The use of rice planters could increase Pakistan’s rice yield by up to 15 percent and lower production costs per kilogram, Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Establishment Division Senator Ahad Cheema said on Monday.
The minister chaired a meeting that reviewed the potential to introduce the technology in the country’s major rice-growing areas, particularly Punjab and Sindh, according to a press release.
Cheema directed the Secretary of Food to prepare a comprehensive feasibility study in consultation with provincial governments, assessing the initiative’s economic viability, its potential to improve cost-effectiveness and its likely impact on rice exports.
The minister said that if the study establishes a viable case, the federal government would invest in the initiative in partnership with provincial governments. The study should also propose a cost-sharing model involving the federal government, provincial governments and farmers.
Cheema asked the Secretary of Food to consult provincial governments on identifying suitable farmers and distributing the planters equitably across relevant rice-growing areas. He also called for consultations with the Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan (REAP), the Engineering Development Board (EDB), other provincial stakeholders and private companies already using rice planters.
Emphasising that the initiative must be supported by the expertise needed to use and maintain the machinery, Cheema called for a technology-transfer programme covering farmer training, after-sales service and technical support.
Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Food Ahmad Umair, Secretary of Food Amer Ali Ahmad, Secretary of Industries and senior officials attended the meeting.
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