Main page 

News

Issues

Weather

Pak APIN

College Point

Crop Update

Water Status

Market Price

Model Farming

New Agri-Tech 

Bio Technology

Help Desk

Behtak the forum

Feed back

Email

Agri Overview

Directory

Project for thorn forests growth

LAHORE _ Thorn forests will be enhanced at the archaeological site of Harrapa in a bid to conserve the dying plant species in the Punjab province. Detail

Govt unlikely to meet agri growth targets

ISLAMABAD–The overall water crisis in the country will affect wheat yield and other agricultural crops during the current financial year, and the government is unlikely to achieve agricultural growth target of 2 per cent in the ongoing fiscal. Detail

Defaulters attack recovery officers of ADB

Khipro-Defaulters of village Allah Bux Kalhoro attacked recovery officers of Agriculture Development Bank (ADB) when they had arguments with nthem, here on Jan 28, 2002.
According to reports, three officials of ADB Hingoro, led by Manager Ashraf Khan, MCOs, Javed Iqbal and Muhib Ali proceeded to village Allah Bux Kalhoro to recover dues from growers. During the process they had some arguments with defaulters, which converted
into brawl. In the meantime, some growers attacked them with axes, leaving them seriously injured. On receiving information, Phaladio Police have registered a case in this respect and arrested four landowners, identified as Mir Mohammed Kalhoro, Rasool Bux Kalhoro, Riaz Hussain Kalhoro and Abdullah Kalhoro on charges of attacking bank officials.
January  31, 2002 

SBP provides credit to ADBP for farmers' financing'

ISLAMABAD-Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz on Jan 29, 2002 said State Bank has assured ADBP to provide optimal credit to meet the financing requirements of farming class.  Detail

Cattle disease eradication program at Rs 1.4 bln

KARACHI-Food and Agriculture Minister Khair Mohammad Jonejo said on Jan 26, 2002 that the government has started a vast programme for eradication of major diseases from cow and buffaloes including "made cow" and "foot and mouth" diseases at  a cost of Rs 1.40 billion in the country. Detail

Farmers are national heroes: SBP Governor

MULTAN-Dr Ishrat Hussain, the Governor, State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), on Jan 25, 2002 said that farmers are the real heroes of this country, so the government is doing its best for
their weal and uplift. The SBP chief said this while talking to a delegation of agriculturists of South Punjab in the office of the district nazim, here.

He said that next year the government will procure only two million tons of wheat from the farmers while rest of the commodity will be purchased by the private sector.Dr Ishrat said the agricultural loans quantum has been increased from Rs 60 billion to 100 billion. The TCP has been given Rs 10 billion for the purchase of cotton.To a question he said the TCP will be asked to purchase the cotton in a big way as the rates had now gone below the level of support price.

The District Nazim, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, said that poverty can not be eliminated from the society unless our peasant's purchasing capacity is strengthened and his real income is
augmented. He said due to lack of timely planning today we are facing a grave crisis of water scarcity. Due to absence of proper marketing in the agriculture sector the farmers today are facing hardships.

Call for just distribution of water from Hub canal

QUETTA -Balochistan Minister for Irrigation and Power, Sardar Mehdi Hassan Musa has urged the concerned officials to ensure just distribution of Hub Canal water among the area people and growers.

He stated this while visiting Hub Dam and Canal at Hub on Jan 25, 2002.Briefing the Minister, the Irrigation department official said for the last few months water supply from Hub dam to agriculture lands had been withheld due to lack of water which caused serious harm to agriculture in the area. However, with the betterment in water situation it is now provided for agriculture purpose only to Hub.

Regarding Hub canal, the Minister was told that it was constructed in 1992 at a cost of Rs.100 million having a length of 105750 feet. It brougt 20477 acres of land under cultivation.
He was further informed that two water tanks having capacity of 20 million gallons have been constructed to provided industrial units with Hub dam water.

