The Federal Government is planning to make an upward revision in the support price of sunflower crop for 2010-11 from Rs 1800 per 40kg to Rs 2000 per 40kg to attract the growers towards this important oilseed crop.
Sources in Pakistan Oilseed Development Board (PODB) told Business Recorder here on Monday that its high-ups took the issue of increasing international oilseed prices especially of Palm Oil with the representatives of All Pakistan Solvent Extractor's Association (APSEA) and convinced them to give similar advantage to domestic growers also by enhancing the already announced support price of sunflower crop for the current season by Rs 200 per maund.
'APSEA has voluntarily agreed to revise and enhance the sunflower procurement price for year 2010-11 from Rs 1800 per 40 kilograms to Rs 2000 per 40 kilograms. Last year the procurement price was Rs 1600 per 40 kilograms,' the sources claimed.
Increase in the support price would not only help achieving the sowing target of 11,45,000 acres of land throughout the country but might convince the growers to rethink and enhance the cropping area under sunflower, the sources hoped. It may be mentioned that a recently convened meeting in Lahore, Pakistan Oilseed Development Board (PODB) after consultation with the stakeholders set a target of sowing the crop over an area of 11,45,000 acres of land.
According to the province wise break up, target for sowing sunflower in Punjab was set at 400,000 acres, 6,25,000 acres in Sindh, 25,000 acres in KP and 50,000 acres in Balochistan. In addition to this, it was also decided to make efforts to surpass sowing target in Sindh by 45,000 acres. Talking about the progress of sowing, the sources said that 70 percent of the sowing target in Sindh had already been achieved.
While funds had also been released recently to provide free seed and other inputs to sunflower growers of 93,000 acres of land in the flood hit areas of the province. They said that these seeds and inputs would soon be released to the growers. These seeds and inputs are being given to farmers under Sindh Rural Support Programme, the sources added.
Regarding Punjab, sources stated that 10 percent area in Rahim Yar Khan and Sadiqabad had already been brought under sunflower cultivation. Nevertheless, the best suitable time for sowing of sunflower in Punjab starts from December, so hopefully, target in the province would also be achieved.
The Board is implementing all the sowing techniques to meet the targets including setting up of demonstration and exhibition plots to attract the farmers for these techniques. The Board would also arrange 'farmers' field days' and other activities to promote sowing of sunflower in the country, the sources concluded.
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