Pakistan Agriculture Developments

[ghazi52]

Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Jahangir Khan Tareen on Tuesday gave a detailed briefing on agriculture to a federal cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan.

Addressing a press conference following the cabinet meeting, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry revealed that Tareen had briefed the meeting on agricultural matters. It was decided during the meeting that the government will spend Rs 290 billion on agriculture, with 18 major schemes to be launched in the next five years, Radio Pakistan reported.

'Special attention'

Chaudhry in his media briefing said that over the past eight years, Pakistan's spending on agriculture had gone down by over 60 per cent while its agricultural imports had gone up to $4 billion, which included $2 billion worth of edible oil bills alone, Radio Pakistan reported.

He said there was a need to start an awareness campaign among the masses to use cooking oil as less as possible. The government is taking steps for the creation of oilseeds, he added.

According to Chaudhry, the cabinet meeting decided that special attention will be paid to the agriculture sector over the next five years.

The government also wants to work in the livestock and fisheries sectors, Chaudhry said, adding that the economy would see stability with steps being taken in the livestock sector.

 

[ghazi52]

Govt to install three olive extraction mills, 6 mobile units

The government is set to install three olive oil extraction mills and six mobile oil extraction units across the olive producing areas in the county to facilitate the olive farmers as well as getting maximum benefits by the value addition of the local produces.


These extraction mills and mobile units would be installed during next crop season with a public-private partnership, which aimed at promoting the olive cultivation and oil production on large scale commercial basis, said Project Direct of Olive Development Programme in the National Agriculture Centre Dr Muhammad Tariq.

Talking to APP here on Wednesday, he said that promotion and development of olive on large scale commercial basis would not only help in reducing the country’s reliance on imported oil to fulfil its domestic requirements like palm and soybean, but also provide super hygienic edible oil to local consumers.

Besides, he said that development of olive on large scale commercial basis would also help in saving the precious national foreign exchange reserves of over 3.7 billion used on the import of edible oil which was costing the country average $ 3.7 billion annually.

Dr Tariq said that about 600,000 acres of land was identified in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Wana and Potohar Region for olive cultivation during next season, adding that olive plantation has so far been completed over 100,000 acres and planted over 5 million live plants.

He said that olive plantation had witnessed encouraging the trend in the country as average 500,000 to 600,000 olive plants were planted every year, adding that the olive was cultivated over 50,000 acres during last year.

Out of the total cultivated crop, about 50 per cent plants had reached to the fruiting stage and every year output was witnessing an encouraging increase, adding that if the ratio continued in same spirit economic benefits of Rs 25 billion would be injected in the national economy, he added.

He said that in order to ensure the maximum survival of the plants, drip irrigation system was also installed over 450 acres, besides work on developing the local nurseries of certified plants were also in progress to produce high yielding plants as according to the local ecological requirements.

The project director said that about 18 training programmes were organized and average 30-35 farmers were trained in each secession, besides organizing an international olive conference to share the international best practices and expertise with local stakeholders.

 

[ghazi52]

Dawood calls for exploiting trillion-dollar halal food market

There is a need to exploit the trillion-dollar halal food market through mutual cooperation between Pakistan and Malaysia, suggested Adviser to Prime Minister on Commerce Abdul Razak Dawood.

Speaking at the Pak-Malaysia Business Leaders Roundtable on Friday, he said, “There are 1.3 billion Muslims in the world, this (halal food) is now moving to a trillion-dollar market.”

He stressed that Pakistan needed to learn from Malaysia, adding that there was a need to collectively develop and exploit the market for mutual advantage.

 

[ghazi52]

1. Pakistan has one of the world’s best cherries
   
   “As a Pakistani, I can honestly say that we have one of the world’s best cherries. They are very juicy,” said Habib.
   
   Speaking on the subject, an official at the Embassy of Pakistan in China, Hina Firdous, said, “The size of Pakistan’s cherry is very big.”
   