Chaniho calls for social mobilization of NGOs

KARACHI, Jan 25 (APP)- Provincial Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hasan Ali Chaniho has called for social mobilization of NGOs which, he said, was essential for the establishment of Water Users Associations and Farmers Organizations. Detail

'Gur Ghanies to be registered in N gistered in NWFP'

PESHAWAR- The NWFP Minister for Food and Agriculture, Abeedullah Jan has said that under the power crusher licensing amendment ordinance 2001 NWFP, all Gur Ghanies will be registered for the purpose of documentation on payment of Rs. 500 as a registration fee and there will be no other tax on ordinary Gur Ghanies. Detail

 285 villages of border-belt area be facilitated

Shakargarh-PML leader Muhammad Ashraf Khan Advocate and Muhammad Afzal Bhatti, Pattron-Chief of Anjuman-e-Shehrian Shakargarh, have appealed to the government that the people of 285 villages of Shakargarh Sub-Division, who are living under the five miles border-belt area, should be given a special concession of one year in the payment of agricultural loans.

In a press statement issued, here on Jan 26, 2002 , they said that the demand was being made in view of heavy losses suffered by the masses due to shifting of the people of the area, on the eve of present tension between India and Pakistan.

Recovery of Agriculture Tax in Tandobago Tehsil

Pingrio, Sindh-Revenue officials have accelerated their campaign to recover agriculture tax from growers of Tandobago tehsil which is already badly affected by worst kind of drought.
 Detail

'Agricultural sector needs 40,000 tractors annually'

Karachi-Khair Muhammad Junajoo, Federal Minister for Agriculture, Food and Livestock Saturday underscored need of 40,000 tractors annually to increase farm power to achieve growth rate of 5%.Detail

ACP criticises middleman role

Lahore-Ever since the commencement of sugarcane crushing season the middleman has become grossly active in indulging  of malpractices. Detail

Balochistan Governor distributes land

GADDANI- Balochsitan Governor Justice (R) Amirul Mulk Mengal has said that devolution of power to lower level is a major achievement of government in office and a silent revolution as stated by President General Pervez Musharraf. Detail

FOs to undertake Linning projects

Karachi-Sindh minister for agriculture and forest Hassan Ali Chaniho has underlined the need of social mobilization for the establishment of Water Users Associations and Farmers Organizations to undertake the linning of water courses in the province. Detail

ADBP fails to achieve recovery target

Shakargarh-Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan (ADBP), Shakargarh, has failed to recover loans from the defaulters. The Bank had allocated a recovery target of loans to the tune of Rs.12.5 million, but recovered only Rs.8.5 million so far, sources concluded.

Improvement in agri technology realized

Sialkot-Pakistan is basically an agricultural economy but different governments have always neglected this sector.It needs to make use of advancement of knowledge and spectacular improvement in technology to gain maximum benefits from the agriculture sector. Detail

Rice exports fetch $220m

KARACHI, Jan 25: Minister of state and chairman Export Promotion Bureau, Tariq Ikram has said despite the fact that rice exports are lagging behind the target by 12 per cent, the country has so for earned $220 million. Detail

Exporters make modest buying on cotton market

KARACHI, Jan 25: Cotton market on Friday passed through another lean session as spinners were again conspicuous by their absence awaiting apparently some fresh positive developments on the international textile front. Detail

Bio technology widely discussed in pakissan seminar

Lahore: Biotechnology experts at a seminar organized by first agri portal of country, Pakissan.com, here on Wednesday have demanded for the approval of Bio safety guidelines, which are lying with the Ministry of Environment for the last eight years and so far the sole hindrance in the spreading of this technology in the country. Detail

Fate of wheat crop hangs in the balance

LAHORE: The fate of the wheat crop hangs in the balance as the weather and availability of water at crucial stages of its growth would play a vital role in determining its final production. The Punjab Agriculture Department officials are satisfied about the current condition of the wheat crop in the irrigated areas but have kept their fingers crossed about the ultimate production. Detail

Crop Processing Estates in Sindh planned

KARACHI: The Sindh Agriculture Department has planned to establish Agriculture Crop Processing Estates in all the districts of the province to promote cultivation of value added crops. In addition to that an Agriculture Processing Zone is also being set up on 50 acre land area opposite new vegetable market on Super Highway. Detail

Water Accord of 1991 stands

ISLAMABAD: The Indus River System Authority (IRSA) has finally issued formal orders for the distribution of water among the provinces on the basis of the water accord of 1991, it is reliably learnt. With the issuance of this fresh order, the inter-ministerial decision of 1994, being implemented till now, stands 'null and void', officials confirmed. Detail

Rice traders fail to strike deal with Iran

KARACHI, Jan 14: For the second time in two years, an Iranian delegation that came here to buy Irri-9 and Basmati varieties of rice from local market left Pakistan empty-handed as traders were unable to guarantee a steady supply.

