Gas provision to fertilizer plants to help save foreign exchange: FMPAC

Fertilizer Manufacturers Pakistan Advisory Council (FMPAC) said government can save precious foreign exchange on account of urea import if it provides gas to local fertilizer manufacturer plants. Urea import is no permanent solution of rising urea demand by local fertilizer sector and best way to ensure less expensive and timely availability of urea to farmers is to produce it locally.
FMPAC spokesman said here on Thursday that few fertilizer plants were completely shutdown due to closure of gas as part of winter gas load management plan by the government but there was no shortage of urea in the market. Spokesman demanded if any vested interest was found involved in hoarding, government should take stern action against them to ensure timely availability of urea to farmers at the prescribed rates.
He said local fertilizer plants had been trying to persuade the government to maximise the local urea production to avoid spending hundreds of millions of dollars each year on urea import and if government decided not to import urea, "we have ample capacity not only to meet the domestic urea requirements but also to export it."
FMPAC sources said "our economy is not in a position to drain precious foreign exchange on unnecessary urea import while we can produce it locally at relatively cheaper cost. The devaluation in rupee's value and appreciation in dollar's value has already made it an expensive affair." Country faced massive loss in urea production due to excessive gas curtailment in the past three years that has cost significantly to the country as GoP had to spend foreign exchange of US $1.5 billion and subsidy of around Rs 80 billion on the imports of 3.4 million tons during 2010-12.
Pakistan is self-sufficient in urea production and with consistent gas supply to these plants, government can ensure timely availability of this key farm input to farmers at the cost-effective rates and would also help GoP to reduce its fiscal deficit as well as subsidy spend.

Courtesy Business Recorder I  News Collated by agrinfobank.com

A simple homemade tomato fertilizer

By: Kenneth Sleight I Lansing Gardening Examiner

It’s a typical morning in Lansing, Michigan. You get up and brush your teeth, shower, shave, and head downstairs for a cup of coffee. Breakfast is a quick plate of scrambled eggs and toast and you’re out the door and off to work. On the way to your car you see those puny, drooping, sad excuses for tomato plants that you put in a couple weeks ago. What you don’t realize is – except for a cheap drug store purchase you had the makings of an amazing tomato fertilizer.

With the hair from your (or your significant other’s) daily shave, the grounds from that cup of coffee, and the shells from your scrambled eggs, mixed with a bit of Epsom salt you have the perfect plant food. Human hair contains keratin, a slow release form of nitrogen. This will give a long term nutrient to your plant. The eggshells are full of calcium, the coffee grounds also are a good source of immediate nitrogen, and the Epsom salts contain magnesium. These three nutrients, along with lots of water, are the keys to a strong, bountiful plant.

Now that you have all the ingredients what’s the best way to give them to the plant. The best way is to make a tea with them. This is a very simple but slightly messy task. Take the eggshells and dry them in the oven at 325 degrees for about an hour. When they are done crush them into a fine powder. Put the powder, the hair, and the coffee grounds in a blender and fill it about three quarters of the way with water. Blend well. When the solution is blended add in the Epsom salt and blend for about ten seconds more. It is important to note that all of the ingredients should be in a 1:1 ratio but this is not a strict rule.

When the tea is ready apply it directly to the root system of the plant. DO NOT put it on the leaves, it may cause them to burn. The best way to determine where the end of the root system is is to look at the branches of the plant. The root system is generally the same distance away as the end of the leaves. Pour the tea around the plant and then finish drenching the soil with water. This will send the nutrients deep into the soil where the plant can get to them.

Source: http://www.examiner.com

Farmers demand cut in fertiliser prices

Friday, 19 July 2013

Various representative bodies of farmers have demanded reduction in prices of fertiliser at least by Rs 500 per 50 KG bag, as urea price has sharply dropped in the international market. Chairman Pakistan Agri-Forum Dr Ibrahim Mughal was particularly critical of local fertiliser manufacturers, who despite getting cheap gas were sell urea at exorbitant prices.
Dr Mughal recalled that when the urea manufactories were getting subsidised gas at the rate of Rs 103 per MMBTU, about five years ago, they sold 50 KG bag at the rate of Rs 750. Now the government is supplying gas to the fertiliser manufacturing units at the rate of Rs 130 per MMBTU, the companies are selling urea at the rate of Rs 1700 per 50 KG bag.
He said the international fertiliser manufacturing units buy gas, the basic ingredient of urea, at the rate of Rs 440 per MMBTU, and they sell the commodity at the rate of Rs 2250 per bag. He said local fertiliser manufacturing units annually produce five million tons (100 million 50 KG bags) urea but the utilisation of fertilisers has dropped by 15 to 20 percent due to unaffordable prices of urea, resultantly Pakistan's crops yield is on the decline while population is on the increase.
President Basmati Growers Association Hamid Malhi said that the agriculture sector was not a priority of the Punjab government as it has left the farming community atthe mercy of the market manipulating forces. He said that Kharif crops cotton, rice, sugarcane, maize, vegetables and fodder were the backbone of Pakistan's economy but the government was not moved to support the agriculture sector by supplying inputs to the farmers at reason prices.
Malhi said that agriculture sector needed at least 30 million bags of 50 KG for Kharif crops. As there has been a steep fall in the prices of fertiliser in the international market by about $100 per ton, it is incumbent upon the federal and provincial government to provide a relief of Rs 500 per bag. He emphasised that poverty alleviation could only be done by boosting agriculture production.

