KARACHI (April 07 2003) - Sindh Minister for Planning and Development SyedShoaib Ahmed Bukhari has instructed Department of Agriculture and Planning& Development that a master plan be prepared for the cultivation ofcoconut and oil palm in the coastal areas of Sindh so that valuableforeign exchange being spent on import of edible oils could be saved.

He expressed these views in a meeting with a delegation of Coconut and Oilpalm Society in his office here on Sunday.

On this occasion he ordered the departments to prepare the master plan forthe cultivation of coconut and oil palm on Sindh coastal area with thehelp of other concerned departments.

He said, the Department of Planning & Development, Department ofAgriculture, Coastal Development Authority, Department of Forest andpeople relating to edible oil industry should prepare a strategy in acombined seminar of concerned farmers and agriculture experts for thecultivation of coconut and oil palm.

Members of the delegation asked the Minister for survey and mapping of thecoastal areas.

Delegation told that annual expenditure on import of edible oil is aboutRs 40 billion and there is a big demand of local farmed coconut and palmoil. This can help in promoting the local industry and agriculture, theyadded.

Chairman Pakistan Coconut and Oil palm Society Kokab Iqbal, EngineerFarida Essa, Mumtaz Ali Sheikh, Muhammed Ilyas Qureshi and ChairmanPakistan Small Chamber of Commerce and Cottage Industry Bashir Miandadalso attended the meeting.-PPI