The five-member Iranian delegation, led by the managing director Government Trading Corporation (GTC) Mujtaba Ansari, wanted to purchase 15,000 tons of Irri-9 and same quantity of Basmati but were disappointed.

Yet, the officials in Trading Corporation of Pakistan look satisfied on the outcome of the Iranian delegation visit of what they perceive "potential of future contracts for rice purchase in Pakistan."

"Iranians visited a few rice mills equipped with state of art technology and were greatly impressed," an official explained who is confident of this visit proving productive in obtaining orders from Iran in future.

About two years ago Iranians sought 70,000 tons of Irri-9 but Pakistani exporters expressed their inability to meet the import demand.

During their current visit, the Iranian confronted two problems one relating to high prices and other of short supply of both the varieties. As a result of this the Iranian team failed to finalize any deal because the indicative price given by exporters was not acceptable to them and secondly exporters were not ready to ensure the entire quantities of both the varieties.

The Iranian team left for Thailand to negotiate Irri-6 deal, which is cheap and better in quality than Pakistani rice of same variety.  Curtsy The News  January  15, 2002

Farmers stage demonstration

Khadro, Sindh, The local farmers staged demonstration here the other day to register their protest against collection of land revenue and w ater tax by the revenue officials despite acute shortage of water in Sinjhoro sub division of Sanghar district.

They said that owing to shortage of water, cotton crop in the sub division was cultivated on 18000 acres less than than the actual area that usually comes under cultivation but the revenue officials were bent on making recoveries for the barren lands also.

The Mukhtarkar has reportedly asked the Tapedars to recover more than hundred percent land revenue compared to last years figures otherwise they will be put under suspension, they alleged and added that the revenue officials have been given a recovery target of Rs.22.5 million which is unbearable for the growers.

Chaniho calls for cotton grower’s friendly policies

SUKKUR--The Sindh Food and Agriculture Minister, Hassan Ali Chaniho, has called upon the officials of agriculture department to devise such policies that could help the cotton growers and the ginners in Ghotki district. Detail

Chanda Dam will be helpful in irrigate greater area

PESHAWAR-The NWFP Governor Lt.Gen (R) Syed Iftikhar Hussain Shah January
9, 2002 formally inaugurated the construction work on Chanda Fateh Khan dam in Laachi, Kohat District to be completed at a cost of Rs.87 million. Detail

PPCBL to disburse Rs 3 b loans by January 31

LAHORE-The Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank Limited (PPCBL) will disburse Rabi loans worth Rs 3 billion among the growers in the Punjab province through cooperative societies.

According to PPCBL spokesman, he said that  this amount would be utilized by the farmers for the purchase of agricultural inputs including fertilizer, seeds and pesticides.The spokesman said that the bank had sofar disbursed Rs 955.378 million among 55635 growers through 7,213 cooperative societies.
 

'Increase in cotton cultivation areas needed'

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Food and Agriculture Khair Muhammad Junejo has said cotton cultivation area requires substantial increase to cope with growing problem of water shortage.

He said emphasis is being laid on enhancement of cotton cultivation in the areas facing problem of water shortage. He said cotton requires less water as compared to some other crops and it is vital to create awareness among the farmers in this connection.

Junejo said a survey of different areas has been conducted by the government to analyse the situation which revealed that soil and climatic conditions of certain areas were favourable for cotton growing.

Agriculture Minister said certain areas of Kashmore and Jacobabad in Sindh and Put-feeder in Balochistan are found to be more suitable for cotton crop. The cotton produce of these areas proved to be superior as compared to the existing production of the other areas of the country. Presently paddy crop is being cultivated in these areas which require much water for the growth, he added.