Source: Business Recorder

53,000 tons of urea to arrive

July 03, 2013

A ship carrying 53,000 tons of urea, imported by Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) from international market, reaching Pakistan in the third week of this month. In January this year, the Economic Co-ordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet had directed TCP to import 130,000 tons of urea from international market to avoid any shortage during Rabi season as domestic urea plants are unable to meet local demand due to gas curtailment.
Following the directives, the state run grain trader successfully awarded first urea import tender on April 24, 2013 to the lowest bidder M/s Helm Dungemittel, GMBH at a price of $374.73 per ton Cost and Freight (C&F) for import of 80,000 tons of urea. The tender was for the import of 130,000 tons with minimum bid quantity of 50,000 tons, however the lowest bidder''s offer was only for 80,000 tons.
At the same time, to comply with the decision of the ECC, a fresh tender for the balance quantity of 50,000 tons was issued by TCP to complete the total targeted quantity of 130,000 tons. The second urea import tender was opened on June 5, 2013 and accordingly awarded to the second lowest bidder M/s Trammo at $337.17 per ton for the supply of 50,000 tons.
As per schedule provided by M/s Trammo, a ship namely "MV Elenid" carrying about 53,000 tons of urea will reach Pakistan as on July 17-18, 2013 as presently urea is being loaded on the ship on a Chinese port. The successful bidder has already assured to supply complete quantity by this month. A quantity of 73,000 tons of urea has already been imported through first tender and with the arrival of this consignment, overall import will reach 123,000 tons against the targeted quantity of 130,000 tons.
Besides this import, TCP is already engaged in importing urea from Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) under the $100 million credit facility being provided by Saudi Fund for Development (SFD). Under this agreement, some four urea shipments have already been arrived, while overall some 220,000-240,000 tons of urea arrival is expected against 100 $million credit facility. Sources said TCP is only responsible for the import of urea, while the distribution, transportation and bagging of urea will be handled by National Fertiliser Marketing Limited (NFML) to ensure timely supply of urea to farmers during Rabi season.

Source: http://www.brecorder.com

Going Organic

“Going Organic”

As this article will show, “going organic” is not simply a question of changing your brand of pesticide or fertilizer (though you may well do this). It involves a change of approach, treating the garden as a complete entity where natural systems are promoted and encouraged to thrive. You will start developing long-term strategies for maintaining soil fertility and managing pests and diseases.

Getting started

The best way to go organic is to take the plunge—to start using organic methods, and give up chemical methods, in every area of your yard at once. This article is full of practical advice to help in the conversion process, whether you’re starting with bare ground, clearing a weed patch, or converting an existing garden. These practical guidelines let you know just what is, and isn’t, appropriate to do or use in an organic garden. They concentrate on practices that aim to make a garden as self-sufficient as possible—but, recognizing that there may be a need to buy organic fertilizers, for example, or to use a pest-killing spray, particularly when you are converting a garden, the Guidelines also advise on what products are acceptable.

How long does it take?

Commercial growers converting to organic methods are required to go through a transition period, usually three years. During this period the land is managed organically, but produce cannot yet be sold as organic. Depending on past management, you may find that your garden takes time to adapt, or everything may flourish from the start! 

Change the way you shop

Organic gardening products are available in some garden centers. specialty mail order catalogs usually supply a greater range. In an ideal world, anything you use in an organic garden would itself have been grown or produced organically. unfortunately, this is not yet possible; although the range is growing, at times you will have to use conventionally grown seed, for example, or manure from animals not raised organically. To conform to the organic principles of sustainability, always try to reuse and recycle waste materials from your own garden and locality. One exception to this rule is to dispose of any unsuitable pesticides and herbicides as soon as possible. However, you must not add these to household trash or pour them down sinks or sewers. Call your university extension for advice on disposing of them safely.

Outside help

If you are new to organics, or simply need advice or new ideas, there are organizations that can help. Organic gardening groups can be found all over the country, and these are especially helpful for advice on local subjects such as tackling problem soil. Your university extension service may be able to suggest organic solutions to pest problems. And many of the large gardening websites have organic forums where you can find advice or encouragement.