Pakistan Economy - News & Updates - Archive

[Neo]

May 07, 2007
Improving sugar recovery

By Bilal Hassan

THE sugar content recovery of sugarcane cultivars grown in the country varies from 7.5 to 8 per cent, far away from international standards. Keeping this in view, the Pakistan Sugar Mills Association has put forward a proposal to develop local cane varieties with better yield and sugar contents. The association has also recommended importing varieties and technology from Australia to bring cane yield at par with the international levels.

Importantly, the low yields of sugarcane variety SPF-238 has played havoc with sugarcane in most areas of Punjab, except southern district of Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur. So SPF-238 needs to be abandoned by growers of upper and central Punjab. For that stringent efforts are required to bring sugar industry out of crisis. On one hand, it requires to trigger research system to come up with varieties of high sugar contents and yield. At the same time, management of sugarcane crop is essential to enhance per acre yield.

At present, average production of sugarcane in Pakistan is 22,000 kg per acre which is below the potential. Agronomic factors like preparatory tillage, bed preparation, planting techniques, planting time, availability of irrigation water, application of fertilisers, management of ratoon crop, harvesting time, type of cultivars, plant protection measures significantly affect cane yield per hectare. Yield of sugarcane and sugar recovery in main sugarcane growing countries of the world is given in the table for comparison purpose.

It is appropriate to discuss various agronomic factors contributing to low cane yield. Preparatory tillage includes initial ploughing with a tractor-mounted mouldboard plough which is considered essential and should be done extensively. The use of a subsoiler after every four or five years improves the soil considerably by breaking the hardpan.

Sugarcane is a deep-rooted plant that requires a well-worked and fully pulverised seedbed. Fine seedbed can be prepared by ploughing with a furrow-turning plough to a depth of about 20-25 cm particularly when soil is clayey. Six to eight subsequent ploughings followed by planking are enough to achieve a good pulverised seedbed free of clods and weeds. Therefore, use of seedbed preparatory implements is extensive. It is important that seed bed preparation with adequate moisture gives boost to tillering, essential to obtain optimum number of plants per acre.

Timely sown crop yields more tillers because of soothing effect of temperature. Day length is also an important factor associated with vegetative and reproductive growth..Two planting season of sugarcane crop are fall and spring. Planting is done on both dry and wet seedbed depending upon the soil condition, water availability, planting time, etc. Double-cut sets are placed end to end in furrows at a depth of 8-12 cm and covered with 5-6 cm soil. In the dry method, immediate irrigation is essential, with subsequent irrigations at short intervals.

Adequate and healthy seed ensures optimum plant population, a factor significantly affecting cane production. Optimum plant population depends on appropriate seed rate and spacing but the growers often ignored them, which is the key factor in lowering sugarcane production. The seed rate and spacing between rows differ with variety. Eight to nine tones of stripped cane per hectare for thick varieties, and six to seven tones for medium to thin varieties is sufficient to produce a desired plant population of about 0.15 million canes/ha.

Sugarcane is a perennial crop and water requirements on an average varies from 120-160 centimetres for the spring crop and 200-250 centimetres for the autumn crop depending upon planting season, the fertility of the soil, and the variety of cane. Autumn planting requires a higher quantity of water than spring planting. During the dry period, sufficient water should be applied at relatively short intervals to avoid moisture stress.

Toward the end of the growing season, the length of the intervals should be increased, with irrigation ceasing 25-30 days before harvest to induce normal maturity. Total expenses on irrigation are, therefore, highest.

Soil fertility and productivity significantly affect cane production. The nutrient requirements of sugarcane, especially NPK, are higher than those of any other commercial crop because of its high dry matter production per unit area. Moreover, it is an exhaustive crops like wheat, rice, maize etc. that uptake huge amount of nutrients. It requires macro-as well as micro nutrients. Each fertiliser elements plays its role in the development and production of a normal cane crop. Nitrogen is essential for plant growth; phosphorus for developing roots, influencing the ripening process, and purifying the juice; and potassium for promoting cell activity and growth, increasing resistance to infection and lodging, and improving sucrose content.

