MULTAN (January 13 2004): Sunflower farmers have been facing crucial period in sowing their most valuable crop in the wake of getting complete monopoly on seed supply by giant multinational companies dealing in sunflower seed in the market while the cheap government seed supply has already been stopped from the current crop season despite increase in the cultivation area, it is learnt.

The government has also abolished 20-25 percent import duty a few months back that may reduce sunflower prices in the local market, said experts.

Sunflower farmers in Punjab, especially in Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan, are facing seed shortage at the prime time of crop sowing while cultivation area in these regions was expected to increase from government target owing to last year's crop incentives.

Pakistan has been importing oil worth Rs 25-30 billion annually and Pakistan Oilseed Development Board was established 2-3 years back to promote sunflower cultivation in the country to save foreign exchange but the Board had stopped the cheap government branded seed 'Gulshan' and gave a free hand to five giant multinational seed companies to supply sunflower seeds at high rates.

The multinational companies are selling their seeds at 400 to 500 times higher rates due to lack of availability of 'Gulshan' which was sold on Rs 112 to Rs 120 per kg last year.

The multinational companies' branded sunflower seed is available at Rs 400 to Rs 425 and Rs 500-Rs 600 per kg and farmers have no options to depend on multinational companies for procuring seeds at very high rates.

The favourable time for sunflower crop sowing is from January 1 to February-end and each acre required 2 kg seed to harvest sizeable crop.

A large numbers of sunflower farmers were interviewed and they observed that cultivation demand was increasing but the government is not serious to promote the valuable crop.

Pakistan Oilseed Development Board regional officials said that the government has fixed sowing target of 2,95,000 acres in Punjab, including Multan region (Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan) 135,000 acres, Gujranwala 30,000 acres, Sahiwal 18,000 acres, Lahore 14,000 acres and Faisalabad region 3000 acres. PODB regional officials said that Multan region target has been increased to 1,50,000 acres.

The PODB officials confirmed lack of supply of government seed. They said the multinational companies have distributed 297 tons sunflower seed and assured that the rest of demand would be met in the next few days.

The PODB regional manager Abdur Rashid Khanzada said sunflower cultivation has been started but low temperature can affect sowing.

Courtesy Business Recorder