PRO 24-11-2012_Layout 1 11/23/2012 10:56 PM Page 1
Saturday, 24 November, 2012
Growers, millers jubilant on ECC decisions Wheat growers welcome new support price ISLAMABAD APP
PESHAWAR APP
G
ROWERS, sugar millers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Friday reciprocated the decision of federal government for increase in the support price of wheat and allowing the export of surplus sugar as a step forward towards bringing agricultural revolution and improvement in the socio-economic conditions. On the growing demand of both growers and sugar milling industry, the Economic Coordination Council (ECC) has decided 14.3 per cent increase in the support of price of 40-kilogram wheat as compare to the price of commodity last year. The support price of wheat, which was last year Rs.1050/- per 40 kilogram for coming crop has been fixed Rs.1200/. Similarly, the ECC has also allowed the export of 400,000 tons of sugar. The decisions of the democratically elected is attracting appreciations not only from farmers and millers, but also from common man, saying the measures will encourage bringing maximum agricultural land under the cultivation of wheat and sugarcane in the country. In this connection, when APP contacted Murad Ali Khan, a leader of a growers’ association in fertile district Charsadda, appreciated the decisions, adding it will prove beneficial for both growers and sugar millers. He said that the present government since coming into power had consecutively increased the support price of wheat, which had ushered better results.
He said that due to the pro-farmers policies, the country which few years backing was importing wheat and sugar is now exporting both commodities and earning foreign exchange for the country. Murad Ali Khan said that increase in the price of support price of wheat and allowing of sugar export will not only improve the socio-economic conditions of farmers, but will also stabilizes the financial viability of sugar industry in the country. Ameerullah Khan, another grower said that the decisions will increase domestic production of both commodities and strengthen the national economy. He said that the decision will help bring maximum area under cultivation and the country will come into position of exporting wheat and wheat products. On contact, Talehmand Khan, a manager at Khazana Sugar Mills (KSM), Peshawar welcomed the decision of allowing the export of 400,000 sugar, adding it will benefit both sugar mills and growers. He said that the decision will bring positive impact on the socio-economic conditions of farming community and will guarantee sufficient supply of sugar for domestic needs. He said that last year, sugar mills 500,000 ton sugar against domestic demand of 44,00,000 ton. He said that the surplus sugar that was laying in the godowns of sugar mills will now be exported to earn foreign exchange. He said that this year, the country is likely to produce 1.6 metric ton surplus sugar. The export of sugar, he said will enable the mills to make payments to growers on time.
Wheat growers have welcomed the government’s new support price of wheat for the year 2012-13 at the rate of Rs. 1200 per 40 kg saying it will encourage the farmers to grow more crop for the benefit of the country. “The increase in the support price for wheat is good step of the government which will encourage the farmers grow crop on maximum area”, said Muhammad Nasir Sarwar, President of Kissan Welfare Association while talking to APP. He, however was of the view that the new price was not according to the farmers’ expectation adding the government did not increase the wheat support price for last three years but during this period prices of agri inputs including diesel, urea and other expenses have gone up marginally. He demanded the government to enhance the support price up to Rs. 2000 per 40 kg and suggested that the government should follow the strategy of targeted subsidy on wheat for the poor segment of the country. Meanwhile, Chief Agriculture Policy Institute (API) Abdul R a u f Chaudhry told this news agency that sufficient inputs like seed, water and fertilizers are available for the sowing of Rabi crops particularly major food crop of the season wheat. According to estimates of Indus River System Authority (IRSA) about 3.4 percent extra water would be available for sowing the wheat crop during the current season, said here on Friday adding that the Water availability during the Rabi season has been estimated about 30.4 Million Acre F e e t (MAF)
whcih is 3.4 percent higher than the last year and up by 7 percent as compared to the last year 7 years. He informed that all the arrangements have been finalized for sowing the Rabi crops as the season starts from October and continues till March for sowing of different crops including w h e a t , mustard and other minor
crops and vegetables to fulfill the domestic requirements. About the fertilizers and pesticides availability, he said that about 2,996 thousand tons of urea
