Specially designed Guard World paddy harvesters, manufactured in China and incorporating proven Japanese technology were launched at a ceremony held at the Rice Research Institute, Kala Shah Kaku on Thursday. Punjab Minister for Excise and Taxation Mian Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman was the chief guest on this occasion and the ceremony was attended by a large number of farmers and growers from Central Punjab.
The machines imported by Guard Agricultural Research and Services, incorporate the revolutionary Rotary Threshing System, which is ideally suited to harvesting all types of rice, more specifically Basmati Rice which being slender and extra long grain requires delicate handling at harvest time to prevent unnecessary grain breakage.
The Rotary Threshing System is based on the 'rubbing' principle as opposed to the 'beating' principle, which results in grain breakage. According to Japanese government agency JIICA, farmers in Pakistan lose about 20 to 25 per cent of their crop through pre and post harvest losses. Guard World paddy harvesters have shown that rice farmers stand to gain tangible benefits in terms of minimising grain breakage and cutting their pre and post harvest losses.
Speaking at the occasion Mian Mujtaba Shuja ur Rehman the Provincial Minister for Excise and Taxation stressed the need for the private sector to undertake research with the aim of making Pakistan self reliant in bio technology. He said that farmers should go for latest technology as it would not only help them increasing their per acre yield but by using machines they could ensure timely harvesting and thrashing and increase their profits.
He said that the Punjab government was paying special attention for development and progress of the agriculture sector. For this purpose it initiated green tractor scheme and providing 10,000 tractors with a subsidy of Rs two billion.
He said that 200,000 acres of land would also be distributed amongst landless farmers so they could not only earn their livelihood but could also increase production of crops in the province. He said that the government was also taking steps for provision of fertilisers and seeds. Shahzad Malik, the CEO of Guard Agriculture sympathised with the growers on the low price of paddy and urged the government to ensure that Passco procure the paddy crop from farmers at the announced price.