UNISAME for commodities’ board

KARACHI: The Union of Small and Medium Enterprises (UNISAME) has demanded the formation of a board for rice, cotton, sugar, wheat, maize, pulses, and other commodities, a statement said on Monday.

It also suggested the names of Faud Garib and Mehmood Moulvi as chairman of the board, it added. UNISAME President Zulfikar Thaver said the board would look after self-sufficiency, promotion, cultivation, monitoring, and certification of organic crops, as well.

It is important to oversee the efforts of various departments for an increase in yield/acre, develop best seeds and irrigation practices, and for this, the formation of a board has become inevitable, he added.

“Secondly, there is a global demand for organic crops, especially basmati and we need to work on this seriously. If the government can administer the certification of organic rice and other crops it will tremendously boost the exports and earn handsome revenue.”

Thaver said that the names suggested are of persons with vast experience in various crops with high integrity and the government may appoint anyone of them willing to shoulder the responsibility.

The UNISAME Council has reiterated that due to mismanagement, bad governance, and the lack of education for farmers, the yields are less, the research is lagging, seeds are not up to the mark and the need to import raises instead of exports.

The board could play an important role in coordinating between the federation and provinces in laying solid foundations for self-sufficiency and handsome results for best yields, he said. UNISAME experts have urged the prime minister to form the board for all these crops, which are the cash crops, and enable the country to survive, amid turmoil and deficiencies.