KARACHI (May 10 2003) : A delegation of the Pakistan Coconut and Oil PalmPlantation Society headed by its chairman Kaukab Iqbal met Sindh ChiefSecretary K.B. Rind here on Friday.

Kaukab briefed the meeting about the good work done by the Society andalso informed that both the foreign and local investors were ready toinvest in the vast coastal areas of Sindh provided the government gave theland to develop the farms of oil palm and coconut on the basis ofcorporate farming.

He informed the chief secretary that the federal government was chargingRs 50 per tonne as cess on the import of edible oil from abroad whichamounted to Rs 0.5 million per annum and out of this 50 percent amountshould be spent on the research and development station as the oil palmand coconut were the future crops of Pakistan and for attainingself-sufficiency in this sector.

He also told the committee that with better care and agronomical practicesone could obtain the income from oil palm and coconut up to Rs 100,000 peracre.

He also suggested that periodical seminars, field workshops and field daysmight be held in different ecological zones of the coastal areas andstressed upon to make Pakistan green, especially the coastal areas ofSindh.

He said along with oil palm and coconut, other trees might also be plantedto reduce environment pollution.

In order to achieve the task a national conference on oil palm and coconutwas proposed, to be inaugurated by the president of Pakistan. The primeminister and notable people from different fields will be invited.

Rind while praising the efforts of the Society assured to establish theOil Palm and Coconut Research and Development Station and told that thegovernment would provide every help in this regard.

He announced to form a committee under the chairmanship of ForestsSecretary Shams-ul-Haq Memon.

The committee also included two members of the Pakistan Coconut and OilPalm Plantation Society.

He also informed that several schemes were underway for the promotion anddevelopment of oil palm and coconut crops so that hard earned foreignexchange incurred on the import of edible oil might be saved.

Other members of the delegation included Vice Chairman Afsar Saeed Khan,General Secretary, Engineer Farida Essa, Finance Secretary Mumtaz AliSheikh, Technical Adviser Muhammad Ilyas Qureshi, Mumtaz Ahmed Shafique,Nasir Baig and Deputy Secretary Khalid Chachar.