Gas plant in Kohat welcomed
ISLAMABAD (APP): Chairman Liquefied Petroleum Gas Distributors Association of Pakistan (LPGDAP) Irfan Khokhar has appreciated the government for establishing a 20 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) gas processing plant at Tolanj, Karak, terming it a big achievement and significant step towards attaining self-sufficiency in the energy sector. The Tolang Gas Process Facility, inaugurated last week, has been established at a cost of $15 million and would contribute $ 31 million revenue annually to the national kitty. The processing facility was commissioned on December 5, 2017. Irfan Khokhar said the facility would also produce 500 metric ton LPG per year and help provide inexpensive fuel to consumers. "With increased production of LPG in the country, it will be 60 percent inexpensive as compared to petrol and diesel, and 10 percent Compressed Natural Gas," he claimed. Due to effective strategy of the government, he said the LPG production had significantly increased during last four years.
He said the sale of LPG had increased from 502,232 mt to 1,176,496.47 mt during the last four calendar years, showing a remarkable growth of 134.25 percent.
"Total sale of the LPG was 502,232 mt in the year 2014, which increased to 875,087 in 2015, 1,164,706 mt in 2016 and 1,176,496.47 mt in 2017. This sector witnessed remarkable growth due to effective policies of the present government," he said while sharing official data.
Giving further details, he said local production of the commodity was 440,115 mt in 2014, 629,509 mt in 2015, 650,918 mt in 2016 and 715,142 mt in 2017, while its import gradually increased from 62,117 mt to 461,354.47 mt during the period.
Answering a question, the chairman said the government had successfully brought down and maintained the LPG prices between Rs 80 and 100 per kilogram during the last four and half years, which was earlier being sold at Rs 350 and Rs 400 per kg in different parts of the country.
Production of electric fans rises
ISLAMABAD (APP): Production of electric fans in the country increased by 14.91 per cent during first seven months (July-Jan) of the year 2017-18 as compared to same period of last year. During the period under review, as many as 1,328,609 units of electric fans were produced against the manufacturing of 1,156,203 units during same period of previous year. According to latest data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS), on year-on-year basis, the production of electric fans also increased to 166,967 units in January 2018 from 161,600 units in same period of the year 2017, showing an increase of 3.32 per cent. Meanwhile, the country exported 692,000 units of electric fans during July-February 2017-18 against export of 769,000 units during same period of last year showing a decline of 10 per cent. In term of value the export of electric fans, witnessed a slight increase of 0.97 per cent as the value increased from $14.637 million in July-Feb 2016-17 to $14.78 million in Jul-Feb 2017-18.
On year-on-year basis the export of fans increased by 4.13 per cent as during February 2018, 106,000 fans worth of $2.6 million were exported against 130,000 electric fans valuing $2.496 million.
Import of mobile phones rises
ISLAMABAD (APP): Import of mobile phones in the country during first eight months of fiscal year 2017-18 increased by 14.51 per cent as compared to same period of previous year. The import increased to $526 million during July-February (2017-18) from $459.38 million in same period of the year 2016-17. According to latest data released by Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) here, on year-on-year basis, the mobile phone import also witnessed increasing trend as it rose to $69.78 million in February 2018 from $60.03 million in February 2017, thus showing an increase of 16.24 per cent. On month-on-month basis, the import decreased by 12.52 per cent in February 2018 as compared to that of January 2018 in which the import of mobile phones was posted $79.76 million. In addition, the import of overall telecom group also increased by 13.7 per cent in July-February 2017-18 compared to same period of previous year. The telecom import during first 8 months of current fiscal year was recorded at $1.003 billion while it was recorded $882.17 million during July-February 2016-17.
On year-on-year basis, the telecom import in February 2018 increased by 25.6 per cent and 57.9 per cent when compared to the import during February 2017 while on month-on-month basis, the import decreased by 4.48 per cent as compared to that of January 2018.
The telecom import in February, 2018 was recorded at $127.38 million against the import of $101.415 million in February 2017 and $133.366 million in January 2018.
South Punjab to have four fish hatcheries
MULTAN (APP): Punjab Fisheries Department is establishing four fish hatcheries in Multan division with an objective to promote protein rich food in the region. The new fish hatcheries are being made, two in Khanewal, one each in Lodhran and Vehari. This was stated by assistant director fisheries Ibrar Gujjar while talking to APP. He informed that new fish hatcheries were being developed after recommendations from various MPAs of the region. South Punjab is rich in production of fish, he said and added that about 80 percent of the Fish was produced in Multan, Khanewal and Muzaffargarh. To a question about Fish consumption in the country, Ibrar Gujjar added that per person consumption of fish in Pakistan was very low as an average of two kilogramme fish was consumed by every Pakistani in a year. However, at international level, the average stood nearly 25 kilogramme per year. The assistant director disclosed that there were already 12 fish hatcheries functional in the region and the new addition would be very much benefacial.
To another question, the assistant director informed that the fish was produced at an area of nearly 50,000 acres in South Punjab.
The Fisheries department was providing every possible assistance for promotion of the fish.