Govt pledges to facilitate rice sector
The government of Punjab is giving a 50% subsidy on micronutrients and its leadership is fully committed to introducing more measures to facilitate the rice sector, said provincial Minister for Agriculture Malik Nauman Ahmad Langrial.
Speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) on Friday, the minister said farmers would be given transplanters and rice harvesters at 50% discount while relief would also be given on the purchase of rice choppers.
Speaking about the measures planned by the government, the minister said the political leadership would coordinate with rice exporters in the use of pesticides.
He stressed that competition should be held among farmers to encourage good-quality and increased production, adding that the government was working to develop a long-grain Basmati rice, which was acceptable internationally.
Speaking on the occasion, LCCI Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar pointed to the lack of research and development activities, especially for developing hybrid seed varieties for Basmati rice.
“Despite the fact that we have the most suitable soil for Basmati cultivation, other countries have developed more varieties of hybrid rice,” he said.
Asghar pointed out that the most effective remedy for the high cost of production was to increase the per acre yield, which had been witnessed in case of coarse variety. Hybrid rice had replaced Irri rice and the yield jump in Sindh was tremendous, he said.
Asghar stressed the need for working in collaboration with private and public research institutes in order to introduce new hybrid varieties for Basmati rice, which could ensure a quantum jump in production, leading to more export surplus as well as economic wellbeing of the farmers.
He also called on the private sector to participate in the seed development process. He outlined the areas that needed intensive work including seed development, better farm practices and higher yields through water management, mechanical transplantation, research and development.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 12th, 2020.
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