ISLAMABAD    -   Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on National Food Security and Research, Jamshed Iqbal Cheema on Monday inaugurated mechanical rice transplanting here at National Agriculture Research Council (NARC) to promote modern ways of rice cultivation and enhance production in the country.

While inaugurating mechanical rice transplanting, he said that there were almost 10 components through which the production of rice could be increased. He said with the help of mechanical rice transplanting, a machine with 80,000 hills is used which is able to plant as many as 160,000 plants in a straight line. “This method can significantly increase the rice production,” he added.

However, normally farmers plant 40,000 hills (80,000 plants) by rice transplanter. Moreover he said the complete fertiliser can be done within 10 days only. Water supply to the fields is closed after 40 days that helps the plant grow more rapidly.

The SAPM said under this project, the government would provide 2700 machines on 50 per cent subsidy to the rice producers and the subsidy would continue for 5 years.

After inaugurating the project, he presided over a meeting where he was informed that Pakistan is 4th largest exporter of rice with annual export of over 4 million tonnes (about $2 billion).

He was informed that last year total rice area was 3.4 million hector (1.4 million ha basmati and 2.0 million non- basmati) with production of 8.2 million tonnes (history highest (4 million tonnes Basmati and 4.2 million tonnes non-basmati)).

The SAPM  was told that though per acre yield has increased from 2.4 t/ha to 2.5 t/ha yet it is lower as compared to other rice producing countries (China 7.0 t/ha, Japan 7.0 t/ha, India 4.0 V.).

A mega project for productivity enhancement of rice under Prime Minister’s National Agriculture Emerge, Programme was started by end of the year 2019 with the total budget of Rs 15.789 billion.

The project cost is Rs 15.789 billion with federal share of Rs 3.751 billion (24 per cent), provincial share of Rs 7.568 billion (48 per cent), and farmers’ share of Rs 4.470 billion (28 per cent) and the project duration is 5 year (2019-2024).

The basic and long term objective of the project is to increase per acre paddy yield by 10 mounds for basmati and 20 mounds for non-basmati.

Jamshed was informed that the major project interventions includes provision of rice implements on 50 per cent subsidy (Transplanters, Drills, MB plough, Sprayers), seed distribution on 50 per cent subsidy and demonstrations of good agricultural practices Progress.

The project has been started in 3 provinces (Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan) however; Sindh has not yet started the umbrella project.

The meeting was informed that efforts were being made to adopt transplanting through machines from 1990’s but could not be successful. Now as per Prime Minister’s initiative project and through service providers it has become successful.