agricultural Farming
(CAF) will enhance efficiency of agriculture production by
bringing together production processing and marketing
activities at one place under corporate entity.
Punjab to start agri loan
disbursements on July 1
The Punjab government is commencing disbursement of loans
among farmers for Kharif crop 2002 through its `one-widow
operation scheme' from July 1, 2002.
92 percent farmers get credit
from non-bank sources
All institutions together provide credits to only 8 percent
farmers while the rest of 92 percent farmers have to arrange
their credit needs from informal sector, said the Minister for
Food, Agriculture and Livestock, Khair Mohammad Junejo here on
Friday.
State Bank Governor for
swift credit flow to agriculture sector
The State Bank Governor, Dr Ishrat Hussain, while stressing
for uninterrupted credit flows to the agriculture sector, said
that Revolving Credit Scheme would enable farmers to have
access to fresh loans with some adjustment.
Mango destruction: Relief
package termed insufficient
Mango growers have estimated 37 percent to 40 percent
destruction of mango orchards in Multan and other areas in May
and June as a result of violent dust storms but the provincial
government's allocated financial assistance and relief package
to farmers of the calamity-hit areas will not be able to match
with the large-level destruction.
Poultry become dearer:
Ghee, cooking oil
The new budget has not caused any major shake up in the prices
of essential commodities except for increase in rates of ghee
and cooking oil. While the increase in prices of poultry and
soap in the last one month has nothing to do with the
budgetary measures.
Off-loading of dry
cargo: Sialkot Chambers accuses Pakistan International Airline
of creating hardships for exporter
The President, Sialkot Chambers of Commerce and Industry (SCCI),
Daud Ahmad Chattha, has said that the exporters community of
Sialkot is facing serious hardships due to alleged irrational
approach, adopted by Pakistan International Airline (PIA),
off-loading dry cargo.
Need for cold storage facility
stressed
The Secretary Agriculture Punjab Junaid Iqbal has urged the
market committees to provide cold storage facilities through
public-private partnership to the growers so as to enhance
shelf life of the perishable commodities.
Country earns Rs
5.9 billion through fisheries' exports
The country earned Rs 5.9 billion by exporting an estimated
63,129 tonnes of fish and fishery products during July-March,
2001-02 to Japan, USA, UK, Germany, Middle East and other
countries. According to official sources, during the period
under review, the total fish production is estimated at
654,500 tonnes with inland contribution at 181,500 tonnes.
Government keen to bring
amendments in food laws: Commerce Minister
The Federal Commerce Minister, Abdul Razak Dawood has said
that in order to make substantial improvement in the economic
sector, we have to learn to be a 'trading nation'.
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