Khair Muhammad Junejo said agriculture department is working out a strategy to effectively meet the challenges of the prevailing situation by disseminating knowledge about cultivation of less water consuming crops.

Approval of Bio safety laws stressed

Lahore: Biotechnology experts in a seminar organized by the Punjab University here on Wednesday have demanded of the government to approve the Bio safety guidelines, which are lying with the Ministry of Environment for the last eight years and so far the sole hinderence in the development of this technology in the country. Detail

PSC role in raising farm yield lauded

LAHORE-The Punjab Agriculture Minister, Khurshid Zaman Qureshi, has commended the Punjab Seed Corporation for its contribution in ehnancing per acre wheat yield by supplying 1.8 million maunds of processed wheat seed during the current sowing season.  Detail

PPCBL disburses Rs 649.8 million loans

LAHORE-The Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank Limited (PPCBL) has disbursed Rabi loans worth Rs 649.8 million among the growers by December 29. According to PPCBL spokesman here Monday, he said that this amount would be utilized by the farmers for the purchase of agricultural inputs including fertilizer, seeds and pesticides.

The PPCBL plans to disburse Rs 3 billion agricultural loans by January 31 next. The spokesman said that the bank had sofar recovered Rs 610.4 million from the growers by December 29. He said that the bank would extend Rs 200 million loans to the growers for the purchase of tractors and other agricultural implements.

Agri land's entire record being computerized

LAHORE-The Punjab government is working to computerize the entire record of agriculture land in the province. In the first phase, the major part of the land record in District Kasur has been computerized and the remaining will be computerized within few weeks.

With the computerization of land record, the major problems of rural folk regarding the availability of attested copies of agriculture land will be solved and the attested copies will be
available readily. This was stated by the Punjab Minister for Revenue, Malik Muhammad Aslam Khan while presiding over a meeting to review the process of computerization of land record in his office, here on Monday. The meeting was attended among others by Director Land Record Punjab, DCO Kasur and the officers of Revenue Department.

The Minister said the majority of people in Punjab are rural based and they are facing many difficulties for provision of attested copies of land record. To minimize the problems, the government has decided to computerize in phases the whole record of agriculture land in
the province and in the first phase the revenue record of 641 revenue estates in District Kasur is being computerized while the major work in this regard has been completed, he added.

The computerization of land record will not only help in the provision of attested copies of land record but also the complaints regarding the change in land record and forgery will
be eliminated and the agrarian society would be able to get the copies of their land records from the local revenue offices. This will also ease the collection of agriculture income tax and the other dues of Revenue Department, the Minister said. The process of computerization is being completed in Urdu language for the convenience of the masses, the minister said.


Rs 70 million for agri sector development

LAHORE-The Punjab government is spending Rs 70 million for providing latest agriculture technology to the farmers and development of agriculture sector during current fiscal year.
This was said by Punjab Minister for Law and Minorities Affairs, Dr. Khalid Ranjha on Monday at Sargodha while addressing the concluding ceremony of a conference on farmers problems, organized under the auspices of Kasan Bachao Tehrik.

Dr. Khalid Ranjha termed agriculture sector a foundation of economic development of the country. Talking about the farmers' pivotal role in agriculture economic development of the country, the minister regretted that unfortunately some times the farmers despite their all efforts failed to get reasonable prices of their crops.

He said, agriculture was the main source of income of majority of rural folk of the Punjab province and it provided guarantee to farmers community regarding protection of their economic life. He stressed upon the farmers to have their produces marketed by their own in the grain and vegetable markets so that they could get in time and appropriate rates of their produces.

Dr. Khalid Ranjha said that more than 50 per cent of manpower of Pakistan was attached with the agriculture sector, while in developed countries only 3 to 7 per cent portion of
manpower took part in agriculture and fulfilled agri requirements of their countries.

He asked the farmers to adopt modern ways of cultivation to make four million acres of barren land of the province cultivable. He assured that the government would leave no stone unturned in solving genuine problems confronted by the farmers community. The conference was also addressed by farmers representatives and agriculture experts who gave several suggestions for the progress of the agriculture sector.


