Latest news with #DepartmentofPlantProtection
Express Tribune
20 hours ago
- Business
- Express Tribune
Unjustified methyl bromide imports banned
Listen to article The government has uncovered a methyl bromide scandal within the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) and suspended a suspicious company's licence, while halting shipments worth $1 million. Amid a major crackdown on the DPP, the government has reviewed the policy for methyl bromide imports and imposed a ban on the unjustified import of the product. Under the leadership of Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, the DPP has undertaken a series of transformative, corrective and disciplinary measures over the past six months to overhaul its operations, systems and regulatory mechanisms. As part of this reform agenda, Rana Tanveer directed the initiation of several strategic measures, including the launch of NAFSA, upgrading testing laboratories and the establishment of a modern institutional infrastructure aligned with global phytosanitary standards. These reforms are aimed at improving Pakistan's compliance with international trade requirements and enhancing export competitiveness. One of the most impactful actions was the revision in import conditions on a scientific basis, resulting in a drastic reduction in the unjustified use of methyl bromide. This regulatory shift led to significant cost savings for the import industry, ranging from Rs30,000 to Rs40,000 per container, particularly benefiting imports of cotton, grains, pulses and lentils. The move was welcomed by the industry stakeholders and is being viewed as a landmark step towards rationalised pesticide use. The minister also took firm action against malpractices. A detailed internal audit revealed that a company was importing methyl bromide from a suspicious origin. Under the minister's instructions, the DPP undertook rigorous scrutiny, including third-party verification, cross-checking of documents and allied investigations. As a result, the company's licence was promptly suspended due to violations of regulatory norms and in coordination with Pakistan Customs, four under-process shipments valuing at $1 million were intercepted at the port before clearance. These enforcement actions not only prevented the entry of potentially harmful substances but also sent a strong signal about the ministry's zero-tolerance policy against non-compliance and malpractice. Furthermore, strict disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against those found responsible. Rana Tanveer has repeatedly emphasised the importance of transparency, accountability and institutional integrity within all attached departments of the food security ministry. The detection and disruption of a high-value scam, along with swift and lawful action, have been widely appreciated by stakeholders and the public. It reinforces the resolve to cleanse the system of inefficiencies, ensure fair competition and uphold phytosanitary integrity in national and international trade. Rana Tanveer reaffirmed that the Ministry of National Food Security would continue to pursue reforms with full force, ensuring that Pakistan's agricultural and quarantine systems meet global benchmarks, and that no leniency would be shown to those violating the law or compromising the national interest.
Business Recorder
25-06-2025
- Science
- Business Recorder
Vanishing wings: the neglected guardians of Pakistan's food security
In an age where artificial intelligence (AI) and drone technology are rapidly reshaping the agricultural landscape, Pakistan faces the risk of quietly losing one of its most valuable assets in the fight for food security: the Aerial Wing of the Department of Plant Protection. Once a symbol of innovation and national preparedness, this fleet of aircraft—designed for pest control especially desert locust and crop protection—is now languishing in neglect, its future uncertain. The Aerial Wing has a proud legacy that dates back to the early 1950s when the government deployed Piper Cub aircraft to monitor and combat locust swarms in the desert regions. Over time, its role expanded. In the mid-1960s, the government added 20 De Havilland Beaver aircrafts to the fleet. By the 1970s, additional Fletcher and Cessna aircrafts brought further capability and reach. These aircraft weren't just used for agricultural pest control on paddy, cotton, sugarcane, apple and dates orchards, including desert locust—they were employed in forest regeneration through aerial seeding, hygienic spraying in urban areas, artificial rainmaking in coordination with the Meteorological Department and Pakistan Army, and even uranium exploration with the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. The Aerial Wing didn't stop at Pakistan's borders. In 1988, three aircrafts were sent to Kuwait on request of the Kuwaiti government to help combat locust infestations. That operation earned the Pakistani government over $50,000. Two additional missions were conducted in Oman between 1989 and 1991. These international operations demonstrated Pakistan's capacity not only to manage its own agricultural emergencies but to assist other nations in times of need. Above were few precedents to refer its post glorified operations in the Middle East. Despite its long record of success and innovation, this fleet today is hanging by a thread. Only four Beavers, seven Fletchers, and eight Cessna aircrafts remain, many grounded, others at risk of being lost forever. Two operational Beavers viz. AVJ and AMA currently parked at Walton Hangar in Lahore face an immediate threat. With the hangar's closure underway, the aircraft may be disassembled and removed on trucks—an action that could render them permanently inoperable due to the department's limited mechanical and technical capacity