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ISLAMABAD – The federal government on Friday has claimed that country has sufficient availability of basic food commodities.
Despite government’s claims, the country is spending huge foreign exchange reserves on import of food commodities.
The country’s food import bill had widened by 38.03 percent to $2.363 billion in first quarter (July to September) of the current fiscal year (FY22) from $1.712 billion over the corresponding period of the last year, according to the latest data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS).
The government is importing food commodities to bridge the local shortage in the country. Within the food group import, the major contribution came from wheat, sugar, edible oil, spices, tea and pulses. Edible oil import witnessed a substantial increase in quantity, value and per value terms.
However, Syed Fakhar Imam, Federal Minister for National Food Security & Research, in a statement, said that the country has sufficient availability of basic food commodities.
The federal Minister said that this year under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan Pakistan has achieved the highest ever production of sugarcane, rice, maize, mung beans, and onion.
The federal government is paying special attention to enhance production of main food commodities in the country.
The government has allocated Rs. 277 billion under the Prime Minister’s Agriculture Emergency Programme. Moreover, the government has provided over Rs. 50 billion for fertilizer, seed, and pesticide subsidies.
The Kisaan Card and relief on agricultural credit mark-up have also supported investments in farm production. These timely initiatives have helped generate all time record production of many commodities.
The Minister informed that the production of sugarcane, rice, maize, mung beans, and onion for 2021-22 is estimated to be highest ever. Sugarcane production is estimated at 87.67 million tons which is 8pc higher than that of last year. The Rice production is estimated at 8.84 million tons which is 5pc higher than that of last year.
The Maize production is estimated at 9.0 million tons. Mung bean production is estimated at 268,000 tons from an area of 295,000 hectares showing an increase of 27pc and 31pc in area and production respectively over the last year. The production of onion has also been the highest ever at 2.4 million tons.
The government has formed a high-level national price monitoring committee to keep a close eye on the availability and price stability of essential food items.
The latest data of Pakistan Bureau of Statistics showed that import of palm oil grew by 53.91 percent in July-September period of the FY 22 to $891.2 million from $579 million over the corresponding months of last year.
The palm oil import bill increased due to rise in international price of this commodity.
The import of soya bean oil has dipped by 54.61 percent in first quarter of the FY 22. The government has spent $99 million on importing wheat. The import of sugar cost $91.5 million in July-September FY 22 as against $13.2 million in last year, showing an increase of 593 percent. Despite imports the sugar price is steadily on rise, which in some markets are sold at retail level at above Rs 110 per kg. Import of tea and spices grew by 6.46 percent and 40.09 percent, respectively, in July-September FY 22.
The growth is mainly due to a drop in import of these products under transit trade and checks on smuggling in border areas.
The import bill of pulses, dried fruits, milk and other food products witnessed a massive growth in July.
Pakistan to become member of International Olive Council
Meanwhile, Executive Director of International Olive Council Mr. Abdul Latif Khadira, Head of the Department for External Affairs Mr. Mounir Fourati and the Ambassador of Tunisia Mr. Borhene EL Kamel called on the Federal Minister of National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam on Friday.
Fakhar Imam said that by becoming a member of IOC, Pakistan can achieve its full potential with respect to olive production. He said that 36,000 acres of land is currently under olive production in Balochistan, KPK and Punjab. Minister hoped that by increasing the production of olive with the help of OIC; value added industry of olive can thrive in Pakistan.
Fakhar Imam said that we need to learn from the examples of countries like Netherlands that export $24 Billion of flowers and is the biggest player in the flower industry worldwide.
He said that Pakistan has immense potential to become one of the biggest players in mangoes yet our production of mangoes is 1.7 million tonnes of which only 7-8pc is exported.
He said that through cooperation with IOC, Pakistan can also become one of the major growers of olive in the world.
Fakhar said that Spain is responsible for half of the entire olive production in the world at 1.5 million tonnes. He said that through technology transfer, latest varieties of olive and high quality of human resource, Pakistan can also become a top grower of olive.
Abdul Latif Khadira said that Pakistan meets all the requirements to become a member of IOC. He said that Pakistan has shown that it has the potential to increase its olive production. He said that through OIC Pakistan can acquire latest technology, knowledge and climate resistant olive varieties which have the highest yield.
Abdul said that IOC can also provide human resource trainings to transfer the skill set required to operate the latest technologies with respect to olive production.
Khadira also invited the Federal Minister to attend the next Seminar organized by IOC on olive production in Georgia in November, 2021.
Ambassador of Tunisia Mr. Borhene EL Kamel said that the topography of Balochistan is very similar to Tunisia. He said that Tunisia is the second largest producer of olive in the world. He said that Tunisia can share technical support, its latest technologies and olive production techniques with Pakistan to increase its olive production.
Managing Director of Pakistan Oilseed Department Dr. Khair Muhammad, National Project Director Olive Dr. Muhammad Tariq, and Senior Research Officer POD Olive Dr. Azmat Ali Awan also attended the meeting.