   “What Chinese people know is that Pakistan’s mango is famous, but they have no idea that Pakistan has such great cherry,” said Zhou Rong, senior researcher at Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies of Renmin University of China. Balochistan borders Afghanistan and Iran, and on the south-western coast of the province is Gwadar Port, which China helps to build the free trade area. Although it is quite hard for cherry tree to survive, Balochistan is suited for planting this fruit. “Cherry prices are very high in the Chinese market. If the Chinese government decides to import cherry from a certain country, it will encourage local farmers to increase planting. As the quantity of cherry available in the market grows, the import price could fall,” The Express Tribune Editor Naveed Hussain said in the interview.
   
   Pakistani cherry has no seasonal advantages
   
   A report by the United States Department of Agriculture on the ‘Output of Fresh Cherry by Major Producing Countries’ does not include Pakistan. Chile is expected to break the record of 190,000 tons in the season of 2018-19 due to increasing demand from China.
   
   Argentina, which is not on the list of major producing countries, reached a quarantine agreement with China’s General Administration of Customs at the end of last year, and the first batch of cherry exported to China set off in January. Then, why the cherries from the three countries mentioned above have different fates?
   
   Elaborating further, Hussain said that though Pakistan is competitive in cherry taste, the main reason China imports cherries from New Zealand, Chile and Argentina is the seasonal difference due to geographic locations – southern and northern hemisphere – and Pakistan has almost the same harvest season as China.
   
   “We imported cherry from eight countries, including Chile, the US, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Tajikistan and Turkey. Since no significant difference exists between the two countries, it can be difficult for Pakistani cherry to be exported to China,” Zhou added.
   
   White cherry of Balochistan not available in Karachi
   
   “Pakistan’s advertising is not as good as Chile’s. We can find Chile’s advertisement in second and third-tier cities in China; as Pakistan is quite near to us, you have enough edge in advertising,” Zhou said.
   
   “I knew nothing about Balochistan’s cherry over the past 10 years, when I worked in Pakistan, therefore, the effort for information exchange is insufficient and we should strengthen market research.”
   
   Reiterating the sentiment, The Express Tribune editor added, “Just as Zhou said, even Pakistanis themselves lack knowledge about cherries, hence it has been marginalised. Pakistan has an annual cherry output of 4,000 tons, but we do not put much emphasis on the systematic collection of information about the high-end fruit.”
   
   China Overseas Ports Holding Company Pakistan Chairman Zhang Baozhong commented, “I went to Quetta, the capital of Balochistan, in the harvest season. We were free to take cherries from a cherry orchard next to our hotel. Pakistan’s cherry is indeed the best, with its main producing areas located in the north. Balochistan is also rich in agricultural products.”
   
   Highlighting the problems in cherry transportation, Global Care Managing Director Amanullah Khan said, “Balochistan’s main product, white cherries, is rarely shipped to Karachi because of its poor infrastructure. We export a lot of mangoes and we have the infrastructure to export mangoes, but the transportation of peaches, apricots and cherries, which you’ve just introduced, planting and growing in different regions, requires increased investment in infrastructure, with packaging and other links included.”
   
   Expedite cherry’s ‘zero tariff’ process
   
   After discussing the seasonality, information exchange and transportation of Pakistani cherries, Zhao Jinping stressed that there is a very important factor, that is, the tariffs between China and Pakistan.
   
   He said the first phase of the China-Pakistan free trade agreement (FTA) was signed on November 24, 2006 and the two sides implemented tariff reduction on about 6,000 items. Some of them were reduced to zero tariffs after a five-year transition period and the liberalisation rate, which means the coverage ratio of zero tariff goods in varieties and quantities, would be lifted to 85% over a period of about 10 years.
   
   He was of the view that the 85% coverage ratio is not high in the international market, “according to the current information disclosed by the two countries, if it can be raised to more than 90% in the second stage of the free trade negotiations, many commodities similar to cherries will be covered, which will lead to a decrease in the cost and price of Pakistani goods exported to China, and an enhanced market share and competitiveness in China.
   
   “As we talked about Chilean cherries, the ratio between China and Chile has reached 98% and almost all goods can enter China without tariff, which has a positive effect on lowering the price of Chilean cherries.”
   
