Provincial Agriculture Secretary Iftikhar Ali Sahoo stated the importance of expanding oilseed cultivation to decrease the country’s import bill. During a consultative meeting at Agriculture House, he highlighted that Pakistan spends around 4 billion dollars annually on importing edible oil, which burdens the economy.
He emphasized that increasing oilseed crops’ cultivation not only meets domestic needs but also presents an opportunity for foreign exchange earnings through potential exports.
Agriculture (Extension) Punjab DG Dr. Anjum Ali, Crop Reporting Punjab DG Dr. Abdul Qayyum, along with other officers, progressive farmers, and stakeholders from the oilseeds industry, participated in the meeting. During the meeting, it was revealed that Pakistan fulfills approximately 88 percent of its edible oil needs through imports.
To promote oilseeds cultivation, a national project worth Rs5.11 billion is currently being executed. Under this project, farmers receive subsidies of Rs5,000 per acre for sunflower and canola cultivation, and Rs2,000 per acre for sesame cultivation.
Additionally, farmers are provided with 50 percent of the required oilseeds machinery, and production competitions are organized to foster healthy competition among them.
As a result of these incentives, the cultivated area for sunflower and canola has increased by 35 percent, while sesame cultivation has seen a 40 percent increase.
Sahoo emphasized the urgency of expanding the oilseeds area to achieve self-sufficiency in edible oil production. He stressed the importance of exploring new cultivation areas without reducing the area under other crops.
He directed the DG Agriculture Extension to develop a comprehensive plan for promoting oilseeds cultivation. During the meeting, progressive farmers and industry stakeholders shared the challenges they encounter in this endeavor.
