Pakistan Oilseed Development Board (PODB) convened a meeting of the stakeholders on sunflower cultivation and planning for the year 2010-11 here on Monday, which set a target of sowing the crop over an area of 11,45,000 acres of land. Participants of the meeting were from different seed companies, solvent extractors association, representatives of agricultural departments of Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhawa and Balochistan and other stakeholders.
Managing Director, PODB Syed Muhammad Nasir Ali chaired the meeting where all the stakeholders resolved not only to achieve the sunflower sowing target for the coming season, but also to surpass it. While the representatives of the solvent extractors association assured to buy the production at the support price of Rs 1800 per maund as announced by the government.
Representatives of various seed companies present on this occasion assured to meet the requirement of about 3000 metric tons of hybrid seed to achieve the sowing target for the next season, Nasir Ali told Business Recorder after the meeting. Giving break-up of province wise targets, he said that it has been targeted that sunflower would be sown on an area of 400,000 acres in Punjab, 6,25,000 acres in Sindh, 25000 acres in KPK and 50,000 acres in Balochistan. In addition to this, efforts would be made to surpass sowing target in Sindh by 45000 acres.
Nasir Ali further said that Sindh Rural Support Organisation would distribute free seed amongst the farmers for 80,000 acres of land in the Sindh province. Same model will be developed for other provinces with the support of other organisation, Nasir added.
He further said that the meeting also approved to pursue all the sowing techniques to meet the targets including inter-cropping with sugarcane and relay cropping. He said that the Board would launch demonstration and exhibition plots to attract the farmers for these techniques. He said that the Board would also arrange 'farmers' field days' and other activities to promote sowing of sunflower in the country.
Nasir said that the meeting also reviewed the collaboration with the provincial agriculture (extension) departments and private sector and resolved to keep up its already established liaison with the provinces for the season 2010-11 as well.
Throwing light on various activities, he said that the meeting also decided to plant demonstration plants mainly near roads of towns/villages throughout the country and carrying out wall chalking comprising oilseeds growing slogans to ensure conveying practical demonstration of production technicalities at the door steps of the farming community.
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