News Blog

MIRPURKHAS Aug 28. Advisor to Sindh chief minister Sharmeela Farooque has taken serious notice of news published in daily newspaper regarding the shortage of irrigation water in tail of distributaries in Mirpurkhas and Umerkot districts and contacted with concerned executive engineers and director Nara canal to ensure proper supply of irrigation water till tail end abadgars.Sharmeela Farooque said that PPP is making efforts to reduce the problems of the masses on priority basis and added that government is giving attention particularly to resolve the grievances of the agriculture sector as country’s economic depend mostly on agriculture production. She further said that she had been taken strict notice in past about the shortage of irrigation water in district Tandoallahyar and added that due to her action water supply was improved in district Tandoallahyar. She expressed that she will take stern action against the responsible irrigation officials who are creating obstacles in smooth flow of water in the canals and distributaries. She told that she has contacted concerned irrigation authorities and directed them to redress the grievances of the growers of tail end facing shortage of water in Mirpurkhas and Umerkot districts.

MIRPURKHAS Aug 28. Speakers in a seminar on the subject of “modernization and rehabilitation of Chili sector” held here on Friday under consultant P and D department government of Sindh have stressed need of setting up the red chili processing center particularly in Mirpurkhas and Umerkot districts to export more than chili to European countries, USA and Japan to acquire more than national exchequer. They claimed that more than red chili particularly unique variety “Dandi cut Red Chili” or Longi is produced from districts Mirpurkhas and Umerkot and its main big market at Kunri town. They said that Pakistan is on top 5 positions in the world regarding the red chili production, while Pakistan is on 21 numbers in the world to export chili crop. However, despite its best variety of red chili, it is not able to more than export the red chili due to non availability of chili dehydration unit. They said that owing to moisture, Aflotaxin , a fungus is created in the chili as result USA, European union and Japan had been imposed ban on the import of red chili from Pakistan as they understand that red chili with Aflotaxin is serious threats to the lives of their people. They said that investors should invest in establishment of chili dehydration unit and use other methods like plastic sheets to dry the chili. They expressed that due to demand of Red chili growers association , federal government had approved a chili dehydration unit to be established at Kunri town with estimated cost of RS 220 millions, while federal government have allocated RS 100 millions for first phase and for next year RS 120 millions would be provided for this purpose . They demanded the government to establish at least a dehydration unit at Mirpurkhas and Umerkot districts sothat red chili might be export from here. They expressed that there is need to create awareness among the masses regarding the modern technology to producemore than red chili crop and dry it with modern technology to gain more amount to export it. They said that following the establishment of chili dehydration unit at Mirpurkhas and Umerkot district, red chili will be exported to European Union, USA, Japan and other countries. Speakers further said that proper pesticide be used to control the pest attack at the red chili crop after getting information from agriculture experts. They said that after separation of red chili from dandy a whole is created in the crop which is caused of aflotaxin a fungus, so there is need of research to create such seed of red chili by which aflotaxin might not be created in the red chili. They said that middle men are getting more than profit than chili grower and chili seller and there was need of close contact between growers and traders. They said that there is need to improve more the unique Dandi cut red chili here and for this purpose we all should jointly work toimprove it sothat it might be export in bulk quantity to earn more than national exchequer. There was need to publish the broachers on the chili export and it’s more than production for creating more than awareness among the masses. They added that government has been making efforts to bring near the private sector to work jointly on this crop. They said that all the problems might be resolved after formation of chili board. Those spoke the seminar Sajjad Haider , consultant of government of Sindh, Mian Mohammad Saleem, president Red chili growers association, representatives of small medium enterprise development authority, representative of red chili merchant association Musawar Bhatti, representatives of Shan foods company including Saleem Ahmed, Mustafa Dahelvi, Shakeel Ahmed, progressive growers Ch Mukhtiar and Karam Ali Shah, district agriculture officer Gohram Baloch etc.

MIRPURKHAS Aug 28. Crackdown was occurred against profiteers and violators of Ramzan ordinance in the city while various persons were arrested and fine upon them here on Friday. Report said that on the information of violation of Ramzan ordinance, DDO revenue and special magistrate Mirpurkhas Ammara Aamer Khattak along with police contingents carried out raids at the bakeries and hotels including M.D.sweet mart, Shimla Bakery, Shandar sweet mart, Akram hotel, a hotel near taxi stand etc and over a dozen persons including servants were taken into custody in charges of committing violation of Ramzan ordinance. Above special magistrate also paid surprise visit of Sabzi Mandi chowk, post office chowk, Satellite town, ring road, Khpro Naka chowk and other areas and fined on the spot on shopkeepers and push cart owners for receiving more than profits.