THATTA, April 11: The director of Pakistan Oil Seed Board (POSB), Sindh, Waris Shaikh, has said a palm oil mill would soon be established in Thatta which would help reduce import of palm oil that was at 1.2 million tons per year and the highest imported item next to petrol in the country.

He was speaking at a field workshop of the Pakistan Coconut and Palm Oil Society (PCPOS),

Speaking on the occasion, PCPOS chairman Kokab said the establishment of a palm oil and coconut estate was the need of hour.

Expressing concern about the failure of the Coastal Development Authority (CDA) for appropriate planning in the sector despite lapse of over seven years, he said the ongoing project had been initiated with an investment of Rs89 million in Thatta and Badin coastal belt but it would require more funds for its complete implementation.

Lekhraj Kela, conservator, forest department, Thatta, said the forest afforestation wing of Sindh forest department would achieve its target of palm and coconut tree plantation on 5,500 acres of land in Thatta and Badin coastal belt till Dec 2003.

He said the project had been handed over to Sindh forest department from the CDA in July 2001.

He said the forest department had the plantation target of five years but it could not have extended the plantation beyond about 1,100 acres of land yet.

He said the department had bought 20,000 seedlings of palm and coconut trees besides receiving 16,000 seedlings from the POSB and sowed the seeds on 1,600 acres of land in the coastal belt. He hoped that till 2005, the department would complete plantation on more than 12,500 acres in the zone.