FAISALABAD: On the eve of International Women’s Day, workers are seen sorting out potatoes in a field on Monday. According to a report, some 70 per cent rural female labour force are engaged in farm production and related jobs. Most of these women work 16 hours a day and are heavily burdened by their double roles as paid or unpaid workers and family care providers.—APP
FAISALABAD: On the eve of International Women’s Day, workers are seen sorting out potatoes in a field on Monday. According to a report, some 70 per cent rural female labour force are engaged in farm production and related jobs. Most of these women work 16 hours a day and are heavily burdened by their double roles as paid or unpaid workers and family care providers.—APP

LAHORE: The country has exported 120,000 tonnes of potato in the last three months, Punjab’s Minister for Agriculture Farrukh Javed said on Monday.

Around 34,483 tonnes have gone to the United Arab Emirates, 41,283 to Sri Lanka, 11,231 to Malaysia, 2,977 to Qatar, 18,637 to Bahrain, 6,989 to Oman, 1,045 to Kuwait, 191 to the Maldives, 492 to Singapore, 875 to Russia and 59 tonnes to Somalia.

He said duty-free exports and government’s facilitation to exporters had helped produce positive results. Potato has been cultivated over 400,000 acres this year, which is 3.5 per cent higher than the last year. Keeping in view the average production of last five years at 3.36 million tonnes (95 per cent) in Punjab, there would still be a surplus of at least 300,000 tonnes in the province which should be exported, the minister said.

The prime objective of the government was to benefit growers for their hard work, and ensuring better prices through exports was one way of doing this, he said. “Farmers are getting direct benefit from potato exports and we will continue to export surplus crop. The government of Punjab is spending billions of rupees on several agricultural projects to benefit the farming community.”

Mr Javed added: “Indian products are banned in Europe, America, Russia and many other countries. In contrast, Pakistani food commodities are welcomed all over the world due to its best quality.

“The province had a bumper potato crop this year so we decided to make arrangements for exports on a massive level. With cooperation of the federal government, Punjab connected farmers and exporters, and positive results are for everyone to see.”

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2016

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.