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Wheat, Rice & Sugar supplies are adequate: PARC
Planning according to food security is included in our priorities – Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad
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| PakAgriFarming News Week Vol. 04 (Cover) |
Chairman Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC), Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad has said that we are planning according to the requirements of food security in the country. He added that wheat, rice and sugar is available in adequate supplies in the countries at the moment and in the next phase we are attempting to introduce high yielding oilseed crops like olive in Baluchistan, FATA, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit Baltistan, AJK, D.I Khan and Sindh, for this purpose plants are being imported from Italy and machinery is also being imported from France for processing.
PARC is also working to improve crop research on usage of sewage water from household and this has been successfully being attempted in Chak Shahzad in Islamabad. 10 research papers have been published on this research, lemon has showed very good results and further research is intended on using this water for irrigating pomegranate. In the same project, water from river Ravi is being purified and used for irrigation. He also added that the funding problem faced by PARC has been solved and now we are working to extend network throughout the country.
News Item: 02
3.2 MT wheat wasted annually in Pakistan
50% of world agricultural produce does not even reach our digestive systems.
50% of world agricultural produce is wasted each year due to lack of storage and infrastructure facilities. In the latest report of Institute of Mechanical Engineers it has been highlighted that wastage of food is worse in developing countries, even in Pakistan 3.2 million tons (MT) of wheat is lost due to lack of modern storage facilities. Traditional transport system, worst condition of roads, weather fluctuations and corruption are making this situation worse. These factors are making situation of supply chain worse in countries like Pakistan. 21 million tons (MT) wheat is lost in our neighboring India, which amounts equal to total wheat production of Australia. If infrastructure is improved, maize and wheat can be stored for 5 years, vegetables for many months but perishable foods can not be preserved for more than a few hours.
News Item: 03
6.267 MT wheat stocks available in country
Farmers are expecting good crop this year also and new wheat produce will arrive in the start of May in markets.
Wheat stocks of 6.267 million tons (MT) are available in the country at the moment and farmers are expecting another good crop in the running season. So ample wheat is available in the country for our own consumption as well as for export purposes. From September to November 2012, 3 MT wheat was supplied to flour mills to fulfill requirements of masses. About four months are left when fresh wheat produce arrives in markets in May and the supply of wheat will thus increase. Abdul Rauf Chaudhry, head of Agricultural Policy Institute, has said that government has decided to export 2 MT wheat to Iran and even then we will be left with 1.5 – 2 MT stocks. In the past six months, July to December 2012, 351,000 tons wheat was exported. Production of wheat has increased in all areas of country including Punjab, Sindh, Baluchistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
News Item: 04
Export targets for cotton will be missed this year
Cotton prices stable at Rs. 6100; more imports expected from India at large scale: cotton ginners.
Power crisis paralysis continues as the cotton industry is once again static. Textile mills are not purchasing cotton and for this reason the trading activities have been still for consecutive third week. Cotton ginners have said that imports may increase compared to exports because high quality produce is coming is small quantities. It has been said in an American report that at the end of fiscal year 2012-13, the ending stocks of cotton are expected at 81.72 million bales which are 2.08 million bales more that last year.
India has extended end date of cotton exports to Pakistan by 30 days and this will mean a huge surge of Indian cotton in Pakistan. This step has been taken by Indian government to improve their exports.
16 billion dollars exports target was set this year for cotton exports and which is far from being achieved this year due to worst power crises. Due to same reason Pakistani textile industry could not complete 1.5 billion dollar export orders at the occasion of Christmas.
News Item: 05
Worst power crisis; spinning industries unable to complete export orders in time
Pakistan deprived of exports orders worth millions of dollars in German textile fair.
Worst energy crisis and even worst is the situation of major export sector of Pakistan, that is, cotton industry. Local textile spinning industry in Karachi has been unable to complete export deals in time and for this reason the importers who are also importing from Bangladesh and India have declined further exports to Pakistan. In the last two months, India spinning industries have received record export deals.
Export targets of 16 billion dollars set by cotton ginners are far from being complete and it is expected that it will be missed by a margin of at least 3.5 billion dollars.
News Item: 06
Indian govt. taking all steps to ensure cotton exports
Pakistani textile mills failed to get exports orders in German textile fair because of lack of interest of importers on behalf of power crisis in country.
India has received record yarn export orders of 100 million kg in October and November, 2012 which are expected to go up in December, 2012 and January 2013, according to head of Indian foreign trade. Indian government is taking all necessary steps to ensure increase in cotton exports which includes successful dialogue with Turkey after which lead to exemption of import duty.
In Pakistan, the situation is reverse, here the trailers taking export goods to Karachi are forcefully held and used for blocking roads. In the German textile fair held in 2012 at Germany, Pakistani textile mills failed to get any export orders due to lack of trust of importers that they will not be able to complete the order in time due to power crisis in Pakistan, depriving the country from million of dollars of export orders.
News Item: 07
Tanneries exports will be doubled - Trade Ministry
Demands of Pakistan tanneries association have been accepted by ministry of trade.
Pakistan tanneries association has demanded the government that tanneries be excluded from loadsheding and new trade policy should be announced immediately. According to the chairman of tanneries association, Agha Sayyeden, the ministry has accepted their demands. The ministry has also planned for doubling the exports of leather from 1 billions to 2 billion dollars.
Agha further said that they have demanded that leather industry be declared model industry and they should be given duty drawback facility in comparison to Bangladesh and India. The participants of international fairs should also be subsidized; tanneries should be given financial assistant for new treatment plants. The government should also subsidize the quality testing of export goods and “export promotion council” should be organized as soon as possible.