Sugarcane growers stopped supply to the mills

KARACHI--The sugar industry in Sindh might plunge in to severe crisis as the growers have decided to stop supply of sugarcane to the sugar mills throughout the province who do not offer Rs.58/- per 40 kg price of their produce. Detail 

Vigilance teams formed to check water theft

SUKKUR--Chief Engineer (CE) Sukkur Barrage, Muhammad Musa Memon has constituted a vigilance team under the supervision of Superintending Engineer (SE) Sukkur Barrage Abbas Ali Awan to conduct surprise raids on water thefts, illegal water courses and illegal lift machines in the jurisdiction of Nara and Rohri Canals.Detail

NWFP forest ordinance 2001 promulgated

PESHAWAR---The NWFP Cabinet has approved promulgation of the North West Frontier Province Forest Ordinance 2001 subject to certain amendments to be finalized by a Sub Committee of Ministers. The ordinance has been prepared after consultation with the major stake holders in the sector, including donors as well as NGOs like SUNGI Foundation etc. Detail

Desilting campaign from next month

LAHORE--Punjab Cabinet which met on Dec 24, 2001 under the chairmanship of the Provincial Governor Lt.General (retd) Khalid Maqbool gave green signal for the 20-day province-wide desilting campaign from next month. Detail

Agri development scheme on card

MULTAN--An agriculture development plan aimed at brick-lining the water channels, installation of tube wells and provision of agriculture tools to farmers was being introduced in the district.

This was disclosed by district nazim Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi while presiding over a meeting on Dec 27, 2001. The new scheme would be implemented in consultation with the elected representatives on basis of public-private cooperation.
Growers concerned would pay 30 per cent of the cost in advance for brick-lining of water channels and installation of tube wells while rest of the 70 per cent would be spent by the government, the DN said.

On provision of Agriculture tools, 50 per cent advance payment would be made by the growers while the rest would be paid by the government, the DN added.

60 percent of pesticides used on cotton

LAHORE-Cotton crop attracts a number of pests which create health hazard due to the poisoning of the food chain, reveals of study.

According to latest figures, nearly 46,000 tonnes of pesticides were used in 2000, out of which about 60 percent were used on cotton only. According to the study, our ground water is contaminated upto the depth of 18 metres and a number of vegetables have residues beyond maximum residue limits. Not only this, the blood test of field workers, including women, show clear affects of pesticides. The alternate to this phenomenon lies in Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

The study says, there has been a lot of research in this area elsewhere as well as in Pakistan and a lot of different methods were tried, but the Training of Facilitators (ToF) and Farmers Field Schools (FFS) approach developed by the FAO and tested in various countries is found to be successful.

Shortage of irrigation water

KHIPRO-Shortage of irrigation water in Khipro and its adjoining areas may damage standing crops of wheat, sugarcane and Chillies.

According to reports, cultivators have expressed their resentment over shortage of water and demanded of concerned department to make alternate arrangement of water from Indus river. They also criticised irrigation department officials for ignoring tail enders and special provision of facilities to the inflentials.
However, Irrigation department have already announced water supply on rotational basis.

Crushing season be monitored by Distt.Govt.

LAHOREPunjab Minister for Agriculture, Khurshid Zaman Qureshi has stated that the District Nazims and DCOs, through their representatives, will monitor crushing season and purchase of sugarcane when strict action will be taken on any mal-practice if reported in this regard.

He was talking to a delegation of sugar-cane growers hailing from Faisalabad and Sheikhupura districts which called on him, here on , Dec 26, 2001. He said that representatives of the district governments would undertake inspection on weighbridges (Kandas) found in less weighing and heavy fines would be imposed on the spot to the violators. He further stated that monitoring would continue to ensure the payments of sugar cane in cash or on cheque at the mill gate. Now payments will not be made on CPR in future, he added.

All the sugar-mills across the province have been asked to register rates and weight of sugar cane on Cash Purchase Receipt (CPR) alongwith cheque and pay the fixed rates of sugar cane to the growers, he stressed.

Khurshid Zaman Qureshi maintained that the government is monitoring the clearance of cess dues and other outstanding dues to the farmers. The Minister said that he would himself visit the fields to review the problems confronting the sugar-cane growers.