   Statistics from China’s General Administration of Customs suggest the volume of total import and export between China and Pakistan was $19.08 billion in 2018, of which Pakistan’s exports to China totalled $2.18 billion, accounting for slightly more than 10%. Just a week before the programme, Pakistan’s ambassador to China had said in an informal discussion organised by the embassy that the tension between India and Pakistan would not have any impact on economic exchanges between China and Pakistan.
   
   “I hope that we can eat Pakistani cherries in China one day,” he said.
   
   • Buy Pakistani Cherries online
2. 
   
   http://www.tradekey.com.pk/product-info/Cherries-2062625.html
   
   Cherry tree in hunza valley
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

 

[ghazi52]

ISLAMABAD: Planning, Development and Reform Minister Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar said on Wednesday that the government was focused on developing the agriculture sector on modern lines in order to improve the livelihoods of small farmers and to enhance the sector’s contribution to the national economy.

“In this regard, agriculture cooperation with China will be enhanced under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework,” the minister said while talking to National Food Security and Research Minister Sahibzada Mehboob Sultan.

Planning Secretary Zafar Hasan, National Food Security Secretary Dr Muhammad Hashim Popalzai and CPEC Project Director Hassan Daud were also present on the occasion.

The planning minister said efforts were underway to initiate joint ventures with leading Chinese agriculture companies so as to enhance agricultural output and value addition of agricultural products.

He highlighted that there was a lot of scope for cooperation between the two countries, particularly in areas of livestock, fisheries, citrus, mango, rice, potatoes and horticulture sectors.

Bakhtiar said that a CPEC Business Advisory Council has been constituted which would have representation from leading companies dealing in various sectors, including agriculture. The purpose of the council would be to identify new areas for future collaborations with China under CPEC, he added.

During the meeting, deliverables in different areas of agriculture for the proposed visit of the prime minister to China to participate in the second Belt and Road Forum this month came under discussion.

It was discussed that a memorandum of understanding on foot and mouth disease was also expected to be signed during the prime minister’s visit.

 

[waraich66]

Ghazi , You are doing cut and past , we appreciate if you share your ideas and experiences and comments
Thanks.

 

[ghazi52]

The Punjab Govt provide subsidy to farmers on fertilizers

April 07, 2019

The Punjab government is providing subsidy to the farmers on fertilizers through subsidy vouchers to facilitate them.

According to Spokesman for the Punjab Agriculture Department Najaf Abbas, the subsidy is being given on Diammonium phosphate fertilizer, Nitrophos, Nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium and Sulphate of potash fertilizers.

He said, the subsidy will help reduce production expenses of crops besides increasing per acre yield.

Najaf Abbas said that after scratching voucher, the number should be sent through SMS on 8070 while unregistered farmers should contact agriculture helpline 0800-15000, 0800-29000 to get information about the subsidy.

He said that around 5.2 million farmer families will benefit from the subsidy scheme.

 

[CrazyZ]

I would exporting tropical fruits like kinnow & mangos to Russia would work good. Has this ever happened in past?

 

[ghazi52]

Govt for enhancing kharif crop production
April 14, 2019
https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sha...awn.com/news/1476008&display=popup&ref=plugin

Farmers prepare a field for cultivation of hybrid seeds of maize at a farm in Faisalabad on April 1. Maize production at country level for kharif 2018 was reported at 5.521 million tonnes.—APP


ISLAMABAD: The government will promote indigenous production of agricultural crops that would substitute the import of edible oil as well as enhance production of kharif crops in the upcoming meeting of Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA).

The FCA meeting, which would be held on April 17 to set the target for sowing of kharif, is organised by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR). The biannual meeting will take stock of the previous production patterns and fix targets of all major and minor crops in consultation with provincial agriculture departments and other stakeholders.

Despite the fact that the MNFSR hosts the FCA meeting in order to enhance domestic agricultural production through increasing per yield acre, provincial representation is seen at the level of officials only. No provincial agriculture ministers attend the meeting, according to the ministry.

Cotton, maize production falls

Sowing season for kharif crops including sugarcane, rice, cotton and pulses (maize, mung and mash) begins in April and lasts until June, while harvesting is done in October.

