July 27, 2007	Friday	Rajab 11, 1428

ISLAMABAD, July 26: The government plans to increase horticulture export from $150 million to $1 billion by 2012 by using innovative methods and promoting financing and competitiveness of the horticulture sector in the country.

This was agreed during the first meeting of the implementation committee of the Task Force on Finance and Competitiveness of the horticulture sector in Pakistan on Thursday.

The meeting was chaired by Zia-ur-Rehman, secretary ministry of food, agriculture and livestock (Minfal) and was attended by the representatives of the various relevant ministries, concerned provincial departments and the agri-business marketing institutions.

The Competitive Support Fund (CSF) is providing technical and financial assistance to have a competitive economy by providing input into policy decisions, working to improve regulatory and administrative frameworks and enhancing public-private partnership within the country.

CSF is a joint venture of the ministry of finance and the United Stated Agency for International Development (USAID). The CSF is providing $1.5 billion in aid to Pakistan over five years to improve economic growth, education, health, and governance.

Speaking on the occasion Arthur Bayhan, chief executive officer of CSF briefed the members of the implementation committee about the new methods used in several emerging market economies to promote financing and competitiveness of the sectors that have potential to grow.

He explained the structure and the functionality of the Task Force, as well as, of the sub-committees that were set-up by the meeting of the Task Force chaired by Dr Salman Shah, adviser to the prime minister on finance and economic affairs on the July 12.

Mr. Zia-ur-Rehman, secretary Minfal in his concluding remarks told the members of the implementation committee that the primary objective of this initiative was to identify the potential investment areas, where Pakistan can attract large foreign companies for joint ventures in the horticulture sector and also to identify innovative

Projects, which CSF can assist through its matching grant window.

The committee of the Task Force is chaired by the secretary of the Minfal and consists of the active operational agencies mainly involved with the horticulture industry i.e. Pakistan Horticulture Development and Export Board, Trade Development Authority of Pakistan, Minfal, ADB Agribusiness Development and Diversification Project, Agricultural Support Fund, Smeda, Pisdac (Horticulture SWOG) and provincial secretaries of agriculture.

The implementation committee has also established operational sub-committees that would generate specific action items and work to coordinate the work already being undertaken by the government line agencies, projects and the private sector. These sub-committees are to analyse the current situation in the horticulture industry and report back to the Task Force. Where necessary the sub-committees will identify areas that require further intervention and liaise with the relevant line ministries, agencies and institutions.

The four sub-committees provisionally constituted are on horticulture-business finance chaired by Javed Malik, additional secretary in the ministry of finance, a sub-committee on infrastructure chaired by Mushtaq Malik, secretary of the Board of Investment, a sub-committee for quality, standards and regulation chaired by Dr. Kauser Abdullah Malik, member Planning Commission and a sub-committee for production, processing and marketing chaired by Salim Jharga, additional secretary of Minfal.The ministry of finance established the Task Force for Horticulture Finance and Competitiveness (TFHFC) early this month to bring the stakeholders together on one platform. The Task Force at its initial brainstorming meeting on July 12 decided that an Implementation Committee would be formed and chaired by the secretary Minfal. It was also decided that the Board of Investment (BoI) would move a summary declaring the horticulture sector as a recognised industry in Pakistan.