Sugarcane is heavily attacked by insects, pests and diseases at various stages of growth. Even sugarcane can be damaged from the first stage of growth by insects. Termites, pink sugarcane mealy bug, sugarcane borer, top borer, root borer, armyworm, Indian sugarcane leafhopper, sugarcane white fly, white woolly aphid and field cricket. Insects/pest cause damage to roots, foliage, bud and shoot. Non-control of insects/pests, therefore, leads to significant reduction in cane yield. The extent of damage varies depending upon crop cultivar and management practices.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/05/07/ebr4.htm

 

[Neo]

May 07, 2007
Tackling trade deficit with China

By Sultan Ahmed

PRIME Minister Shaukat Aziz has a lot of expectations from the five-year trade pact with China and the free trade agreement (FTA) signed during the visit of President Hu Jintao to Pakistan. He expects the trade between the two countries to grow from the present $5 billion to $15 billion in five years.

But during the meeting last week between the two countries in Beijing on extending the FTA to the services as well, the Pakistan side said that total trade between the two countries stood at $3 billion, while the Chinese side claimed that it was $5.3 billion. Researchers on both sides have agreed to work out the figures and reconcile the large difference.

Is it a case of under-reporting or under- invoicing imports from China to evade duties as is common in Pakistan? The Central Board of Revenue recently uncovered a gross malpractice with regard to imports from China and found that payments of duties were far less than it should have been.

The Islamabad dry port, known as Margalla dry port, was used for the purpose by senior customs officials. It was a massive scandal which was exposed. Are their more such cases ? While efforts are being made to expand the scope of FTA between China and Pakistan, the Asian Development Bank has come up with a cautionary note to Pakistan. As the prime minister talks of expanding trade with China five-fold in five years, the ADB says the expiry of the China–specific safeguards imposed by the US and the European Union on Chinese textile exports may further weaken Pakistan’s balance of trade.

That means with the increase in Chinese textile exports to the US and European Union, Pakistan will have fewer opportunities to export goods to them unless special protective measures are taken.

At the same time Pakistan and the European Union are close to finalising the third generation agreement which provides Pakistan with more facilities. And yet the issue of fish exports to the EU remains pending as Pakistan has not made enough efforts to allay the fears of the EU about the hygienic condition prevailing on the Karachi fish harbour where the fishing plants are located.

Pakistan’s exports to China in the first six months of the financial year were for $500 million while the Chinese exported goods worth $2.226 billion. There were varieties in the Chinese exports which included machinery, electronics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and other manufactured goods, while Pakistan exported primarily cotton yarn and cotton cloth.

Will Pakistan be able to produce large varieties of goods and that too in plenty to increase its exports to China to balance trade when it reaches $15 billion?

Pakistan cannot afford to lose when it already has a large trade deficit and on that account a sizable balance-of-payments deficit. China wants to help Pakistan in every possible way. Particularly in the economic sector it wants to help Pakistan as much as it can.

China is now open to trade with all countries and is signing FTA with them. It is also signing FTA with Australia during the forthcoming visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to Australia.

We have to compete with Chinese goods both in quality and in price to boost our exports. For that matter we will have to compete with the goods of other countries in each market. The foreign investors in China are able to export much of their products to the world using cheap and trained labour. We too could induce foreign investors in Pakistan to export some of their products if the cost of production is low and the cost of doing business is not high. As at present they are not, they prefer selling their products in the local market at higher prices. Pakistan compares prices of their goods with the prices of goods in India and feels disappointed.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka is moving towards implementing the FTA with Pakistan which it signed two years ago. It was the first FTA which Pakistan had signed and had great hopes in it. But the Sri Lankan government, preoccupied with internal problems, has taken too long to implement it and it is now expected to implement it later this year.

Pakistan’s basic problem is the lack of large exportable surplus and variety in exports which are focused too much on textiles. Dr. Nadeem-ul-Haque, Chancellor of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, says that Pakistan’s exports have increased a great deal but is still a small part of its GNP. That is because of Pakistan’s large population and high consumption.

The solution lies in curtailing population growth and reducing its consumption. Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz says the population growth will be brought down by 1.3 per cent by 2020 and that is a long way from now, and precipitate action is not possible in the present context of religious extremism.

