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Change in crop pattern inevitable for agri-sector
growth
HYDERABAD (March 28 2004): Sindh Food and
Agriculture Minister Arif Mustafa Jatoi has said
that change in cropping pattern replacing high
delta crop by high value low delta crop is
inevitable for the sustainable development of the
agriculture sector in this part of the country
where water stress is common phenomenon.
Arif Jatoi was speaking at the field day on
Sunflower organised by Sindh Abadgar Board at
village Soomro Mirjat around 45 kilometre from
here on Saturday.
The Minister said cultivation of Sunflower, a high
value low water consuming crop at such an extent
would not only improve economic condition of the
growers but also help in minimising the import of
edible oil which is being imported to the tune of
Rs 41 billion annually.
He held out an assurance that the government would
not hesitate to lend all possible support in the
process of changing of crop pattern and would
provide all possible incentive.
The Minister said matter would be taken up to seed
companies to ensure timely available of seed to
growers at fair price and marketing of their
produce.
He said the agriculture sector, which is mainstay
of our economy and account for 25 percent of GDP,
which stimulate economic growth, food security and
poverty alleviation, was neglected by successive
government but the sustainable development of
agriculture is on priority list of the present
government.
Referring to outstanding dues of the growers on
sugar mills, Arif Jatoi said he would take up the
matter with concerned authorities to resolve the
problem.
Responding to a question about the auction of
market committees, he said frankly speaking the
government had failed to run the market committees
and the only option was to auction these
committees to increase their income to boost up
their development and to pay the salaries of staff
members.
He said no illegal check post by the contractors
would be tolerated and if anyone found of
establishing such post, FIR would be registered
against the contractor and his contract would be
cancelled.
Speaking about the lining project of watercourses,
he said that the project is in pipeline and soon
work on it would be started.
Earlier, President Sindh Abadgar Board, Abdul
Majeed Nizamani welcoming the chief guest said
that late crushing and negative attitude of the
sugar mills owners led to accelerate the pace of
change in cropping pattern and the growers of
sugarcane have brought 1,80,000 acres under
sunflower as compared to 72000 acres last year.
He warned that if sugar mills would not change
their attitude than growers will continue to shift
to other crops and their mills would turn into
sick industry.
Nizamani said that more often it is said that
there was a crisis in sugar industry and most of
the sugar mills were running in losses. But the
ground realities are different which can be judged
by the fact that the Seri Sugar Mills who is
defaulting on growers' dues had purchased Fauji
Sugar Mills, Tando Muhammad Khan, and also another
mills at Khoski. Similarly a new mill with huge
crushing capacity is being established in lower
Punjab at the boarder of Sindh, he added.
The SAB president said growers are not against the
sugar industry but we will appeal to the federal
government that all facilities enjoyed by the
sugar producing and exporting countries should
also be given to sugar industry in Pakistan
Referring to growing prices of inputs particularly
fertiliser, he said the profits of the fertilizer
companies could be judged by their annual balance
sheet showing profits of billions of rupees.
Furthermore, PSO announced Rs 7 per share of Rs 10
dividend that means 70 to 80 percent net profit
but they don't want to share their profit with the
growers, Nizamani added.
He demanded that the prices of fertilizer should
not be increased from sowing to harvesting period
of the crops, appealing to the government that
keeping in view that the WTO regime is around the
corner it should introduce here viable agriculture
policies of other countries particularly that of
India.
Earlier, the minister was presented with copy of
Holy Quran.
Courtesy Business Recorder |
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Pakissan.com; Advisory Point
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