HYDERABAD, 8/2/2001 (Financial Times Information Limited) - ProvincialSecretary for Forests, Wildlife and Environment, Shams-ul-Haq Memon, hassaid that a programme was on the anvil to set up a pilot project forcoconut and oil palm and added that in order to introduce this cash crop,a research project was being established in Thatta. He said for thispurpose, a laboratory would also be established.He added this during the inspection of coconut experimental farm on MirpurSakro road. A delegation of Pakistan Coconut and Oil Palm PlantationSociety (PCOPPS) also accompanied the secretary.He expressed satisfaction over the increase in the coconut production forwhich the Pakistan Agriculture Research Council (PARC) had contributed alot. Memon said that time had come when the cultivation of coconut and oilpalm should be done on commercial basis. He disclosed that aninternational research organisation of Germany which was doing research oncoconut and oil palm had already been contacted by the Sindh forestdepartment and expressed the hope that a break through will be made inthis respect.He said that this experimental farm had been initially handed over to theSindh Coastal Development Authority (SCDA) where research on coconut andoil palm was being conducted with the cooperation of the federalgovernment. He, however, added that now this farm had been transferred tothe Sindh forest department. He stated, a lot of work had been done oncoconut by the forest department and its plants were also being sold inthe nurseries of the forest department in an around Thatta. He, however,said that for the time being no expert was available for research on oilpalm but added that a team of experts would be constituted to conductresearch on oil palm.The project director, Sindh forestry development project, Muneer AhmedAwan, told the delegation of PCOPPS that a campaign had been launched inThatta and its suburbs to motivate the growers about coconut plantation.He said that it was a cash crop and if mass production was carried out,its by-products could also be exported. He concluded during the on goingtree plantation campaign, arrangements had been made to distribute thecoconut saplings.