fertilizer are available throughout the season with 684 thousand tons carry forward stocks of last year. According the estimates of National Fertilizer Development Company, out of the total required urea, 1900 thousand tons are domestic produce where as 412 thousand tons are get by import, he added. The estimated off-take of urea will be about 3,000 tons thus the demand and supply position up to June 2013 is expected to remain comfortable depending upon the arrival of scheduled imports, he added. He said that about 943 thousand tons of DAP would be available for Rabi 2012-13 with 227 thousand tons of opening stocks. Out of the total required quantum of the input 336 thousand tons are domestic production where as the remaining quantity will be fulfilled by import. Rauf Chaudhry said that the expected off-take is likely 785 thousand tons during the current season for sowing the wheat crop. five years, he added. Sufficient certified wheat seed at affordable rates are also available as country was receiving bumper crop from last four years and to control the herbicides attack on the crop private sector was also vigilant. It may be recalled that wheat crop is cultivated over 75 percent areas in Punjab, 12 percent in Sindh, 8 percent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 4 percent area over Balochistan. Out of the total wheat out put about 76 percent is produced in Punjab, while Sindh produce 16 percent, KP 5 percent and Balochistan produces 3 percent of total wheat produced across the country. The API head informed that according the data received from the provinces normal sowing of wheat was recorded across the wheat sowing areas, however he said that normal rainfall during the period from January-March would help the country to achieve healthier crop. He further said that timely rainfall in the Potohar region has helped the wheat crop sowing and the cultivated area under wheat crop also witnessed increase.
‘It’s a matter of age’ Cut in used cars age limit to spur auto sector growth: PAAPAM LAHORE ONLINE
The Pakistan Association of Automotive Parts and Accessories Manufacturers has welcomed the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) decision to bring down age limit of used imported cars from five to three years to support the local industry, which had been adversely affected by the huge influx of used cars. PAAPAM Chairman, Munir Bana, and Vice Chairman, Usman Malik, in their joint statement on Friday, said that this decision would go a long way in stimulating the growth of the domestic industry and a flagging economy. Deputy Prime Minister/Senior Industries Minis-
ter, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, deserves appreciation for accepting the auto industry’s plea and moving a proposal for reduction in the age limit of used car imports. “Deputy Prime Minister firmly believed that jobs of 2 million workers of the auto industry must be saved. At PAAPAM’s last annual function, he personally made a commitment to raise his voice against imports of used cars in the interest of domestic industry,” said PAAPAM Chairman Munir Bana. Appreciating Pervaiz Elahi’s services, PAAPAM’s Chairman said that the deputy prime minister had also reduced general sales tax on tractors from 17 % to 5% last year, helping revive the tractor in-
dustry and its allied auto parts manufacturing (APM) units. PAAPAM chairman Munir Bana said that the auto industry was facing a steep decline in production and car assemblers & APMs had retrenched thousands of workers because of continuing imports of used cars. He said that countries like India, Thailand, Malaysia and even Japan protect their local industry by imposing heavy duties to discourage
imports. PAAPAM vice chairman Usman Malik added that in order to protect the employment of 2 million persons directly/indirectly associated with the automotive industry and to encourage foreign investment, it was essential to provide fair protection to local industry. He further said that that during the period 20012007, with the help of stable policies of the government, the automobile industry went through a period of tremendous expansion, with investments of over Rs40 billion and volumes going
up by over 500 per cent. These developments made the auto industry one of the top five industrial sectors of the country in terms of contribution to tax revenue, acquisition of hi-tech manufacturing technologies and generation of employment. Unfortunately, due to import of used vehicles and other adverse policy factors, our industry is now suffering from excess capacity, he added. Immediate past Chairman Syed Nabeel Hashmi whilst expressing his delight at the development thanked the deputy prime minister and also called upon the industry as a whole to respond to the government gesture immediately by further enhancing and speeding up production and local content”.