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Minfal to brief CE on agri-situation shortly

AMER SIAL

ISLAMABAD: Chief Executive General Pervaz Musharraf would be given a detailed briefing on the overall agriculture situation of the country in a couple of days, said sources in Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (Minfal).

The summary prepared for the Chief Executive is likely to form the basis of the agriculture reforms that the government intends to take in the near future, sources said.

According to sources, Minfal was directed by the government to prepare a detailed summary on agriculture and now final touches are being given to the presentation, which contains proposals to increase productivity by overcoming problems.

Sources said that the government is specially interested in increasing the domestic wheat, oilseed and tea production so as to lower the import bill.

Minfal has taken the stand in the summary that the local wheat production is sufficient to meet our requirements but due to porous borders it gets smuggled and control of smuggling is not under its jurisdiction.

For increasing the tea and oilseed production, Minfal has proposed establishment of industrial units as without their presence farmers could not be motivated to grow tea and oilseed as they see no buyers for their products.

Self-sufficiency in sugar was gained after a large number of sugar plants were established in various parts of the country and the growers were tempted to increase sugarcane cultivation as the hope for a good profit was there, said sources.

The summary asks for incentives for setting up an industry which could help in increasing the production of agriculture value added products, like establishment of fruit processing plants.

Minfal has also asked the government to address the problem of the increasing water scarcity in coming years by establishment of new reservoirs, said sources.