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Passco procures more than 100,000 metric tons paddy
Lahore—Pakistan Agricultural Storage & Services
Corporation (PASSCO) has confirmed that till November 27, 2008, it
had procured more than 100,000 metric tons of paddy in Punjab.
According to press release, extensive paddy-procurement drive is
underway in Sindh and Balochistan. On the direction of Federal
Government, PASSCO has made necessary arrangements for the purchase
of Paddy Basmati Super at the rate of Rs.1500, Paddy Basmati
385/2000 at the rate of Rs.1250 and Paddy Irri-6 at the rate of
Rs.700 per 40 Kgs, from the growers.
To make the system efficacious and extend its outreach to the
largest possible number of farmers/growers, a collaborative
Public-Private Venture framework has been evolved by PASSCO, with
the approval of Federal Government, consequently, arrangements with
183 Rice Mills have been executed by PASSCO (127 Mills in Punjab, 43
in Sindh and 13 in Balochistan.
PASSCO initiated Paddy-procurement in Punjab on November 10, 2008
and has so far procured 1,01,060 metric tons Paddy (98,832 metric
tons Basmati and 2,228 metric tons IRRI-6 Paddy) in Punjab alone.
Paddy-procurement in Sindh and Balochistan commenced with effect
from November 17, 2008 and 10,000 tons paddy has been procured so
far. This process is going to receive a major boost as more and more
Rice Mills of Sindh and Balochistan are joining PASSCO’s
Paddy-procurement. Careful estimates show that nearly 3.5 million
tons Paddy is still awaiting procurement/disposal in Sindh and
Balochistan, it said. The maximum quantitative purchase limit of
Paddy for PASSCO’s procurement is 10,00,000 metric tons (which can
be increased by the Federal Government, if required). Procurement of
paddy at the Rice Mills, under PASSCO’s aegis, is going on at brisk
pace, and is likely to gather greater pace/momentum with the joining
of new Rice Mills in PASSCO’s Paddy-procurement paradigm.—APP
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