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Proposals to enhance rice yield discussed
HYDERABAD (April 02 2004): The members of
provincial crop management committee on rice
deliberated upon various proposals to enhance per
hectare yield of the commodity following decline
in the cultivated area owing to introduction of
change in cropping pattern in rice growing
districts of upper Sindh.
Provincial Food and Agriculture Minister Arif
Mustafa Jatoi chaired the meeting, which was held
at the Sindh Secretariat, on Thursday.
Representatives of rice exporters, growers and
crop experts attended the meeting.
There was a consensus of opinion that the area
under rice crop could not be expanded owing to
water stress and as such the emphasis should be on
exploitation of potential yield of the crop by
integrated farm management under modern methods.
The meeting was of the view that to make the crop
more economically viable efforts should be made to
bridge the gap between the present and potential
yields per hectare of the crop.
Several proposals to improve the quality of crop
were discussed in detail during the meeting.
The committee said that new high yielding verities
should be introduced. Some popular varieties of
Vietnam, Philippines and Thailand also came under
discussion. It has also been suggested that a team
of crop experts and scientists should also visit
these countries to study the entire process of
rice cultivation.
Poor availability of combined harvesters also came
under discussion and it was decided that the
matter would be taken up with the Japanese
delegation, expected to arrive shortly.
Arif Jatoi said that to achieve this objective all
those connected directly or indirectly with the
agriculture sector, including research scientists,
growers, miller-owners and on-farm water
management should adopt an integrated approach to
improve the quality and yield.
He said after devolution of agriculture extension
services, the district government had to play a
vital role in development of this sector as most
of the Nazims of the district governments belonged
to farmer's community and were fully aware of the
problems confronted by the farming community.
Soon after the meeting, the provincial sugarcane
crop management met and it was decided that a
viable strategy should be evolved to brought an
end to price controversy between the cane growers
and sugar mills.
Sindh Chamber of Agriculture President Syed Qamar
Zaman Shah suggested that a sugarcane zone should
be set up in cane growing areas and where it was
not possible due to water stress low delta and
high value crop such as edible oil should be
encouraged.
He also suggested that the growers should be
ensured marketing and availability of seed at a
reasonable price.
The meeting also discussed payment of grower's
outstanding dues and suggests various methods to
improve payment system to the growers.
The area and production target is likely to be
finalised by the Federal Agriculture Committee,
scheduled to meet in Islamabad on Saturday.
Courtesy Business Recorder |
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Pakissan.com; Advisory Point
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