Govt urged to announce paddy support price

ISLAMABAD: The Agriculture Policy Institute (API) on Tuesday proposed the government to consider price intervention in paddy crop for the year 2015/16 to support the rice growers.
API, which is a subordinate department of the Ministry of National Food Security & Research, viewed that last year the growers suffered a lot due to low prices for their produce in the market.
API, after conducting a complete study of cost of production and import/export parity prices, suggested the government to announce the support prices for paddy.
It proposed that government may consider intervention price of around Rs1800/40kg for Basmati in Punjab and Rs850/40kg for IRRI paddy in Sindh if needed.
Meanwhile, the Federal Minister for National Food Security & Research (NFSR) Sikandar Hayat Khan Bosan chaired a meeting to overview the plight of farmers due to higher cost of production and falling prices of agricultural commodities in international market.
It was agreed that government would set intervention price for rice paddy at appropriate time in order to support the rice growers to ensure sustainable production.
Director General API Dr Aslam Gill and Cotton Commissioner Dr Khalid Abdullah briefed the minister on rice and cotton (2015-2016) crop intervention prices.
DG API said rice production for 2014-15 was estimated at around seven million tons. The rice price in international market is likely to remain stable in view of normal demand and supply situation, he said.
Cotton commissioner said the cotton production was recorded at 12-13 million bales and Trading Corporation of Pakistan still has 96,000 bales of cotton.
The meeting discussed various mechanisms for intervention price for the upcoming cotton crop.
It was noted that despite surplus production, export of agricultural produce remained low as Pakistan lags behind in marketing.
The federal minister directed the officials to pay immediate attention to marketing and branding of Pakistani agricultural produce.
Secretary NFSR proposed that cropping patterns should be reviewed.
Farmers must be given incentives on growing other crops as soya bean and pulses in addition to major crops.
A broad strategy should be immediately devised to tackle the upcoming difficult situation in lieu of low international market prices, taking provinces on board.