Agha further said that they have demanded that leather industry be declared model industry and they should be given duty drawback facility in comparison to Bangladesh and India. The participants of international fairs should also be subsidized; tanneries should be given financial assistant for new treatment plants. The government should also subsidize the quality testing of export goods and “export promotion council” should be organized as soon as possible.
The costs of production have gone very high due to loadsheding, hike in prices of raw materials and chemical, acts of terrorism and increasing tax and duties, so the ministry should accept their demands and act on these suggestions.
News Item: 08
MFN status to India? Pakistani agriculture and industrial sector will suffer – USAID Report
Tariff quota should be implemented on some sectors.
In a research conducted during January 2013 by USAID, it has been indicated that Pakistan may be getting same benefits as India will get. Pakistani industry and agriculture may suffer. The report has suggested that tariff quota should be opted for imports of steel, iron, pharmaceutical and agriculture products from India according to the MFN regime. Pakistani markets are more open to trade than Indian counterparts and before giving this MFN status to India, 97% of Indian products have been liberalized in Pakistan already so the ministry of trade should conduct a study on market liberalization before declaring MFN status to India. Mistakes have been indicated in the project which includes MFN status for India.
The report has also confirmed the reservations of all the stakeholders from agricultural as well as industrial sector. Indian traders regime has created many troubles for importing Pakistani goods and Delhi has only made 47% products free for trade in local markets. India is subsidizing most of its products including fertilizers and electricity and to protect the local industry, government of Pakistan should take necessary steps and increase the number of items in the negative list so that local industry can also flourish in this MFN trade with India.
News Item: 09
Buffalo exports to Malaysia, Indonesia & Turkey
Nili Ravi and Sahiwal breeds of buffaloes and cows are popular all over the world.
The demand for nili Ravi and Sahiwal breeds of Pakistani buffalo has increase in different countries and Pakistan has decided to export buffaloes and cows to Malaysia, Indonesia and turkey. Experts of livestock and dairy development from Faisalabad say that nili Ravi and Sahiwal breeds are very popular for their good milk and meat production and many countries are expressing interest in these livestock animals.
News Item: 10
Palm oil imports down by 16.62%
Soybean oil imports have increased in the first six months of the fiscal year.
The imports of palm oil has decreased in the first six months of the fiscal year; from July to November 2012, the imports of the palm oil has been recorded to be 864.311 million US dollars in 2012 compared to 1036.616 million US dollars during the same duration in the previous year. Palm oil imports have reduced 4.76% with respect to volume. Compared to 886,333 metric tons (MT) imported last year, the imports have been recorded at 844,178 metric tons (MT). The bureau of statistics recorded increase in the imports of soybean oil during the same duration but overall imports of palm oil have been reduced significantly.
News Item: 11
260 thousand bags of wheat are being supplied to flour mills daily – Food department
There is no shortage of flour in market; 780 thousand of 20 kg wheat bags are also being supplied to market on daily basis.
Food department of Punjab government is supplying almost 260,000 bags of wheat grain to flour mills and 780,000 bags of 20 kg wheat flour to market on daily basis which is available to the masses on fixed prices of Rs. 660 – 670 per 20kg bag in ample quantities, so there is no shortage of flour in the markets. The department is also having inspection of the retail markets and if there is any complaint received, strict action is being taken against the responsible persons and in moving a step ahead steps are being taken to eradicate the problem from markets.
News Item: 12
297 thousand acres of cotton crop affected due to rains in the first six months of fiscal year
Production will remain 294 thousand bales less than the set target; cotton sector faces losses in billions.
In the current fiscal year there have been losses of cotton crops over an area of 297,839 acres across Pakistan. Cotton was cropped over an area of 6, 499,360 acres this years and 234,982 acres have been completely destroyed due to these rains and floods. In Sindh, 157 thousand acres and in Punjab, 142 thousand acres have been destroyed. As a result, the production of cotton will stand at 12,666 thousand bales which is less than the set target of 136 thousand bales by almost 100,000 bales.
News Item: 13
Decision about amendments in ‘fertilizer control ordinance’
To ensure quality fertilizer products in market, the ordinance should be amended.
In the light of recent event and to control fake, low quality and expensive fertilizers in the market the ministry has decided to make necessary amendments in the fertilizer control ordinance of 1973 so that it can be modernized and made effective. When this becomes effective, there will be registration as well as check on their performance will be made. Training and workshops will also be organized.
News Item: 14
2.74% increase in exports of leather garments
July-November, 167 million dollars of foreign exchange earned through the exports of leather products.
Increase of 2.74% in the export of leather garments has been recorded in the five months of the current fiscal years from July to November, 2012. according to bureau of statistics, Pakistan has earned a foreign exchange of worth 167.131 million dollars during the first six months of this fiscal year compared to 162.09 million dollars earned in the same duration in the past fiscal year. Pakistan is expecting to export more leather garments in the coming weeks to earn more exchange which is a positive sign in the present situation of power crisis in the country.
International News
219 Pakistani textile companies participated in German textile trade fair
More than 80 countries participated in this event.
In the German Textile Trade Fair held at Berlin, Germany, 219 Pakistani textile companies staged stalls. Clothings and other textile products were displayed on stalls. Pakistani embassador to Germany, Abdul Basid also came to visit the stalls and greeted them. More than 26 thousand people from 80 countries participated in this event.
Picture of the Week
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| Wheat Sapling |
