Demand of tobacco crop up by 18.37 percent

The tobacco demand of the companies for crop 2014 increased by 18.37 percent as compared to last year as demand of all 34 companies stood at 78.36 million kilograms, said sources in Pakistan Tobacco Board (PTB). The lion share of the total demand 36.40 million kilogram would be purchased by Pakistan Tobacco Company (PTC) followed by Philip Morris (Pak) Limited with 3.70 million kilogram.

Other companies included Khyber Tobacco Co, Souvenir Tobacco Co, Frontier Associates and Shams Enterprises would purchase each 1.50 million kilogram crop while Frontier Leaf Tobacco would purchase 1.20 million kilogram tobacco. Similarly, Frontier Punjab Trading would purchase 1.00 million kilogram and remaining crop would go small tobacco companies.

Out of the total demand of 36.40 million kilogram, Pakistan Tobacco Company would purchase 34.50 million kilogram of the variety of Flue-Cured Virginia, 1.1 million kilogram Dark Air-Cured of Gujarat and Okara and 0.8 million kilogram of White Patta while Philip Morris would purchase 23.15 Flue-Cured Virginia and 1.23 million kilogram of Dark Air-Cured of Gujarat and 0.1 million kilogram of White Patta.

The project requirements of Flue-Cured Virginia and Dark Air-Cured for tobacco crop 2014 are higher by 19.30 percent and 50 percent whereas for White Patta and Burley reduced by 27 percent and 10 percent as compared to crop 2013.

The tobacco board advised the growers to execute agreements with tobacco companies of their own choice and plan production of tobacco for 2014 crop while keeping in view the demands of the industry to avoid problems in the marketing of tobacco crop 2014.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2013

KP collects Rs 312 million tobacco development cess

The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa collected Rs312 million tobacco development cess during the year 2013-14. The collected amount is being utilised on the development of the tobacco growing districts on the basis of the production of the crop. The share of the districts on the basis of tobacco produce during the year was Rs 162.98m for Swabi, Rs 37.90m for Mardan, Rs 38.03m for Charsadda, Rs 19.78m for Buner, Rs 14.5m for Nowshera, Rs 19.49m for Malakand and Rs 19.32m for Mansehra.

Presiding over a meeting on tobacco cess, the Chief Minister, Pervez Khattak, has said that cess was one of our few important income resources and hence its judicious and transparent use for welfare of people and development of the province was need of the hour. He asked the authorities to ensure its best utilisation in public interest, adding that priority should be given to improve conditions of health and educational institutions and communication facilities throughout KP, especially in the tobacco growing areas. He said that providing basic amenities of life to the masses and ameliorating lot of the poor was top most priority of the PTI-led coalition government.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2013

Agriculture is key to economy: Muchemwa

AGRICULTURE remains the key component in the performance of the economy and should be the basis for any recovery programmes that might be adopted by government, economist Brains Muchemwa told an Ernst & Young Tax and Economic seminar in the capital this week.
He attributed Zimbabwe’s slump in economic growth this year to the poor agriculture season and lack of investment in the sector. The 2011 agricultural season was characterised by lower than expected maize and tobacco output and revenues, resulting in the downward revision of the growth of the sector.
Last month, the ministries of Finance and of Economic Planning revised the Gross Domestic Product rate downwards to 5,6% from 9,4%, citing poor performance by the key agricultural sector and low revenue collection.
The majority of developing economies still heavily depend on primary commodities from agriculture and mining. In sub-Saharan Africa, agriculture generates at least 30% of GDP, 40% of exports and more than 70% of employment.
Economists say increased agricultural production leads to increased demand for processing facilities, giving the industry a high multiplier effect. Figures from the International Food Policy Research Institute show that the multiplier effect of agricultural growth in Africa ranges from US$0,60 in non-agricultural income for every US$1 increase in farm income in Niger, to a near doubling effect in Burkina Faso of US$1,88 in additional income outside the sector for every $1 increase in agricultural income.
In Zimbabwe the impact of a poor agriculture season has been strongly felt in the retail sector. OK Zimbabwe CEO Willard Zireva recently told an annual general meeting that consumer spending will most likely decline owing to the generally poor harvest and delays in the commencement of the cotton marketing season. The same sentiments were echoed by Delta CEO Pearson Gowero who said that the decline in cereal output had resulted in a marginal decline in volumes for sorghum beer.
Muchemwa has disputed official GDP figures, saying his own calculations showed the size of the economy was 30% less than has been officially given.
He said GDP was US$6,9 billion in 2011 and would only rise to US$7,2 billion this year and not from US$10,1 billion (2011) to US$10,6 billion as has been officially stated. The country’s Medium Term Plan sets a 7% growth rate, which is expected to lead to a US$9 billion economy by 2015.
The growth rate is expected to slow down to levels of between 3 to 4% next year because of elections, which are traditionally characterised by low levels of investment, and due to policy misalignment within the GNU.
According to the African Economic Outlook, Zimbabwe’s GDP will decelerate to 4,4% this year from 6,8% in 2011, owing to challenges facing the economy, which include lack of liquidity.

The decline in growth is attributed to the high cost of capital and inconsistencies, especially on the indigenisation regulations, the report said.
It also said obsolete technologies as well as power and water shortages militated against the growth of the economy.
“These downside risks are further exacerbated by the disputes among the government partners on the new constitution, the pending national referendum and national elections,” the report said.
The International Monetary Fund recently said the country would register real GDP growth rates of 4, 7% and 6, 3% this year and 2013 respectively.

Original Article Here

Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards goes to Zamboanga City

David Isaac Buenaventura, the Bright Leaf Agriculture Secretariat Project Manager, gestures during a press briefing Sunday, May 13, 2012 in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines. (Mindanao Examiner Photo)

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / May 13, 2012) – The Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards on Sunday announced the search for best works of journalists on most agricultural issues and best farming practices in the Philippines.

David Isaac Buenaventura, the Bright Leaf Agriculture Secretariat Project Manager, invited local journalists, who through their stories on newspapers, radio segments, and television features and photographs have promoted agriculture development and sustainability in the Philippines. 

Last year, the Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards received an overwhelming participation from the best of the press - writers, editors, television reporters, producers, and photographers - all of them with a keen sense of how important agriculture is, he said during a briefing in Zamboanga City.

“The new year signals a new season. The second Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards is bigger, better and brighter,” Buenaventura said.

It was the first time that Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards invited local journalists to join the prestigious contest.

He said the categories for Bright Leaf Awards include Agriculture Story of the Year, Tobacco Story of the Year, Best Television Program or Segment, Best Radio Program or Segment, Agriculture Photo of the Year, Tobacco Photo of the Year, Best Regional News story, Best National News Story, Best Regional Feature News Story, Best National Feature Story, and a special Oriental Leaf Awards that honors constant contributors and winners through the years. The award will be given to those who won for 3 consecutive years. 

Buenaventura said the submission of entries begins on May 21 until August 31 this year and Bright Leaf Awards now accepts entries written in any Filipino dialects. (Mindanao Examiner)

Original Article Here