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| October 28, 2005 | Friday | Ramzan 23, 1426 |
US mission conducting rice survey
LARKANA, Oct 27: The embassy of the United States in Pakistan has undertaken a survey of the rice crop in the country through the International Food Support Programme. M. Shafiqur Rehman, rice consultant in the embassy, arrived here on Wednesday and held meetings with rice growers, traders and the district committee of the Larkana Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
He said: “We are compiling data regarding the crop that will be put on a website for information.”
He said the production of rice had increased by 15 to 20 per cent in Pakistan during the current year.
Mr Rehman had already visited the rice growing belt in Punjab.
He said that Punjab had 90 per cent crop of Basmati variety.
In Sindh, the IRRI-6 variety was cultivated with only 10 per cent rice of other varieties, he said.
The consultant said the rate of Basmati rice was $650 per ton in the international market while the IRRI-6 was available for $353 to $360 per ton.
He said that the US’s IFSP would complete its survey and assessment within a couple of weeks.
The Pakistan government would also conduct such survey separately after six months, he said.
Mr Rehman said the major portion of agriculture land in Sindh had been inflicted with water-logging and salinity and termed them a serious threat to agriculture.
He stressed on the need to control them on urgent basis.
He said that he would go to Hyderabad and Karachi after visiting Sukkur, Shikarpur and Larkana to compile his report, which would be finalized within a couple of weeks.
Gada Hussain Mahisar, president of the Sindh-Balochistan Rice Millers and Traders Association, Mohammed Azam Shaikh, president of the LCCI, Qamaruddin Shaikh, a miller from Shahdadkot, Ahmed Farooqi, a progressive grower and Hafiz Suleman Shaikh, former president of the LCCI, criticized the government for ignoring the agriculture sector.
They said a particular lobby in the government wanted to destroy the country’s agriculture.
They blamed the ad hoc set-up in the country for poor performance of the Agriculture Price Commission (APC) and other related departments.
Sindh and Balochistan produce 2.4 million tons of rice annually out of which 90 per cent was IRRI-6.
The two provinces export 50 per cent of its yield.
They said the government was neglecting the agriculture sector on one hand and on the other hand a group of rice exporters in Karachi was fleecing growers, traders and millers by monopolizing the export.
They criticized the prime minister for addressing meetings of the MQM but not talking to millers and traders.
They said that 20 per cent rice was wasted due to old machinery.
Azam Shaikh presented the guest with a Sindhi cap and Ajrak.
Protest: A procession was taken out in Qambar on Saturday against the arrest of Abdul Sattar Haikro, central vice chairman of the Jeay Sindh Muttahida Mahaz.
The procession was led by Dr Niaz Kalani, the central vice chairman of the Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mahaz, Ms Anwar Khatoon, the mother of the arrested leader.
The sisters of the arrested, Saeeda Hakiro and Aisha Hakiro, also took part in the protest.
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