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Farmers prefer to sow oil seed crops instead of cereal crops

By Nauman Tasleem

LAHORE: The farmers would get attractive price of canola and other seed crops, as the price of palm oil has increased in the international market, Daily Times learnt here on Monday.

The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock (MINFAL) has also suggested for cultivating oilseed crops, as the profitability of these crops are the highest.

A MINFAL report said that an acre of sunflower crop gives at least Rs 3,843 and canola gives Rs 4,218. As compare to the oilseed crops, wheat, rice and sugarcane are the least profitable crops.

The oilseed crops are in high demand in the local market as the palm oil prices in the international market are constantly increasing. In previous years, the price of oilseed crops was attractive and the farmers earned good money, however, this year, the farmers are hoping to get more profits. In 2005-06, All Pakistan Solvent Extractors Association announced a minimum support price at Rs 690 per maund.

Canola is a winter crop and in Pakistan, it is sowed in October-November and harvested in March-April, while sunflower is a summer crop. In few areas, it is also a spring crop.

The farmers are hoping to get around Rs 900-1100 per maund for canola, said the Farmers Association Pakistan Chief Coordinator Idrees Khokhar.

He said that this year the production of canola is expected to further rise, as most of the farmers preferred oilseed crops in paced of wheat. “The government did not announce the wheat support price and resolutely in many areas, oilseeds crops were sowed,” Khokhar said adding that the bio fuel crops are in high demand in the world and these crops are cash crops. Pakistan Oil-seed Development Board used to announce an indicative price for these crops, he added.

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