Federal Minister for Industries, Production and Special Initiatives, Jahangir Khan Tareen on Saturday said that manufacturing sector was likely to register 9-10 percent growth during the current financial year.
While talking to newsmen after inaugurating first mobile chillers at the office of Pakistan Dairy Development Company (PDDC), the minister said that the government was going to introduce a special package for the textile sector.
Federal Secretary, Ministry of Industries, Production and Special Initiatives, Shahab Khawaja and PDDC Chief Executive Officer Geoff Walker were also present on the occasion.
He said that Pakistan had grown to be the fourth largest producer of milk in the world with a total production of 32 billion liters a year. He further revealed that 100 model dairy farms would be set up by the end of this month while the target of setting up of 1000 farms across the country would likely to be achieved by the end of next financial year and directed the company to take necessary measures to achieve the target.
If modern farming is adopted, the milk production can be increased by about 30 percent and this is the only way to keep the milk prices under control. The government succeeded in maintaining cement price between Rs 220-240 by enhancing production. Similarly sugar prices are low in Pakistan, which are moving around Rs 28 per kilogram while the sugar prices remained high in past, he added. However, we are helpless when our raw material depends upon import like Ghee as the palm oil prices have gone up from $450 to $800 per metric ton which pushed Ghee prices locally, he maintained.
To a question, he said that the palm oil importers/Ghee manufacturers could not be granted in a relief in the budget because they usually do not pass on it to the public.