PMAS-AAUR, MKS sign MoU for hybrid onion seed development
RAWALPINDI (Staff Reporter):  Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi (PMAS-AAUR) and Magnus Kahl Seeds (MKS) Australia signed a MoU here on Friday regarding development of hybrid onion seed at the university campus.  MKS is an Australian based international plant breeding company with specialty in onion hybrid seed production.  Faculty members and students from PMAS-AAUR would collaborate with R&D staff of MKS in a 4-years project, informed varsity spokesman.  The university would extend its lab facilities, glass houses and fields to MKS staff and MKS, in turn, would provide lab equipment and consumable to the department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, PMAS-AAUR, he said.
 adding that MKS would also sponsor a PhD study in this project.
Prof Dr Rai Niaz Ahmad, Vice Chancellor (VC) PMAS-AAUR and Shehryar Nawabi, Director, MKS signed MoU on behalf of their respective organisations.
Speaking at the occasion, Prof Dr Rai Niaz Ahmed appreciated the interest and investment of MKS in Pakistan and expressed his desire for further widening of horizons of collaboration between organisations. Shehryar Nawabi, Director, MKS pledged his continuous support for research endeavors of the university.

Pak Suzuki Motor Company
revenue posts growth of 43pc
lahore (Staff Reporter): Pak Suzuki Motor Company announced 1Q2015 earnings of Rs946m against Rs443m (EPS Rs5.4) in the same quarter last year. This result was in line with market consensus estimates. Revenue posted a growth of 43pc YoY to Rs19.6b owing to 55pc YoY volumetric growth. Company sold 30,950 units in 1Q2015 compared to 20,022 units in the corresponding period last year. It is important to note that 30,950 units vehicles sold at a discount to the Govt. of Punjab, under taxi scheme. Gross margins of the company improved by 401bps to 11.1pc in 1Q2015 versus 7.1pc in the same quarter last year. We attribute this improvement to favourable exchange rate of Pak Rupee (PKR) against both US dollar (US$) and Japanese Yen (JPY).


 Just to highlight, PKR appreciated by 16pc against JPY and 2pc against USD in 1Q2015 versus same quarter last year. Thus, gross profit surged by 125pc to Rs2.2b in 1Q2015 compared to Rs970m in 1Q2014.
Distribution cost of the company surged by 229pc YoY to Rs503m. We attribute this increase to the launch of Kizashi, Wagon-R, Motor boats etc.

LCCI asks businessmen to focus on environmental standards
lahore (Staff Reporter): The Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry on Friday urged the businessmen to focus on environmental standards to win big EU market. “A well designed campaign to create awareness among the masses and business doing people could help reduce the pollution and environmental issues which are coming in the way of Pakistani exports.” While talking to a delegation of businessmen here at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce & Industry, the LCCI president Ijaz A. Mumtaz said that we would have to be environmental standards compliant if we want to do business with the rest of the world. He said the LCCI was making all out efforts to equip its member with the latest technologies through language & web courses, workshops and seminars.

 He said that all stakeholders would have to look more vigorously into all environment related issues.
He said that country cannot afford to lose European Union which is one of the biggest markets for the Pakistani merchandise.

Chinese delegation from Quingdao Chamber arrives
lahore (Staff Reporter): A 10-member Chinese delegation from Quingdao Chamber of Commerce and Industry has arrived Pakistan on invitation of Shah Faisal Afridi, President Pak-China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) to review joint venture opportunities in the fields of Town Planning, Handicrafts and Education. PCJCCI, in collaboration with Canal Garden Society, is going to hold the First ever “Pak-China Town Planning Exhibition” on Monday, April 27, 2015 at Canal Garden Housing Society to facilitate Quingdao Chamber of Commerce and Industry in concluding joint ventures in town planning and housing sector.
Another exhibition is also being arranged jointly by PCJCCI and Punjab Small Industries Corporation in honour the same Chinese delegation to highlight the potential of handicrafts sector in Punjab.
Shah Faisal Afridi, President PCJCCI, in a statement, has termed the visit of Quingdao Chamber delegation a first step of the series of delegations to be visiting Pakistan as follow up of the Chinese President’s recent tour of Pakistan. He said that a large number of the businessmen and technical experts will be coming to Pakistan during this year for longer stay to accomplish so many joint ventures projects. There is a plan of China to construct an exclusive China Town in Lahore to reside Chinese experts and investors, he said and hoped that the Pak-China Town Planning Exhibition would prove to be a strong foundation in this regard.

Subsidy on agri products sought

lahore (Online): Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI), Chairman Standing Committee on Horticulture & Agri Produce, Ahmad Jawad urged the Government to provide subsidy on agricultural products related to food security to compete in the international market.Addressing the session, Jawad suggested that the government can provide subsidy on those agricultural products which are concerned with the global food security issue. Food processing industry, dairy products, agricultural equipment and machinery may be included in those products. The supply of energy and other utilities may be subsidised for food processing and agriculture industry.
We all must understand Pakistan is an agro-based country and is exporting agro based products to various countries, which must be price competitive.
He said government may also come into thought process how to minimise the cost of producing crops to make farming more profitable for growers. Yet for small growers, the end-result of the whole exercise is often disappointing. Owing to the inefficiency and the uncaring attitude of the procurement centre staff, they feel compelled to sell their produce to middlemen at much lower prices, resulting in losses. A mechanism is required to protect this vulnerable segment of the community during the post-harvest season.