Government may miss target by one million tonnes
Government is already in process of revising wheat production target of 23.5 million tonnes for 2008-09 by .5 million tonnes due to around 40 per cent water shortage. The scarcity of fertilizer and other input costs is also a major concern. But, President of Pakistan Economy Watch, Dr. Murtaza Mughal said that a ban on the movement of seed by government of Punjab may hit the targets badly.

Growers in Sindh start cultivation in the first half of October. Farmers in Mirpur Khas and Sanghar etc have already started sowing sub-standard seed due to non-availability of certified one. All the provinces rely on certified seed from Punjab. Some growers will use retained seeds which is not advisable.

The ban by Punjab is helping making of a crisis as some 65 to 70 percent growers rely on seed from Punjab and the ban should be lifted soon. The ban may push many to opt for other crops frustrating federal government efforts to become self-reliant as far as the staple is concerned.

861,000 hectare area assumed to be cultivated in the Rabi season may not be achieved, warned Dr. Murtaza Mughal. There was no ban before the government of Shahbaz Sharif and now a number of agencies including Food Department, Police and Special Branch are barring any movement. Government of Punjab has decided to issue permits for seed movement by so far no permit has been issued yet. Also, confusion prevails as to who will be issuing these permits, he said.

Frustrated growers can switch to other crops
He said that Pakistan requires a million tonnes of wheat seed per annum. Presently country is facing 50 per cent shortage. Federal Seed Certification and Registration Department is able to provide almost three lakh tonnes of certified seed. The same department is providing 34000 tonnes of cottonseed, 13000 tonnes of rice seed, 8000 tonnes of maize seed, 1000 tonnes of oilseed and seed for pulses etc. “The budget of this department should be enhanced to ensure green revolution,” said Dr. Murtaza Mughal.

On the other hand, flour price jumped to all time high of Rs750 per 20-kilogram bag in Peshawar. Half of the shops in Peshawar Flour Market were closed down in addition to the 150 flourmills. Around 1300 bags are being supplied to Fair Price shops on daily basis, however, people complained about poor quality of flour available at Fair price shops.-SANA

Contributing to this growth is soaring food, fuel and fertilizer prices, FAO said. Food prices rose 52 per cent between 2007 and 2008, and fertilizer prices have nearly doubled over the past year. The hardest hit have been the poorest, the landless and female-headed households.

“The devastating effects of high food prices on the number of hungry people compound already worrisome long-term trends,” said Hafez Ghanem, FAO Assistant Director-General for Economic and Social Development. “Hunger increased as the world grew richer and produced more food than ever during the last decade.”

Not only does this development impact efforts to achieve the hunger-related MDG, but it also affects progress towards many of the Goals, said Mr. Ghanem. Hunger negatively impacts labour productivity, health and education, all factors for economic growth. “Reducing the number of hungry people by 500 million in the remaining seven years to 2015 will require an enormous and resolute global effort and concrete actions,” he added.

FAO stressed the need for action on two fronts – making food accessible to the most vulnerable, and helping small producers raise their output and earn more. In December 2007 the agency launched its Initiative on Soaring Food Prices to help vulnerable countries boost food supplies and improve access to food. Measures include the distribution of seeds, fertilizer, animal feed and other farming tools and supplies to smallholder farmers.

“Urgent, broad-based and large-scale investments are needed to address in a sustainable manner the growing food insecurity problems affecting the poor and hungry,” said Mr. Ghanem. “No single country or institution will be able to resolve this crisis on its own.”- UN News Service

It was a very old saying about a Bengali babu. Food has always been a weakness for Bengalis. In those days Bengalis used to spend a large amount of money just for the sake of food. A Bengali babu has never hesitated in throwing a party to others, and if for the sake of it, they had to exhaust all their wealth they never did minded at all. Not only in marriage ceremonies, any occasion to them was a party time and in these parties lavish expenditure on food reduced many to a popper. Bengalis have been winners in all the delicacies they have presented to the world. Not just mutton, fish and vegetables but the variety of confections and array of fruit dishes have always overawed the gluttons of the world.

Fish has always played an important role in Bengali culture.”Maach Bhhat Banaye Bangali” or “Mache bhate khanti bangali” these phrases describes the intimacy of fish in Bengali culture. Also it should be noted that fish is very nutritious as well as it’s a good source of protein. It is the most reliable source of protein for over one million people all over the world. Fish is among the most common food allergens.

There are lots of variety of fish that adheres to the Bengali culture. The most famous being Hilsa fish (Ilish) and Lobster (Golda, Bagda).Other famous fish includes Tengra, Parshe, Pabda, Gurjawali, Arr,Gule,Pakal,Kajri,Telapiya…..to name a few.

