ISLAMABAD (March 21 2004): The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal) has identified various areas to be focused on investment in the agriculture sector aiming to enhancing economic growth and prosperity in the country.

The improvement in these areas will be made through public sector support and participation of the private sector, Minfal sources said.

Sources said Minfal has identified 11 areas for investment which are storage facilities, improving research, corporate farming, fruits and vegetables, quality control laboratories, seed sector, water sector, livestock sector, marketing, integrated pest management and aqua culture, adding enormous possibilities also exist for co-operation and support from international financial institutions and developed countries.

They said some of these areas are also open for foreign private sector investments, adding these areas provide big opportunities and conducive environment to the investors besides, enhancing economic growth, development, and prosperity of the people.

About storage facilities, the sources said Pakistan is facing substantial post-harvest losses in agricultural produce, adding the available storage facilities are neither limited, nor of desired scientific and modern standard.

To strengthen this weak area, the government has announced a number of incentives for the private sector investment to promote construction of improved grain storage facilities, they said.

Regarding improving research area, the sources said in Pakistan, the research on hybrid breeding is limited only for few crops namely oilseed and maize, adding there is a need for encouraging the investment for hybrid seed production in the country.

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the government has announced some incentives for investment in this area, they said, adding therefore, the overseas private sector may also look upon the possibilities to make investment in improving research facilities for this purpose in the country.

Regarding investment opportunity in corporate farming, they sources said the government has announced corporate agriculture farming scheme.

The Corporate Agriculture Farming is aimed at bringing more area under cultivation which is still lying unattended in the country to overcome land fragmentation problem.

They observed that the Corporate Agriculture Farming will help improve the quality of produce and also serve the purpose of value addition to farm produce, saying the scheme would also lead to development of modern and competitive agriculture in the country.

About fruits and vegetables, the sources said the country has a competitive edge in this sector due to country's suitable climatic diversity to range of fruits and vegetables, adding fruits and vegetables are extremely cheaper in Pakistan; therefore, with necessary improvements the country could substantially increase export of fruits and vegetables.

They said to tap this potential, the government is focusing on post-harvest improvements, development of cold chain system and improvements in cargo facilities for these commodities at the airports.

The sources expected that this area would attract sizeable local and foreign investments.

Courtesy Business Recorder