Farmers of Punjab and Sindh are not taking interest in the cultivation of oil-seed like sun-flower, soya bean, Casanba, rapeseed, and other oilseed in the country in spite of increasing the support price of Rs 1,600 per 40kg for sunflower seed for the year 2009-10, claiming that the price was reasonable keeping in view existing circumstances and farmers did not lend ear to the lucrative offer of the government.
They had cultivated sun flower on 3,5000 acres of land against the target of 1.2 million acres merely 33 percent of the target fixed by the government which showed complete failure of Pakistan Oilseed Development Board (PODB).
All Pakistan Solvent Extractors Association (APSEA) spokesman said that cultivation of key oilseed crops has dropped significantly in the country and there are fears that even 50 percent of sowing target cannot be achieved. According to official sources, out of the target of about 1.2 million acres for cultivation of sunflower crop, only around 0.35 million acres could be brought under the crop so far.
The sowing period of this important crop will end this month. An official of the Pakistan Oilseed Development Board (PODB) said here on Wednesday that sunflower sowing had almost completed in Sindh where it was cultivated over 250,000 acres against the target of 650,000 acres.
A similar pattern was also noted in Punjab as cultivation could be done only on 100,000 acres against the target of 400,000 acres. In Balochistan, only 10 percent of the target area of 120,000 acres could be sown with sunflower. Sowing target of another important oilseed crop, canola, also could not be met this year. Of the target of 300,000 acres, farmers cultivated 250,000 acres in Punjab while in Sindh the crop faced a shortfall of 40,000 acres against the target of 100,000 acres.
Severe water shortage, government's faulty marketing policy and lucrative return on competing crops, particularly wheat, have been cited as major reasons for the decrease in oilseed production. Sources said that highly attractive support price for wheat was the main factor, as growers did not go for sunflower sowing due to low return.
They were also not happy with the price they got last year from oilseed extractors. Another reason was the dry spell due to lack of rains and there was 35 percent reduction in river flows. However, for oilseed crops the country had no shortage of basic inputs like good quality seed, fertilisers and others, which were available in abundance.
Last year, sunflower was sown over 0.95 million acres against the target of one million acres. However, after producing a fairly good crop, the growers were forced to sell their produce at reasonably low prices. Discrepancies in marketing discouraged the farmers from cultivating sunflower this year.