Some famous fish dishes include Ilish macher sorshe paturi(Hilsa fish in mustard curry binded in banana leaves), ilish maach bhappe(Steamed Ilish),ilish mach kancha kumror jhool(Hilsa with pumpkin),Ilish macher kaachkola diye jhool(hilsa fish with kacha kela),Daab chingri(Prawns with Coconut),Chitol macher Muitha(Chitol fish recipe),Mourala Batichochori(Mourala delicacy), Rui Macher Golap Soru(Fish and Rice cooked together), Koi Macher er horogouri , Koi macher Ganga Jamuna…..and lots of more.

In both parts of Bengal (West Bengal and East Bengal-Bangladesh) fish forms the main recipe. Typically in Bangladesh there is special variety or style of cooking fish. Particularly Chattagram (Chittagong), Lakhipur

these sea facing areas dry up the fishes and cook them with Brinjal and potatoes. This variety is known as “Shutki”. It is a complete East Bengal delicacy. In Dhaka people are more fond of Hilsa and other fishes. In fact the most famous recipe of fishes comes from Dhaka.

A Bengali marriage without fish dishes is incomplete. In marriage special fish dishes include “Rui Macher Kalia” (Rui Fish Curry), “Macher Matha diye Dal” (Dal with Fish Head), “Bhetki Paturi” (Bhetki in Mustard Sauce), “Chingri Macher Malaikari” (Prawns in Coconut curry), “Rui Posto” (Rui in Khus Khus curry), “Ilish Paturi” to name a few. In modern days new dishes like Fish Butter Fry or Fish Orley are also considered.

Fish apart from being taken as food is also considered to be pious. In Hindu culture it is widely used during Saraswati Puja (Jora Ilish’er Bhog). In famous Kali Temple in Kolkata as well as in Dhakeshwari in Dhaka fish is offered to Devi Kali. Fish is often considered as Lakshmi according to Hindu Tradition. In Bengal, before going out of their homes people like to see a fish as because it is considered a lucky one.

Apart from fish, Mutton is a favourite food of Bengal. Some of the mutton dishes include “Kosha Mangsho”( Mutton Curry), “Koch Pathar Jhol” (Mutton Thin Curry), “Mutton Chap in Bengali style”, “Mangshor Jhol” (Mutton Stew) , “Bhojoharir Mangsho” (Mutton dish by Famous imaginary Bengali cook named Bhojohari Manna), “Mangshor Patla Jhol” (Special Mutton Curry) , “ Mutton Dakbanglo” (A dish of Mutton Served during the British Raj), to name a few. Mutton is a must in a Marriage. Mutton is offered to Devi Kali by giving ‘Bali’ to the Devi. So in religion it takes an important place.

Chicken does is not included in traditional Bengali food list. In olden days Hindus of Bengal strictly avoided chicken. But Muslim Bengalis used to have chicken. But with the advancement of days people started to take up chicken. Also with the rise up in cost of mutton chicken is a replacement for mutton.

Favorite chicken dishes includes “Murgir Jhol” (Chicken Curry), “Kosha Murgi” (Chicken Dry Curry) ,” Bon Murgir jhol” (Jungli Murga) to name a few.

Other Non-Veg foods includes Crabs (Kankra), Moluscles (Geri). There is a famous crab dish called “Digama sahib er Kankra”. This crab dish was eaten by Vasco Da’ Gama.

Beef forms an important part in Muslim Bengali culture. During Bengali New Year they cook a very special dish known as “Goru kalia”. Also favorite beef dishes include “Beef Kosha”, Beef Cutlet”, “Beef Chop”. “Beef Biriyani” …to name a few.

There is lot of Non veg Bengali foods. But there are lots of veg foods too. These Bengali veg foods are very important. In a typical Hindu Bengali home a widow is forbidden to take Non-veg foods. So, it forms an important diet for a Hindu widow. Some great traditional Bengali veg foods include “Potoler Dolma” (Parval preparation), “Dhoka Dalna” , “Labra” (Mixed Vegetables) , “Ghoogni”(Matar Sabji), “Aloor Dum”, “Niramish Chochori” (Mixed Vegetables) , “Lau Borir Ghanto”(Lauki with Bari), “ Mulo Ghonto”, “Cholar Dal” (Chana Dal), “Sona Muger Dal”(Moong Dal), “Mochar Ghonto” , Shukto, to name a few.

A very famous dish in Bengal is Posto (Poppy seeds). It can be made with Vegetables like Aloo, Cauliflower, Bhindi, Taru…etc It is also prepared with Mutton, prawns or Chicken. Bengalis really love posto.

