LARKANA, Dec 16: Sindh Chamber of Agriculture (SCA) demanded on Saturday equal flat rate of water throughout the country and end of agriculture tax.

District SCA President Siraj Rashdi said while speaking at a workshop on guava orchards that if the government was serious about boosting agriculture sector, it should announce subsidy on all the agriculture inputs and introduce flat water rates. Like Punjab, the government should fix Rs100 per acre water charges in Sindh to encourage development of orchards, he suggested.

Disparity in water share coupled with battered law and order situation had led to ruination of fertile lands and guava orchards adding to the woes of farmers and small growers, he said.

Former ambassador Abdul Razzak Soomro called for provision of modern facilities to encourage guava production and assessing the possibilities of establishing guava related industry in the district.

He suggested beginning an air cargo service from Mohenjodaro airport to boost the fruit’s export and encourage investment in its orchards. Sindh's guava, with more sucrose quantity, was better than India's and could compete with Indian fruit in international market, he said.