Rising edible oil price in international market has motivated the sunflower growers to increase the sowing area as it is now being cultivated on 0.7-0.8 million acres and canola on 0.4 million acres, a senior official of the ministry of food, agriculture and livestock (Minfal) told Business Recorder here on Thursday.
For the last five years, the cultivation of oilseeds has increased. "The sunflower that was grown on 0.1 million acres five years ago, is now cultivated on 0.7-0.8 million acres. Similarly, canola was grown on 7 to 8,000 acres only five years ago while now it is being sown on 0.4 million acres.
He disclosed that the country has imported oil seeds worth Rs 54 billion (almost 900 million dollars) in 2006. "The oilseeds is the biggest commodity after petroleum and its import is increasing every year", he said.
According to the official, the change in prices of edible oil in international market has compelled the growers to think about sowing minor crops. The growers usually don't opt for cultivating minor crops as the main focus remain on the major crops like sugarcane, cotton and wheat that give much profit to the growers than the minor crops, he explained. Ethanol and bio-diesel can be produced by oilseeds. That is the main reason behind increase in prices of edible oil on international level.
Comments
Comments are closed.