During the last kharif season, there was a decrease in the production of sugarcane, cotton and maize, while some improvements were made in pulses.

Sugarcane, a high-value cash crop, saw its output decreasing by 16.89 per cent to 68.25m tonnes in 2018-19, from 82.12m tonnes over the previous year. There is still a huge yield gap between average and potential yields despite continuous increase in area, yield and production over the last few years.

In 2018, rice was cultivated on an area of 2,83m acres while production decline 4.43pc year-on-year to 7.12m tonnes. The crop’s area under cultivation contracted due to lower economic returns to farmers on account of decrease in prices both domestically and globally last year.

According to estimates from provincial agricultural departments, maize production at country-level for 2018 was reported at 5.521m tonnes reflecting a decrease of 1.99pc.

For mung, the total estimated production in 2018 stood at 124,800 tonnes with average yield of 755kg per hectare while the area and production rose by 1.67pc and 2.25pc year-on-year.

Statistics from provincial bodies put cultivation area for mash at 13,400 hectares with a total output of 6,450 tonnes in 2018. The area under cultivation dipped by 12.44pc whereas production was down 10.42pc from the previous year.

Cotton crop area has also reduced due to preference for sugarcane and maize, and in Punjab alone, area under cultivation has declined by 19.7pc between 2006 and 2018. In CY18, the crop’s area sown was 2.406m hectares, 81.4pc of the annual target which was set at 2.955m hectares. Against the production target of 14.04m bales in 2017, the country achieved the output of only 11.94m bales.

 

[CrazyZ]

Govt for enhancing kharif crop production
April 14, 2019

Farmers prepare a field for cultivation of hybrid seeds of maize at a farm in Faisalabad on April 1. Maize production at country level for kharif 2018 was reported at 5.521 million tonnes.—APP


ISLAMABAD: The government will promote indigenous production of agricultural crops that would substitute the import of edible oil as well as enhance production of kharif crops in the upcoming meeting of Federal Committee on Agriculture (FCA).

The FCA meeting, which would be held on April 17 to set the target for sowing of kharif, is organised by the Ministry of National Food Security and Research (MNFSR). The biannual meeting will take stock of the previous production patterns and fix targets of all major and minor crops in consultation with provincial agriculture departments and other stakeholders.

Despite the fact that the MNFSR hosts the FCA meeting in order to enhance domestic agricultural production through increasing per yield acre, provincial representation is seen at the level of officials only. No provincial agriculture ministers attend the meeting, according to the ministry.

Cotton, maize production falls

Sowing season for kharif crops including sugarcane, rice, cotton and pulses (maize, mung and mash) begins in April and lasts until June, while harvesting is done in October.

During the last kharif season, there was a decrease in the production of sugarcane, cotton and maize, while some improvements were made in pulses.

Sugarcane, a high-value cash crop, saw its output decreasing by 16.89 per cent to 68.25m tonnes in 2018-19, from 82.12m tonnes over the previous year. There is still a huge yield gap between average and potential yields despite continuous increase in area, yield and production over the last few years.

In 2018, rice was cultivated on an area of 2,83m acres while production decline 4.43pc year-on-year to 7.12m tonnes. The crop’s area under cultivation contracted due to lower economic returns to farmers on account of decrease in prices both domestically and globally last year.

According to estimates from provincial agricultural departments, maize production at country-level for 2018 was reported at 5.521m tonnes reflecting a decrease of 1.99pc.

For mung, the total estimated production in 2018 stood at 124,800 tonnes with average yield of 755kg per hectare while the area and production rose by 1.67pc and 2.25pc year-on-year.

Statistics from provincial bodies put cultivation area for mash at 13,400 hectares with a total output of 6,450 tonnes in 2018. The area under cultivation dipped by 12.44pc whereas production was down 10.42pc from the previous year.

Cotton crop area has also reduced due to preference for sugarcane and maize, and in Punjab alone, area under cultivation has declined by 19.7pc between 2006 and 2018. In CY18, the crop’s area sown was 2.406m hectares, 81.4pc of the annual target which was set at 2.955m hectares. Against the production target of 14.04m bales in 2017, the country achieved the output of only 11.94m bales.

