The government has decided to increase the allocation in Pakistan Social Development Program (PSDP) for agriculture sector from existing portion of Rs 12 billion to Rs 23 billion in next fiscal year for improving infrastructure.
Talking to newsmen on Saturday at the Karachi Cotton Association (KCA), Federal Food, Agriculture and Livestock Minister Sikandar Hayat Bosan said that for improving the agriculture infrastructure, the government has decided to further increase the PSDP by Rs 11 billion for the agriculture sector in fiscal 2007-08. He said the government is focusing on the agriculture sector and this can be judged from the government spending on this sector under the PSDP, which has been enhanced from Rs 290 million to Rs 12 billion this fiscal year and will reached Rs 23 billion in next fiscal year.
The minister said the government also has decided to continue providing urea at subsidised prices to growers for enhancing agriculture production. "We have provided subsidy by Rs 12 billion this year, which will continue next year also", he added. Sikandar Hayat Bosan said that Rs 6 billion subsidies would be provided on DAP and as well as Rs 6 billion on urea to facilitate the farmers for enhanced production of all major crops in the country.
Earlier, addressing the KCA members, he pointed out the Cabinet had passed "Plant Breeders Rights" bill to provide a way to the international seed-breed companies and enhance the private sector''s investment in the seed breeding.
This bill had been pending for long, but now it will be shortly submitted in the National Assembly and after that the President will be requested to pass an Ordinance for its speedy implementation, he added.
He said this bill would help in the introduction and breeding of seed of bacillus thuringieusis (Bt) cotton in Pakistan. The leading Bt cottonseed developers and suppliers, the Monsanto of USA and ICI are in touch with the ministry and they have shown keen interest in marketing this seed in Pakistan, he added.
Bosan said there is no any ban on the hedge trading of the cotton by Minfal. KCA Chairman Akbar Ali Hashwani, in his address of welcome, urged the minister to encourage the use of Bt cotton to get better acreage. He said India has increased its cotton production to 27 million bales during 2006-07 by switching to 37 percent of its total acreage to Bt cotton. Hashwani also appealed to the minister to allow hedge trading in the cotton business as the Minfal committee has recommended its implementation. Minfal Secretary Ismail Qureshi, TCP Chairman Abdul Malik, PCCC Vice Chairman Badar Ibad Siddiqui, PCSI Director Liaqat Ali, Naseem Usman and others were also present on the occasion.
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