KBP to discuss sugarcane issue

LAHORE--Kissan Board Pakistan (KBP) will hold a meeting at a local hotel on Wednesday (January 2) at 10.00 a.m. to discuss sugarcane issue.

President KBP Sadiq Khan Khakwani will brief representatives of the growers belonging to different parts of the country about the details.This was decided in a meeting held at KBP office here on Dec 27, 2001. The meeting expressed its concern over the problems facing the sugarcane growers and demanded immediate steps to resolve the same.

Farmers of Kunri Branch plan demo

KUNRI--Farmers Organisation (FO), Irrigation Sub-Division Kunri, held their monthly meeting presided by Chairman FO Kunri Branch Ghulam Akbar Dars here on Dec. 26, 2001 for deliberations to solve their problems.

The abadgars complained that tail-enders do not receive irrigation water, theft incidents of water are frequent and irrigation department officials do not take action against zamindars for making breeches in water courses as they are corrupt.

Sub-Divisional Officer, Kunri Branch was also present in the meeting. The meeting resolved to
constitute a 6-member Action Committee, headed by Gul Zaman Chandio, who would constantly keep watch on both the banks of canal and lodge an FIR with police in case any water theft was noticed.

The meeting also decided to hold a protest demo on Tuesday the 1st January, 2002 in front of Town Committee Kunri office in case their grievancess were not redressed.

Irrigation minister inspects SCARPS tubewells

SUKKUR--Sindh Minister for Irrigation and Power, Syed Ali Meer Shah Saturday inspected various SCARP Tubewells at Sangi area of Ghotki Tubewell Division and Garang area of Right Bank Tubewell Division Rato Dero.

Project Director SCARP Sukkur, Fazal Muhammad Kolachi briefed the minister during his inspection of Tubewells and said that there were 1622 tubewells installed in both division which included 1090 Tuewells in Ghotki Division and 532 in SCARP Division Rato Dero.
He further informed that 63 Tubewells were out of order due to various technical reasons and that all functional Tubewells in both divisions were supplying 2200 cusecs of water to agriculturists through irrigation channels for irrigation purposes.

The Minister directed the Project Director to ensure permanent supply of water through operational Tubewells so that farming community be facilitated during present crucial period of shortage of irrigation water.

The minister also visited Ruk Pumping Station of Shikarpur Drainage Division where he was informed about the functioning and design of Pumping Station which is draining out surplur irrigation and rainy water from Lakhi Branch Drain in Kirthar Canal. Discharge capacity of the Pumping Station is 600 cusecs.

Sugarcane growers defer strike call

LAHORE--Sugarcane growers have taken back their strike call after negotiation with the Provincial Secretaries of Food, Agriculture and Cane Commissioner here on Dec 26, 2001.
They have expressed confidence on the government functionaries and decided to wait government steps for ensuring genuine return of their produce from the millers, says an official hand out issued here. A meeting of Punjab can board was also held chaired by Cane Commissioner Punjab Javaid Akhter and participated by representatives of growers, millers and Secretaries of Food and Agriculture.

The meeting decided that the sugar-mills in case they fail to clear dues of the growers with in one month will have to pay additional mark up of 12%. The board also decided that the mills will have to unload the sugarcane soon after its reaching at the mills to save precious time of the farmers.

The cane commissioner has also advised the millers to send list of their representatives, number and location of their weighing machines to it with in next two days. Only those representatives will be allowed to work which will have valid authority obtained by the mills and issuing valid CPR (Cane Purchase Receipt).

TCP sold Soybean oil in auction

KARACHI--Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) on Dec 26, 2001 sold a quantity of 7,900.00 MT of Soybean oil at price ranging between Rs. 39005 and Rs. 39015 per metric ton.
The auction commenced at 1100 hours today at 5th floor, Finance and Trade Centre, Shahrea Faisal Karachi. Ghee/Cooking oils units and commercial importers registered with TCP participated in the auction. Five (5) lots of 50 MT, Fourteen lots of 100 Mt, three lots of 250 MT and eleven lots of 500 MT were sold in the auction.

TCP has imported 10,000 MT this soybean oil from US origin under 416-(b) programme. The total cost of 7,900.00 MT of Soybean oil sold comes to Rs. 308,152,000 only.