The government may think of the FTA as a magic wand for accelerating exports but in fact it is a double-edged weapon which if not handled deftly, can cut the hand that wheels it.

The focus has to be on producing a variety of large exportable surpluses, high quality goods at competitive prices and smart salesmanship. Otherwise the FTA we sign will have little to feed on.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/05/07/ebr15.htm

 

[Neo]

May 07, 2007
Potential of dates export

DATE palm is well known for its nutritional and therapeutic qualities. It has very high fruit contents of carbohydrates (about 65-75 per cent). On the basis of nutritive value, it may yield three times more food per unit area than wheat.

One kilogramme of date can supply human body with 2500-3000 calories of energy. In addition, the fruit is easily digestible, promotes more blood formation and also possesses protein, fat, salts, carbohydrates and vitamins in an easily assimilative form.

The fruit is a good source of vitamin A, B and C and has high mineral contents. According to a bulletin on food composition issued by the US Department of Agriculture, dried date contains 1.9 per cent protein, 70.6 per cent carbohydrates, 2.5 per cent fat, 13 per cent water, 1.2 per cent minerals and 10 per cent fibre.

Pakistan is the fifth largest producer of dates in the world, with an area of about 82,000 hectares and a yield of 427,000 tons. Balochistan is the major date-producing province providing 225,000 tones of dates from an area of 46,000 hectares and contributing 53 per cent to the total national output.

At present, 54 date processing units are working in the country.. The most important processors are Pak-Iran International (Pvt) Ltd and Panama Impex Agency in Karachi; Panjgur Date Industries and Pullain Baloch Zamindar Zara in Panjgur; Prime Dates Products (Pvt) Ltd., Sham Traders, Shama Fruit Co. and Syed International in Sukkur. Other processing units located in Lahore, Turbat, Quetta and D.I.Khan.

The export of dates almost exclusively takes place from Khairpur in Sindh (Assil date) where processing facilities exist. In addition, three dates processing plants, one each in Khairpur, D. I. Khan and Turbat along with cold storage facilities are also being developed under the Trade Policy 2003/04 Initiatives.

Pakistan exports fresh dates to Bangladesh, Canada, Denmark, Germany, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, USA, UK and dried dates to Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Canada, Denmark, Germany, India and Japan. Dates have sufficient shelf-life and are thus shipped by sea. Annual export of fresh dates is 12,000 tones and that of dried dates is about 255,000 tones..

Being the most nutritious and medicinal fruit, date palm is the most potential horticultural commodity. Relentless efforts are required to harvest nature blessed fruit by applying post-harvest management and processing techniques and ultimate qualifying the international standards. A number of countries have formulated and applied date standards at the national level (e.g. USA, Canada, Israel, Algeria, Tunisia and Oman) both for locally produced and imported dates. Unfortunately, Pakistan is lacking such type of systems and standards.

research: For better growth and yield of dates there is a need of detailed research studies based on larger sample size; adoption of better crop husbandry and improved production technology; provision of financial facilities at the door step; use of up-to-date infrastructure, committed and strong organisational set-up; development of defined methods of operation and pre- and post-harvest care.

Needed are procedures to match with international requirements of sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) measures; selection of disease-free plants; screening out of bad varieties pre- and post-harvest management; processing and behavioural trainings of the employees/staff for their role in the system; integrated supply chain (from farm to fork) for handling, processing, packing, marketing and export of dates and date products. Other measures include setting up of advanced date processing and preservation units, improved/standardised packaging and presentation, national branding and promotion and market diversification (access to new markets) and establishment of modern marketing system.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/05/07/ebr6.htm

 

[Neo]

Expert says situation of country's economy 'alarming'
Monday May 07, 2007

KARACHI: Renowned economist, Dr Shahid Hassan Siddiqui has said that despite of selling off of major national assets the local and foreign national debt had piled up during the last few years.

He said this during a lecture in the weekly lecture program running at the Pakistan Peoples Party Secretariat. The topic of his lecture was "Grave Economic Dangers facing the Economy of Pakistan".

Leader of the Opposition in the Sindh Assembly, Nisar Ahmad Khuhro presided over the program.

Dr. Shahid Hassan said that the policies of the regime not made for the benefit of people of Pakistan but for the benefit of financial imperialism.

