December 19, 2002	Thursday	Shawwal 14, 1423

ISLAMABAD, Dec 18: The palm oil plantation project run by the Pakistan Oilseed Development Board (PODB) on trial basis in coastal area of Sindh has yielded positive results.

These results in terms of quantity and quality of oil extracted from these trees, an expert remarked, were sufficiently encouraging to extend the project with the aim to realise the optimal potential of 700-mile long coastal area of Pakistan where oil palm can be planted.

The country, he pointed out, had already spent $225 million on import of palm oil during the current financial year. This burden on limited foreign exchange resources could be minimised within the foreseeable future if the experiment initiated in 1996 was taken to its logical conclusion.

Oilpalm plantation could serve as a weapon for poverty alleviation in the coastal areas by raising the people’s incomes, the expert stressed. The government’s support to the project, however, left much to be desired: Out of Rs9.5 million sanctioned for the project for 2002-03, the government had made available only Rs4.2 million that too after inordinate delay of about six months.

Conducted over 1040 acres in Thatta, Badin and Tando Mohammad Khan (Sindh) and Vinder (Balochistan) since 1996, the oil extracted from the fruit of oil palms is at par with the international standards, a PODB official told Dawn here on Wednesday.

Thus the source claimed that the oil extracted from palm fruit was 45 per cent as against 44-48 per cent under the parameters set by the Pakistan Standards Institution.

Besides prompt decision by the government to undertake the oil palm plantation in other areas, the source underlined the urgency of establishment of a solvent/expellent unit close to the plantation. This was essential because the fruit must reach the factory within 24 hours. Any delay in this regard reduces the output and quality of oil.

The source figured out certain peculiar characteristics of the plantation in Pakistan. For example, as against four years required by a tree in Malaysia, the oil palms in Pakistan had come to full fruition after only 30 months. The fruit bunch of the Pakistani too was larger - 18 kg as against the standard 10 kg.

In scientific literature, oil palm plant is sensitive to salinity. In Pakistan, plants had grown up in saline soil.

To a question, the source admitted that oil palm required a lot of water. But the PODB had devised a mechanism whereby the water consumption is reduced to one-fourth. It lies in provision of plant-to-plant irrigation channels.

Calculated on the basis of 150 kg of oil per tree and 60 trees per acre, the income to the farmer accruing from oil palm plantation would be Rs50,000 per annum. As regards his investment, the source said it would be Rs3,000 per acre on account of initial cost plus Rs4,500 on account of subsequent maintenance of palm trees.

During the initial four years, it would be possible to grow other crops. After that period, the farmer would be fully compensated through income from palm oil, the source argued.

To a question, he pointed out that not all the 700 miles of coastal area was in prime condition for optimal yield. According to a survey conducted by Pakistan Agricultural Research Council in 1997, the total area where palm tree could be grown was over 3.86 million hectares.

Out of this, only 95,415 hectare-area was well suited, 4.63,226 hectares moderately suited, 7,97,580 hectares marginally suited, 9,92,648 hectares marginally suited but needing perennial irrigation and adequate drainage.

He reinforced his argument: Malaysian experts, who came to Pakistan in 1995, after a survey, reported that Thatta, Badin and Hub were suitable for oil palm plantation. Tando Mohammad Khan was “fairly suitable”. Where needed, soil should be reclaimed, they had recommended.