MGA demand early completion of cargo complex at Multan airport

MULTAN,May 31st:Mango growers Association demanded that MINFA and other related agencies to horticulture promotion should facilitate mango growers to acquire certifications for Good Agriculture Practices and global access to Mango instead of abetting donors for mandatory compliance of these requirements who have a very limited agenda. The members were of the opinion that Government should work closely with Mango Growers Associations and Mango Growers Cooperative Society to understand and address real issues of productivity and On-Farm infrastructure development for large segment of small and medium mango growers who represent 95% of the mango industry.A special General Body meeting of the Mango Growers Cooperative Society Limited Multan (MGCSL) was held in the Services Club, Multan under Chairmanship of the President of MGCSL Syed Zahid Hussain Gardezi. The meeting was attended by large number of Grower members from Multan, Khanewal, Muzaffargarh, Vehari and Lodhran districts.The association expressed grave concern over the imminent threat of drought looming on agriculture in Pakistan and strongly opined that Government should seriously take up water issues with India and should sincerely evolve broad based inter-provincial consensus for construction of Kalabagh dam and other water reservoirs on war footings to prevent drought like situation in future.
The house expressed deep anger, frustration and concern over exclusion of role of Mango Growers Cooperative Society Limited MGCSL and Mango Growers Association MGA in the Board of Management (BoM) of Agro Food Processing Facilities (AFP) Multan by Federal Ministry of Industries in blatant violation of the vision and regulations accentuated in PC-I of the project. Members of MGCSL and MGA, which played a pivotal role from conceptual to completion stage of AFP, have been callously ousted from the newly formed BoM AFP. The house emphatically demanded restoration of role of MGCSL in AFP being the major stakeholder and sponsor of the project..
Apart from discussing various Mango Industry related issues the august house took stock of the present hype about the blind acknowledgement of the IMF and World Bank dictates and its consequences on the current federal budget 2011. The house categorically rejected the imposition of proposed RGST on agriculture inputs and agriculture implements as this will cause unprecedented hardships to the growers who are already distressed at the exorbitant hike in prices of diesel, fertilizer and electricity charges. The members were of the opinion that any such adventure will increase inflation and decrease productivity which would further rural poverty.
The members of MGCSL demanded that MINFA and agencies related with horticulture promotion should facilitate mango growers to acquire certifications for Good Agriculture Practices and global access to Mango instead of abetting donors for mandatory compliance of these requirements who have a very limited agenda. The members were of the opinion that Government should work closely with Mango Growers Associations and Mango Growers Cooperative Society to understand and address real issues of productivity and On-Farm infrastructure development for large segment of small and medium mango growers who represent 95% of the mango industry.
The house demanded that completion of a modern Cargo Complex at Multan airport should be prioritized to enable commencement of direct exports of mango from the mango city of Pakistan-Multan.
The growers, unanimously with anguish had the same opinion about 40% lesser crop of mango this season in comparison to last year due to inclement weather conditions and various fungal diseases.
The meeting was also addressed by Malik Tariq from Mango Research Station Shujabad and Asif Qureshi from PHDEC on mango productivity and GlobalGAP issues.