Biriyani is not a traditional food in Bengal but Pulao is prepared in al over Bengal. Although, In Dhaka-Bikrampur there is Biriyani called Dhakai Biriyani. In Bengal people used to take just plane rice and Mutton or fish. Khichri (Khichuri) forms a very traditional food in Bengali culture. It is taken during the monsoon season with Beguni or Ilish Bhaja and pappar, Achar. Kichuri is also served as an “Asthumi Bhog” during the famous Durga Pujas.

There are varieties of breads and snacks or starters in Bengali. Luchi is the most famous bread. It is served traditionally with “Kosha Mangsho” or Aloor Dum or Cholar Dal. Dhakai Paratha is a famous paratha variety. Paratha in Bengal is also served with “Kumro’r Chakka” (Pumpkin Sabji). Snacks include “Beguni, Allor Chop, Mochar Chop, Kabiraji, Hingche Chop, Cutley”…..and lots of more.

There are lots of varieties of chutneys is prepared in Bengal. This includes Chalta Chutney, Mango Chutney (Fatik Jhol), Amra Chutney, Jalpai Chutney…and many more.

Bengali sweet is famous all over the world. In whole of Indian subcontinent no other place for sweet. The traditional Rassgulla (Rossogolla) was first invented in Dhaka by Nabin Chandra Das in 1765 AD. However in 1782 when he shifted his base to Kolkata, Rasgulla became a part of Kolkata. In 1852, Bishnu Charan Guin invented a sweet and named it after Lord Canning’s Wife Lady Canning. With the passage of days it camed to known as “Ladicanne”. Other sweets include Dahi(Doi)(Molla Chowk), Monohara(Janai),Lengcha(Shaktigarh), Rosmalai(Commila), Pantua(Ranaghat),chomchom(Kolkata),Jora Mundi(Krshnanagar),ChanaBora(Midnapore),Golap Papri,Suji Halua,Sandesh(Dhaka , Kolkata),Patishapta(Faridpur),Payesh(Kheer), Zarda, Pithe(During Winters),Shor Bhaja(Murshidabad)…and there are lots of lots of more. These are just a few.

At the end of everything Pan formed an important ending of a Bengali feast. Pan is traditionally served with Chun (Chuna), Khair (Katha), Supuri (Supari), Mitha Masala, Chaman Bahar, Elaichi, Gulkand, Chutni.

Some Famous Dishes from Different Districts of Bengal:

1. Ilish Paturi (Dhaka-Bikrampur).

2. Chitol Mitha and Kalia (Faridpur).

3. Shutki (Chittagong, Narayanganj, lakhipur, Noakhali, Barishal, Patuakhali).

4. Mangsho kosha (Kolkata)

5. Chingri Bhate (Murshidabad).

6. Chingri Malaikari (West Bengal).

7. Ilish Bhate (Mymensingh , Sylhet)

8. Dhoka (West-Bengal)

9. Posto (Bengal)

10. Kopi Chochori (Tangail).

To name a few……………………………………………

But in these days people are too busy to make this preparation. So, they are inclining towards these bogus pizza and burgers. New generations are totally unaware of these foods. They even, haven’t heard the names. Bengal is losing its culture and if it goes on in this manner, it will not take too much time when these foods will be in the pages of history. However, apart from Bengali foods Bengali are now consuming varities of food. Including Punjabi, Chinese, Italian, Mexican…etc

“Ore Bangali roili na je tui bangali…..maach bhat chere dhorli le je biliti khana”

(Oh! Bengali……..you are no longer a Bengali……..For the sake of continental food you have forgotten your culture. You have stopped eating Fish and rice for the sake of Pizzas and Burgers).

The Australian High Commissioner said “the Australian Government accords a high priority both to meeting humanitarian needs and supporting the Government of Pakistan, and is pleased to respond to an urgent request from the World Food Programme and the Government of Pakistan.”

Balochistan and FATA are amongst the most poorly-developed and food-insecure regions of Pakistan. The decline in rainfall over the past decade has reduced agricultural incomes and employment opportunities. This contribution will help address severe food shortages and improve access to health and education services and livelihood opportunities in these areas.

“We are thankful to the government of Australia for this generous support to our programmes in FATA and Balochistan. With this contribution WFP will be able to purchase over 5,000 tons of nutritious food for poor people living in these areas.” said WFP Pakistan Country Director, Wolfgang Herbinger. WFP’s operations in FATA and Balochistan have also received generous donations from the Government of Canada in cash and the Government of Pakistan in kind.