"These policies are a total failure and had resulted in grave losses and damage to the country. This damage has occurred in spite of the breathing space provided by debt rescheduling, proceeds received from privatization and the huge aid received from the West", he added.

The regime policies are appeared to be aimed at patronizing bank defaulters and the rich and even the ex-governor of State Bank Dr. Ishrat Hussain had to write in an article that the poor of the country had to undergo enormous sufferings as a result of the economic policy of the last 7 years, he asserted.

The unemployment has soared and the gap between the rich and the poor has dangerously widened, while the inflation is sky, he added.

DR Siddiqui said that the trade deficit was touching 14 billion dollars and it was almost as much as the country's total exports. Banks had played a most exploitative role by writing off loans of 100 billion rupees and bring the returns to depositors to ridiculously low levels, and by terminating the services of about 50, 000 trained and skilled employees.

In spite of selling national assets and receiving 5 billion dollars for them the foreign debt had gone up by 5 billion dollars since November 1999. The local debt had shown an increase of 1, 000 billion rupees and had gone up from 1, 392 billion rupees to 2, 400 billion rupees during the same period. The per capita loan on the country had gone up and was one of the highest in the world. The overall situation of the economy was indeed very alarming, he asserted.

It has been claimed time and against that that the International financial institutions had praised the economic growth of Pakistan, but the fact is that these institutions even after our total subservience to them had been highly critical of our performance, DR Siddiqui said.

According to Dr. Shahid Hassan, tax evasion, corruption, financial and intellectual misconduct and cheating, exorbitant expenditure of the state, bad governance and other such factors were eating at the roots of our economy and society.

The loss to national exchequer on these accounts was not less than 1000 billion rupees per year, he revealed.

He maintained that the so-called growth of economy was in the banking sector where the profits had multiplied through exploitation and the automobile sector. Both of these were unsustainable and did not benefit the poor in any way.

He foresees very serious problems in the future when the moratorium on debt rescheduling expired and the growing trade deficit had to be made good by our own earning instead of selling of further assets.

There were hardly any assets left to be sold, he pointed out.

In his presidential remarks Mr. Nisar Ahmad Khuhro said that leave aside the working classes of Pakistan who were being pushed to the very edge, even the business community was showing widespread disappointment over he policies of the government.

There was a complete anarchy in the national economy where only the dishonest and unscrupulous elements could prosper like never before and those who wanted to observe healthy practices were going down the drain, claimed.

Commenting on the priorities of the government he said that the government could confiscate 6, 000 busses to carry people by force to the public meeting of General Musharaf while like the previous years children were dying of gastro disease and medicines and beds were not available at hospitals.

http://www.paktribune.com/news/index.shtml?177374

 

[Neo]

He has a few valid points, rising trade dificit and foreign debt need to be dealt with properly to sustain growth.

 

[Contrarian]

Neo,. one question.

Why Pakistan is keen on signing FTA with China and many countries? Pakistan mainly has a trade deficit with all these countries. Having an FTA with them would only increase the trade deficit, and hurt Pakistani economy more. The local industry would suffer by the removal or trade barriers from Chinese goods, which would definitely flood the market.

 

[Introvert]

Metal goods production line to be set up: Govt to provide Rs500m

ISLAMABAD, May 7: The government has decided to establish a metal products production line to help produce state-of-the art metal products to boost exports.

Official sources told Dawn here on Monday that metal products used in automobile, textile machinery, tractors, trucks, cookware, sanitary fittings, valves and other similar products will be manufactured as per international standard under the new project to be set up at Daska, Punjab.

The federal government will provide special Rs500m funding for the project.

The local engineering industry has failed to achieve the target set for deletion of import parts as the metal industry was unable to manufacture quality products due to use of out-dated techniques. This can be greatly improved through use of state-of-the art techniques and equipment.

The metal products production line has been proposed by utilising and sharing trained manpower, product design, development and other infrastructure facilities to be set up for both import substitution and export promotion by introducing high quality metal products in the international market.

The production line will also help the local industry to assimilate new technologies.

It was stated that local manufacturing industry lacks modern production (forging and precision casting) facilities due to lacking intensive initial investment in this area.

