Minister assures Balochistan farmers of assistance
Says foreign fruits and vegetables will not be allowed in market
PHOTO: APP
ISLAMABAD:
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, on Friday, assured farmers that the government would not allow import of fruits and vegetables from neighbouring countries as long as local commodities were available in the market.
The minister was addressing the concluding ceremony of training course on ‘Skill Development of Balochistan farmers’ at the National Agricultural Research Centre (Narc).
“As long as fruits and vegetables are available in the market, we will not allow import from our neighbouring countries,” said Bosan.
He assured the farming community the government’s commitment and said the Iranian apples have not been imported through Balochistan; rather they came through the Turkham Border.
Highlighting the importance of water availability, the minister said the development of water reservoirs and dams in Balochistan was crucial; however, he added that after the 18th Amendment in the constitution; the resources have been shifted to the provincial governments, so they need to take measures to build such facilities.
The minister said that the federal government would definitely assist in building dams; however, it was the duty of provincial governments to take initiatives. “Provinces have adequate funds to build such facilities.”
He said that the budget of his ministry had been reduced from Rs32 billion to just Rs1 billion after the 18th amendment. “Nevertheless, measures would be initiated to build tube-wells in the province to facilitate farmers,” said Bosan.
While emphasising the need for providing training to farmers, he said that the government aimed to train as many as 1,000 local Balochi farmers through on-going training programme initiated by Narc.
He said 1,000 farmers would be provided training through the same programme in the next phase.
Narc has trained as many as 331 farmers of Baluchistan out of the total 1000 targeted under its training programme.
Speaking on the occasion, Narc Director General Dr Muhammad Azeem Khan said the agriculture projects worth Rs360 million were being carried out in the Balochistan province.
He said planting olive on about 20, 000 hector land and cultivation of pistachio in Balochistan was also on the cards.
The event, among others, was attended by farmers of Balochistan and senior officials of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council and Narc.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 19th, 2016.
Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research, Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan, on Friday, assured farmers that the government would not allow import of fruits and vegetables from neighbouring countries as long as local commodities were available in the market.
The minister was addressing the concluding ceremony of training course on ‘Skill Development of Balochistan farmers’ at the National Agricultural Research Centre (Narc).
“As long as fruits and vegetables are available in the market, we will not allow import from our neighbouring countries,” said Bosan.
He assured the farming community the government’s commitment and said the Iranian apples have not been imported through Balochistan; rather they came through the Turkham Border.
Highlighting the importance of water availability, the minister said the development of water reservoirs and dams in Balochistan was crucial; however, he added that after the 18th Amendment in the constitution; the resources have been shifted to the provincial governments, so they need to take measures to build such facilities.
The minister said that the federal government would definitely assist in building dams; however, it was the duty of provincial governments to take initiatives. “Provinces have adequate funds to build such facilities.”
He said that the budget of his ministry had been reduced from Rs32 billion to just Rs1 billion after the 18th amendment. “Nevertheless, measures would be initiated to build tube-wells in the province to facilitate farmers,” said Bosan.
While emphasising the need for providing training to farmers, he said that the government aimed to train as many as 1,000 local Balochi farmers through on-going training programme initiated by Narc.
He said 1,000 farmers would be provided training through the same programme in the next phase.
Narc has trained as many as 331 farmers of Baluchistan out of the total 1000 targeted under its training programme.
Speaking on the occasion, Narc Director General Dr Muhammad Azeem Khan said the agriculture projects worth Rs360 million were being carried out in the Balochistan province.
He said planting olive on about 20, 000 hector land and cultivation of pistachio in Balochistan was also on the cards.
The event, among others, was attended by farmers of Balochistan and senior officials of Pakistan Agricultural Research Council and Narc.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 19th, 2016.