“The border areas have suffered from years of insecurity and lack of development opportunities. Enhancing economic development opportunities and improving access to quality health and education services is crucial to reversing this situation,” said Ms. McCarthy. WFP has started its two-year programme in FATA and parts of Balochistan. The project will assist tens of thousands of poor parents with a can of oil for each month their children attend primary school. Food incentives will also be used to encourage participation in prenatal and primary health care activities while infants and nursing mothers from food insecure households will be provided with nutritious blended foods.

Although security remains a major challenge for WFP to implement this programme, the organization, supported by Australia, is committed to help those in need. Australia will provide estimated Aus $25 million in development assistance to Pakistan in 2007-08 and plans to significantly increase its aid program in future years. In Pakistan, WFP assists over four million food insecure people annually. However, increasing food prices have the potential to pull more people into poverty, and to deepen food insecurity among already vulnerable groups. WFP is in the need of additional funding of US$ 23.3 million dollars to address the increased needs of the poorest Pakistanis because of the food price crisis.-SANA

Speaking in a debate on agriculture, food and Africa, the Pakistan ambassador also called for addressing the underlying policy issues which have led to this food emergency in the first place, including agricultural policies that maintained subsidies by the rich while eroding food security for the poor, and diverted food for fuel. Adequate resources and application of existing and emerging technologies were needed to enlarge sustainable food production in developing countries, he said in his presentation before the Commission on Sustainable Development, a body of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

Munir Akram said the plethora of development challenges facing the international community, including the surging prices of commodities, a credit crisis in the world’s largest economies, a slowdown in official development assistance and the danger of a new wave of protectionism, were all exacerbated in the developing world by the impact of climate change.

Calling for further equitable action in the area of technology, Ambassador Akram went on to say that no developing country could be pressed to give up reliance on the carbon economy, which was essential to ensure growth, until alternative and affordable solutions were demonstrated and made available to them. They needed access to, and indigenous application of, technologies, notwithstanding the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) agreement. They also needed help to deploy available and emerging technologies effectively and guaranteed access to future technologies.-SANA

The Prime Minister said that ensuring food security particularly of a staple item like wheat is the topmost priority of the government and the leadership of the coalition partners is fully committed in this regard. He said the provincial governments and law enforcement agencies have been asked to take effective measures for controlling smuggling and hoarding of wheat besides taking strict action against profiteers.

Secretary MINFAL briefed the meeting about the wheat procurement situation in the country. He said that targets of procurement will be ensured in all the four provinces, besides active buying by the PASCO itself. The meeting also reviewed the rice stocks and supply situation in the country and expressed satisfaction over situation of rice in the country. The Prime Minister was told that the country has surplus reserves of Irri, the most widely consumed variety in Pakistan.

The Prime Minister directed that agreement with Rice Export Association Pakistan (REAP) regarding availability of 200,000 tons of rice to Utility Stores Corporation and maintenance of additional reserves of 300,000 tons should be ensured and implemented in letter and spirit. This, he said, would ensure adequate supply of rice to the consumers at reasonable price. He also directed to review the situation to ensure adequate supply of pulses such as grams, masoor, mung and mash in the market.

The stock and supply situation of pulses also came under deliberation during the meeting. The Prime Minister said that availability of essential food items at reasonable rates to the people should be ensured. Earlier in a separate meeting Senior Federal Minister for Food, Agriculture and Livestock Ch. Nisar Ali Khan gave the Prime Minister a general overview of the food situation in the country. Federal Minister for Finance, Mr. Ishaq Dar, Deputy Chairman Planning Commission, Secretary Commerce, Secretary Cabinet, Secretary Finance, Secretary Food & Agriculture also attended the meeting.-SANA

The Prime Minister termed food shortage a global phenomenon whose effects were being felt in every country including Pakistan and the government was taking timely measures for meeting these challenges. He said ensuring food security particularly of a staple item like wheat was the top most priority of the government and the leadership of the coalition partners was fully committed in this regard.

The Prime Minister said provincial governments and law enforcement agencies had been asked to take effective measures for controlling smuggling and hoarding of wheat besides taking strict action against profiteers. Secretary MINFAL Ziaur Rehman briefed the meeting about the wheat procurement situation in the country and said targets of procurement would be ensured in all four provinces, besides active buying by the PASCO itself. The meeting also reviewed the rice stocks and supply situation and expressed satisfaction over situation of rice in the country. The Prime Minister was told that the country had surplus reserves of Irri, the most widely consumed variety of rice in Pakistan.-SANA

According to the report, the remaining 34% said they did not facing difficulties. Among those facing the nature of problem has ranged from price hike to quality, long ques and simple unavailability. Price hike is the most frequently cited reason by 57% of those claiming difficulty in obtaining flour for daily food needs. This is followed by other reasons such as poor quality cited by 13%, standing in ques to buy it cited by 10% and simple unavailability cited by 18%. The remaining did not provide an answer.