There will be quality assistance for non-destructive testing according to international requirements.

As Pakistan is in the process of enhancing its exports, it is apparent that the country should concentrate on engineering sector and on its metal industry to enhance its exports through production of value-added high quality metal products.

The establishment of multipurpose manufacturing facilities can play a vital role in promotion of metal products exports. Development of these facilities for manufacturing ferrous and non-ferrous (wrought and cast) components would be utilised by local industries and markets and a lot of foreign exchange would be saved.

"Most of our local small and medium industries are not equipped with modern manufacturing techniques and equipment," says a document submitted to the Planning Commission by the Ministry of Science and Technology which is the sponsoring agency for the project.

The establishment of this project for production of metal products would be very useful for both import and export purposes.

The establishment of metal products production line would also act as a modal project for other local and foreign investors to execute such activities in this sector.

Manufacturing industry is a key to development of a country. However, selection of engineering material and manufacturing processes, especially for auto industries, sanitary fittings, gas pipeline fitting, valves, textile parts and their value-added metal products must conform to standard specifications with highest degree of quality.

Without possessing the multiple manufacturing processes and techniques, commercial manufacturing cannot take part in the national endeavour for attainment of self-reliance in the field of quality metal products for import substitution and export of various metal products.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/05/08/ebr1.htm

 

[Owais]

$6.5 billion record FDI likely this year
ISLAMABAD (May 08 2007): The government expects record foreign direct investment (FDI) of 6.5 billion dollars this year, as faster economic growth attracts companies, including Philip Morris International and Standard Chartered Plc.

Overseas investments in Pakistan in the year ending June 30 may double from the previous year's 129 billion dollars, as the country's economy expanded at an average of 7.5 percent in the past three years, a private TV channel reported.

Pakistan is relying on foreign investments to develop roads and power stations to foster growth and eradicate poverty. The government, which is selling assets to help repay 36 billion dollars of overseas debt, estimates it will raise as much as 15 billion dollars in five years by selling shares in state-owned companies.

The government has raised more than six billion dollars by selling government owned entities in the past 15 years. The Altria Group Inc's Philip Morris said in January it would buy a majority stake in Pakistani cigarette makers, Lakson Tobacco Company for 338.9 million dollars. Standard Chartered Plc, the UK bank that makes two-thirds of its profit in Asia, in September completed a 487 million dollars purchase of Union Bank Ltd, the biggest acquisition in Pakistan's banking history.
http://brecorder.com/index.php?id=561162&currPageNo=1&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Owais]

Chinese business team may visit Pakistan

KARACHI (May 08 2007): A business delegation from Wenzhou city (Zhejiang province), China, is likely to visit Pakistan in the second half of the current year. Wenzhou is one of the largest production base of light industrial products such as spectacle frames, pens, cigarette lighters, badges, valves, magnetic pumps, leather shoes, garments, low voltage electrical items, etc.

The purpose of this visit, which is being organised by Pakistan Consulate General, Shanghai in collaboration with the local China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, is to increase the imports of leather and products from Pakistan and also to explore the possibilities of investment in the following sectors:

Leather shoe garments, magnetic pumps, low voltage equipment, and other products of interest to Pakistani businessmen. Meanwhile, Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), in collaboration with the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka, is organising a high level economic summit in Colombo on June 6 and 8. The summit is an annual event to showcase Sri Lanka as a centre for investment and trade, which will be organised on the lines of India economic summit and the World Economic Forum.

The sessions will cover the Sri Lanka economy, investment opportunities, trade (including FTSs and GSP plus scheme), sectoral investment sessions on tourism, ICT, industry, finance and public-private partnership, infra-structure development, competitiveness and productivity, agro-based industries, apparel and garments, and will provide information opportunities

http://brecorder.com/index.php?id=561257&currPageNo=1&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Owais]

'Government plans to further boost exports in sustainable way'

FAISALABAD (May 08 2007): The government is implementing a comprehensive programme to further boost exports in a sustainable way, based on improving long-term competitiveness. These efforts include expanding market access on favourable terms to world markets such as the EU, USA and key Asian markets, modernising special economic zones, export processing zones.

