LAHORE: Pakistan has surplus wheat and is looking for markets to export it, said National Food Security and Research Minister Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan here on Tuesday.

Talking to the media after addressing the opening session of the two-day conference on ‘Livestock and dairy development: the role of social sector and rural community’ jointly organised by the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) and Helping Hand for Relief and Development (HHRD) and Pakistan Agriculture Scientists Forum, he hoped the wheat sowing target would be achieved this year as well.

Prices of wheat and rice were decreasing worldwide, whereas they are increasing in Pakistan due to high cost of production. For discussing the issue of cost of production, the federal ministry would convene a meeting of all chief ministers within next one month and also take up the matter with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR).

Bosan said the government had decided to give direct subsidy of Rs5,000 per acre to the rice growers. A committee had been formed on prime minister’s direction to discuss how to reduce the cost of production of different commodities, he added.

He said the government would focus on the recommendations (of the conference) for improving the livestock sector because it generated gainful employment in the rural areas, particularly for small farmers and women.

However, he said, its development at rural level was constrained by low productivity, prevalence of diseases, poor management, nutrition and vaccination. The government had always been supportive to the sector and providing most enabling environment to its growth and expansion, he added.

“I am sure with the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders, the sector will be able to perform at its maximum potential during the years ahead. I would urge the private sector to initiate an awareness programme for the livestock farmers regarding vaccination and improved husbandry practices for the livestock production,” he said.

Earlier, in his opening remarks Vice-Chancellor Talat Naseer Pasha said that for the growth of dairy and meat sector, the needs to support the farming communities in disease control, enhancement of feed resources and other inputs. “The dairy sector is badly hit by zero duty on the import of skimmed milk powder, which is being dumped here. The milk prices have gone down to $2,200 per ton due to ban on import of dairy products by Russia. China can be a potential source for export of meat and its products,” he said.

“Pakistan also needs to start school milk programmes and provide an egg a day to our children to attract them to schools, improve their health and solve issue of malnutrition, as well as provide market to our dairy and poultry farmers,” he suggested.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2014