To know that who was responsible for the scarcity, sixty-two percent (62%) of all respondents hold the previous government responsible for the crisis. The remaining blame it on traders and flour-mill owners (27%), growers (5%) and miscellaneous (6%). The respondents were also asked their view on whether the crisis was a shortage created by conspiracy or a real shortage. Views were divided on this. Forty-two percent (42%) believed it was a real shortage, while 58% said they viewed it as a conspiracy.

Responding to the rising oil prices, fifty-nine percent (59%) of a national sample of respondents in both rural and urban areas of Pakistan opined that they expect higher prices of oil to severely affect their personal lives. Another 36% believed it would have some effect although not severe. Only 5% believed the higher prices of oil will not affect their life.

The sample for the survey comprised 1664 men and women distributed in the rural and urban areas of all four provinces. They represented a cross section of various age, income and other socio-economic backgrounds. The field-work was conducted face to face during April 20-21, 2008. The error margin in this kind of survey is estimated to be +3-5% at a 95% confidence level.-SANA

He added that positive steps were being taken in public interest like the support price of wheat was increased by the Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani 40 Kgs, Rs.625. Qaim Ali Shah said that wheat procurement centers were established to procure wheat in order to achieve wheat target at all cost.-SANA

Mill owners said that the wheat from new crops used to come by April 1 every year, but this has been delayed due to rains this year and even after April 15, flourmills would be supplied wheat 25 percent less than their quota.-SANA

Hyderabad facing shortage of flour due to non-supply of wheat from the government warehouses to the flourmills, while the shopkeepers are selling flour at their demand prices ranging between Rs20-24 per kilo. On the other hand, the owners of flour grinders told that they were not getting the wheat according to the demand, which left several flour grinders standstill, while the citizens were running from pillar to post for buying a bag of flour.

Despite wheat supply from the new crop in the market, flour crisis continues in Nawabshah, while the people suffer due to hiking prices of flour. The wholesalers have resorted to large-scale hoarding of wheat after the government announced increase in the wheat support price, which ensued acute shortage in the market and price kept hiking everyday.

Despite government enhanced wheat price from Rs510 to Rs625 per maund, the wheat price in the open market has reached Rs640 to Rs650. On the hand, profiteers have started buying wheat on large-scale and shifting it to Karachi and other provinces from Mirpurkhas. Growers said that there being no ban on the transportation of wheat from Sindh to other provinces; a fearsome wheat crisis is looming large in the province.-SANA

The Secretary Food said that procurement would start at seven in the morning to seven in the evening without a break even on holidays in order to meet the target of three million tones.-SANA

He revealed that the impression of wheat shortage is not right, as there are at least four lakh tonnes of wheat in the province. He added that measures were underway to stop smuggling for which Rangers’ help may be sought.-SANA

According to details, the severe cold weather has damaged a number of varieties of sugarcane and their colour had turned into red. The local sugar mills is imposing 25 per cent cut on the price of the sugarcane. However, after the protest by the farmers, the mills has stopped the purchase of the sugarcane. This has spread unrest among the farmers. The Farmers Association Darya Khan has demanded that purchase of the sugarcane should not be stopped so that they are saved from loss of millions of rupees.-SANA

He said the country has sufficient stock of over 1.6 million tons of wheat and the crisis is not due to the shortage of the commodity.The Chairman FFC said import of 2,14,000 tons of wheat has been completed and another 2,42,000 will arrive by the end of this month. He said that wheat flour quota for the 10th of Muharram will be released on 8th of the holy month.

He said there will be no load-shedding for flour mills except from five to ten at night and there will be uninterrupted power supply to flour mills for 19 hours.Frooq Ahmad said that 5000 personnel of Civil Armed Forces have been deployed to check pilferage of wheat during transportation from godowns to flour mills and from mills to distribution points.

To a question, he said that strict measures have been taken to stem smuggling of wheat. As a result the law enforcing agencies have seized 1,80,000 kilograms of atta which was being smuggled and provided to the utility stores. He expressed the confidence that due to the measures taken by the government, the crisis will soon be overcome.-SANA

He said the price of 20 kilogram flour bag has decreased in the country. Wheat flour, he said, is available at fair price for the consumers, and added that the mill owners have agreed to provide flour at the rate of Rs. 17 per kilogram.-SANA