Industrial parks and IT-parks and encouraging linkages between export-oriented industries and their respective education and training providers. Official sources admitted that integration with global markets through international trade and investment had been an engine of growth in many of the world's economies.

China's value added in most of its export industries is around 25 percent. It has been China's ability to link with other nations in international production chains that has facilitated its dramatic increase in exports. Pakistan has achieved considerable success in global markets in recent years as measured by the growth rate in exports. Pakistan, like many other countries, including China, has adapted to globalisation and created healthy, growing and competitive industries.

Pakistan has engaged in a number of free trade agreements (FTAs) on both the regional and bilateral basis. The agreements include the South Asian Free Trade Agreement (Safta) and FTAs with Sri Lanka, China and Malaysia. The US government is considering an arrangement for preferential market access to the goods produced in the reconstruction opportunity zones (ROZs), to be located in the tribal and other backward areas of Pakistan, through legislation in the US Congress.

The creation of ROZ's would encourage investment by granting duty free entry into United States for certain goods produced in designated territories. Meanwhile, Pakistan's manufacturing exports have grown at an average of just over 7 percent per annum during the last couple of years while global manufacturing exports have grown at 8 percent per annum. The growth in international export markets represents an opportunity to harness these powerful global market forces in ways that could create jobs for Pakistan's workforce.

A domestic market expands in response to growing consumption demand, the production of manufacturing items will increase thereby creating economies of scale. This scale will provide competitive edge to our industries, which will help them to move from basic textile exports to more value added textile items. Therefore, the expansion of domestic market will be a stepping stone into global market, which will help create jobs and reduce poverty.

Pakistan is witnessing the emergence of a strong middle class with growing purchasing power, supporting domestic demand expanding domestic markets, and ultimately emerging as a critical driver of economic growth.

Increase in consumer finance has been recorded at 38.8 percent for FY 06. The growth in consumer loans in 2005-06 remained robust and their scale expanded by 27 percent.

Increased demand for a product elicits a supply response, which generates employment, tightens the labour market, and improves the conditions of employment, principally the wages, as observed. A consumption and export led growth policy will therefore serve to generate employment and decent work quite well.

The intense economic activity in the country has increased per capita income of the people thus raising their standards of living and bringing them prosperity. Some of the important sectors providing the bulk of the supply include agriculture, manufacturing and services.
http://brecorder.com/index.php?id=561192&currPageNo=1&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Owais]

Rs339 billion loans disbursed to private sector


KARACHI: Loans amounting to Rs339 billion were issued to the private sector during July-April current fiscal year, which is higher by 19.8 percent as compared to the last year in the same period.

State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Governor, Dr. Shamshad Akhtar was told this here, while presiding over a maiden meeting of the Private Sector Credit Advisory Council.

Briefing the SBP Governor, it was said that the loans disbursed to the private sector during July-April surged by 12.6 percent. Last year during the same period Rs266 billion loans were issued.

NBP officials in the meeting apprised the Governor of the details of progress as regards to the employment scheme. The Governor was told that the loans valuing Rs1.30 billion were issued to 13,000 applicants thus far under this scheme.

http://geo.tv/geonews/details.asp?id=5609&param=3

 

[Neo]

Neo,. one question.

Why Pakistan is keen on signing FTA with China and many countries? Pakistan mainly has a trade deficit with all these countries. Having an FTA with them would only increase the trade deficit, and hurt Pakistani economy more. The local industry would suffer by the removal or trade barriers from Chinese goods, which would definitely flood the market.

Malay,

FTA is tricky business, it may add up to trade dificit with some countries who have better competative industry like China, therefor you have the BIT agreement which is promoted by the governments to encourage bilateral investments.
Local industry will have to improve quality to stay in the competition whcih again could harm a percentage of the business entities but will have a better overall effect on the economy.

FTA is mainly targetted towards markets where we have quota restriction, once thats gone we'll have a wide range of variety of products which are cheaper and competitive in quality.
Think of bigger consumer markets as EU, USA/Canada and Japan.

 

[Neo]

'Load shedding to help save 500 megawatt'

ISLAMABAD (May 08 2007): The government is expected to save 500-megawatt electricity through load shedding, said member, Power, Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Fazal Ahmad Khan on Monday. Speaking in a PTV programme, he said the Wapda was planning load management according to the instructions of the government, which would help to overcome electricity shortage.

