The Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) has approved the extension of scheme "Establishment of coconut and palm oil farms" in the coastal zone of Sindh at a revised estimated cost of Rs 148.547 million till 2008. The scheme will be executed by the Sindh Forest Department under the sponsorship, monitoring and evaluation control of the Coastal Development Authority Sindh (SCDA).
It was first revised and approved on October 4, 2002 at a cost of Rs 89.544 million with a life span of 10 years from 1994-95 to 2004-2005.
The scheme's objectives are to raise coconut on 3,200 acres while oilpalm will be raised on 800 acres of forest land in Thatta district.
However, 40 acres have been earmarked for raising of coconut nursery for new plantation and supply to the private sector.
The scheme expects to import 682,000 numbers of improved varieties of coconut seeds, while inter-cropping will be done on 3,000 acres of coconut and oilpalm plantation area.
It may be mentioned here that the SCDA has launched a scheme for oilpalm plantation on 2,000 acres in coastal areas of Thatta and Badin districts, which has been reflected in the 2004-05 Annual Development Plan (ADP) its economic analysis shows that by 2011-12, the net benefit will start rising from Rs 2.9 million to Rs 70,000 million each years.
Experience of the SCDA and the Pakistan Oilpalm Development Board in the coastal areas of Balochistan and Sindh bear testimony to the fact that oilpalm can be done.
Experts believe that the potential areas in Sindh, suitable for oilpalm plantation, are Matli, Tando Mohammad Khan, Nindo Shah, Tando Bago, Kunri, Umer Kot, Digri, Jhudo, Jamesabad, Tando Allayhar, Mirpurkhas, Khipro, Hala, Talhar, Keti Bandar, Ghora Bari, Shah Bandar, Pir Putho, Ghuhar Jamali, Thatta and Ghulamullah.
The total area comes to around 558,641 hectares.
Comments
Comments are closed.