November 18, 2008	Tuesday	Ziqa'ad 19, 1429

LARKANA, Nov 17: The General Manager of Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Supplies Corporation (Passco) Col (retd) Mohammed Yunis has said that the organisation would begin procurement of paddy from Sindh and Balochistan as soon as it would finalise the contracts with rice mills in both provinces.

Talking to journalists here on Monday he said that Passco would sign contracts only with the mills that would ensure buying Irri-6 paddy at the rate of Rs700 per 40 kilograms from the growers.

He said the Irri-6 rice variety would be purchased at the rate of Rs1400 per 40 kilograms and disclosed the Passco was asked to procure 500,00 tons of rice from Sindh and Balochistan.

The Passsco official who also leads a five-member team, responding to a question, said that the organisation was only bound to purchase the targeted amount so as to stabilise the prices and extend maximum benefit to the growers.