He said that whenever there was a difference between the demand and supply, they planned to overcome it by load management that was the reason the government had ordered closure of all markets at 8 pm to save energy for domestic purposes. He said that the farmers were given instructions to operate their tubewells from 10 pm to 6 am adding if every consumer switched off one bulb, it could save thousands of mega-watt electricity.

By the implementation of these steps, the government would be able to maintain the demand and supply of electricity, he added. Fazal Khan said that the programme of load shedding would be properly advertised through newspapers, adding it would be for two hours and mostly would be observed during peak hours between 7 pm and 11 pm. To overcome the line losses, he said, the surveillance teams were working actively and now this trend was downwards and the Wapda had successfully overcome this issue.

http://www.brecorder.com/index.php?id=561244&currPageNo=1&query=&search=&term=&supDate=

 

[Neo]

May 08, 2007
Metal goods production line to be set up: Govt to provide Rs500m

By Ihtashamul Haque

ISLAMABAD, May 7: The government has decided to establish a metal products production line to help produce state-of-the art metal products to boost exports.

Official sources told Dawn here on Monday that metal products used in automobile, textile machinery, tractors, trucks, cookware, sanitary fittings, valves and other similar products will be manufactured as per international standard under the new project to be set up at Daska, Punjab.

The federal government will provide special Rs500m funding for the project.

The local engineering industry has failed to achieve the target set for deletion of import parts as the metal industry was unable to manufacture quality products due to use of out-dated techniques. This can be greatly improved through use of state-of-the art techniques and equipment.

The metal products production line has been proposed by utilising and sharing trained manpower, product design, development and other infrastructure facilities to be set up for both import substitution and export promotion by introducing high quality metal products in the international market.

The production line will also help the local industry to assimilate new technologies.

It was stated that local manufacturing industry lacks modern production (forging and precision casting) facilities due to lacking intensive initial investment in this area.

There will be quality assistance for non-destructive testing according to international requirements.

As Pakistan is in the process of enhancing its exports, it is apparent that the country should concentrate on engineering sector and on its metal industry to enhance its exports through production of value-added high quality metal products.

The establishment of multipurpose manufacturing facilities can play a vital role in promotion of metal products exports. Development of these facilities for manufacturing ferrous and non-ferrous (wrought and cast) components would be utilised by local industries and markets and a lot of foreign exchange would be saved.

"Most of our local small and medium industries are not equipped with modern manufacturing techniques and equipment," says a document submitted to the Planning Commission by the Ministry of Science and Technology which is the sponsoring agency for the project.

The establishment of this project for production of metal products would be very useful for both import and export purposes.

The establishment of metal products production line would also act as a modal project for other local and foreign investors to execute such activities in this sector.

Manufacturing industry is a key to development of a country. However, selection of engineering material and manufacturing processes, especially for auto industries, sanitary fittings, gas pipeline fitting, valves, textile parts and their value-added metal products must conform to standard specifications with highest degree of quality.

Without possessing the multiple manufacturing processes and techniques, commercial manufacturing cannot take part in the national endeavour for attainment of self-reliance in the field of quality metal products for import substitution and export of various metal products.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/05/08/ebr1.htm

 

[Neo]

May 08, 2007
14.1m lint bales target set for next year

LAHORE, May 7: The government has set cotton target of 14.1 million bales for the next year, says Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock Sikander Hayat Bosan.

Talking to newsmen after inaugurating a workshop on “Drip Irrigation”, here on Monday, the minister said the cotton vision would be launched this year aimed at enhancing cotton production.

The cotton production had fallen to 12.5 million bales last year, dropping from 14.6 million bales in 2004-05. This year, the yield had gone up to 13 million bales and the country would easily cross 14 million bales next year, he hoped.

The minister said that 50 per cent of watercourses would be lined by June this year, which would restore around two million acre feet of water. He said that the government wanted to build new dams, but do so with consensus.

Taking about drip irrigation, he said that a pilot project had been launched to install system at 300,000 acres. The government was bearing 80 per cent of installation cost. The provincial governments had told to identify areas for installing the system, he added.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/05/08/ebr10.htm