Hopefully the added snows this winter can help support these crops early. Agriculture is the wild card to our economic growth. I good output year can boost our growth rate.

 

[zulu]

Wish u good luck.Kinnow people did mangoes not sure have to check export board data even russian offered some time ago.Most exports related to potatoes and tomatoes

I would exporting tropical fruits like kinnow & mangos to Russia would work good. Has this ever happened in past?

 

[ghazi52]

Jan 18, 2019 - Exports of kinnow began to flow out of Pakistan at the beginning of this month. ... due to the Russian ban on European fruit, and improved production ... of other products besides kinnow, including mangoes and potatoes.

 

[ghazi52]

China's Foshan University to set up base for environmental membrane biology

April 15, 2019

KARACHI : The University of Karachi and Foshan University of the People’s Republic of China signed a Memorandum of Understanding at Foshan University in the presence of Professor Dr Bilquees Gul on behalf of Karachi University and Hao Zhifeng of Foshan University.

According to the MoU, both parties have agreed to set up Guangdong Belt and Road Institute of Plant Environmental Sensing and Signaling for modern agriculture. They have also agreed to set up China International Science and Technology Cooperation base for environmental membrane biology. For the interest of substantial implementation, they have also agreed to organise international conferences, forums and seminars regularly.

The MoU is designed for the interest of academic exchanges and scientific research cooperation, on the basis of equality, friendship, mutual assistance. They will be involved to apply and to accomplish research projects related to plant membrane biology and modern agriculture.

Karachi University and Foshan University have also decided to provide funds for early career researchers from the Belt and Road countries going to Foshan University for short-term study or scientific research. According to the MoU, funds and other facilities would be provided for outstanding young scientists from China and Belt and Road countries doing joint PhD programme and to exchange scientists and specialists participating in international scientific events like seminars, conferences, symposia and exhibition.

The representatives of both universities also agreed that any activities mentioned in this Memorandum of Understanding should be negotiated and determined by both parties before virtual practice.

The memorandum would be valid from the date of formal signature by both parties for a period of five years and would be automatically renewed.

Earlier, the Director ISHU Karachi University, Professor Dr Bilquees Gul, mentioned that the idea was to bring together some salinity experts at one place to do some brainstorming and discuss how to make their collaboration more efficient and productive at the briefing held at Foshan University.

 

[AsifIjaz]

Almost all the agricultural universities and institutes need to be either closed down or fresh management needs to be brought in.

One does not need to go beyond the fact that over the last 1 to 1.5 decades we have not created any variety of seedless oranges, new varieties of mangoes, better bananas, better and higher yield vegetables or seasonal fruits, no pulses varieties requiring less water or higher yield, no newer varieties of plants or seeds for extracting oil and even the rice and cotton varieties introduced are good for nothing and we have better alternatives from outside.
Like so many other research centers out there (suparco, material, precious stones, cement etc) these people too are lethargic, haud haram, kam chour and should be sent packing.

 

[CrazyZ]

Almost all the agricultural universities and institutes need to be either closed down or fresh management needs to be brought in.

One does not need to go beyond the fact that over the last 1 to 1.5 decades we have not created any variety of seedless oranges, new varieties of mangoes, better bananas, better and higher yield vegetables or seasonal fruits, no pulses varieties requiring less water or higher yield, no newer varieties of plants or seeds for extracting oil and even the rice and cotton varieties introduced are good for nothing and we have better alternatives from outside.
Like so many other research centers out there (suparco, material, precious stones, cement etc) these people too are lethargic, haud haram, kam chour and should be sent packing.

I have encountered a general attitude in Pakistan that research and development or technology development is not possible since we are a poor nation and you will never recoup your investment.....this mentally needs to be changed. Outside of defense what sector has advanced anything technical??

Many countries have booming economies because they embrace tech development. They have recouped their initial investment many times over, Israel & S korea to name a few...but in Pakistan the mental block on rd/tech continues. Hopefully the younger generation will see this and not do the same.