augmented by disinterest by the heads. This is more than just administrative oversight—it is the slow erosion of a national resource that cannot be easily replaced. The irony is stark. During the most recent desert locust emergency in 2020–22, the government invested Rs. 185 million in spare parts and equipment, which now sit unopened and unused. The problem isn't a lack of investment—it's a lack of vision, leadership and urgency. There is no shortage of experienced retired aviation professionals willing to serve. What is missing is the initiative to harness their experience before the country finds itself scrambling during the next sudden desert locust crisis. Globally, agriculture is moving toward precision farming, powered by AI, drones, and satellite data. These tools allow early detection of pests, weather-based forecasting of outbreaks, and precision spraying that minimizes pesticide use while maximizing efficiency. Pakistan's existing aircraft—particularly the Beaver fleet—may be retrofitted with modern spraying systems and AI-supported technology. Doing so would not only preserve their relevance but also place Pakistan on par with leading nations in agricultural defense and food security. There is also an opportunity to reclaim the Aerial Wing's role in international cooperation. The Middle East and parts of Africa are again vulnerable to locust invasions, especially with forecasts of higher-than-average rains creating ideal breeding conditions. Offering aerial support missions abroad can earn revenue, boost Pakistan's international standing, and reaffirm the value of this fleet as a strategic and humanitarian tool. But time is running out. If decisive action is not taken immediately — particularly the relocation of aircrafts from the soon-to-be-demolished Walton Hangar — Pakistan risks losing not just machines but an entire era of national preparedness. This is more than just a story of fading aircrafts; it's a warning about what happens when institutions with proven value are left to decline. Reviving the Aerial Wing is not a matter of nostalgia — it's a matter of necessity. In a world increasingly prone to climate shocks, pest outbreaks and food insecurity, Pakistan cannot afford to let this asset fall silent. The departmental aircrafts though old (is gold) can still fly. The question is: will we let them? Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
21-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Seminar on enhancing Pakistan's fodder export held
BAHAWALPUR: The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), in collaboration with the Bahawalpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry, successfully hosted a seminar titled 'Enhancing Pakistan's Fodder Export through Best Practices and Market Opportunities' at Bahawalpur. This event, the third in a series following successful sessions in Multan and Rahim Yar Khan in December 2024, aimed to bolster Pakistan's fodder export potential by promoting resource-efficient farming, compliance with international standards, and market access strategies for high-potential markets like China, Korea, and Qatar. Moderated by Ms Hina Tahir, Deputy Director (Agro & Food Division), TDAP, the seminar convened key stakeholders, including exporters, representatives from the Department of Plant Protection, Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, and trade missions from Korea and China. The event featured virtual participation from exporters, underscoring the growing industry interest in Pakistan's fodder export sector. Athar Hussain Khokhar, Director General (Agro & Food Division), TDAP, emphasized TDAP's commitment to unlocking global fodder markets through innovation, compliance, and collaboration. He highlighted recent trade initiatives, including the Pakistan Animal Fodder Delegation to Qatar, which engaged six Pakistani companies in productive B2B meetings with Qatari firms like Hassad Food, Widam Food, and Baladna, fostering opportunities for Rhodes grass, alfalfa, and other fodder exports. Dr Qamar Shakil, Chief Scientist at the Agriculture Biotechnology Research Institute, Faisalabad, shared advanced techniques for optimizing Rhodes grass and other fodder crop production, focusing on quality enhancement and sustainability to meet export market demands. Ghulam Qadir, Trade & Investment Counsellor (Beijing), highlighted China's position as the world's largest feed producer and consumer, with 2024 feed imports totalling $13.74 billion. Despite Pakistan's modest 1.84% share ($253 million), primarily in oil seeds and fish meals, Rhodes grass holds significant potential due to an approved import protocol. He urged exporters to register with China's General Administration of Customs (GACC) to activate this protocol and explore negotiations for sorghum and alfalfa, which face current restrictions. Key Chinese importers, such as New Hope Liuhe Co, Ltd and Tongwei Co, Ltd, were identified as potential partners. Muhammad Hassan Farid, Trade & Investment Counsellor (Seoul), noted that Korea imports over 70% of its animal feed, with Pakistan's 2024 exports to Korea reaching $2 million. He emphasized the untapped potential for cereal straw and bovine feed, contingent on establishing APQA-approved quarantine facilities in Pakistan to meet Korean regulatory standards. Dr Khalid Zafar, Entomologist from the Department of Plant Protection provided technical guidance on GACC and APQA registration processes, detailing phytosanitary requirements, including pest control, certification, and pre-shipment inspections to ensure compliance. Pakistan's fodder industry, producing 55 million tonnes annually, including 5 million tonnes of alfalfa, is well-positioned to capture emerging markets. With 470,000 hectares of suitable land in Punjab and competitive production costs, Pakistan offers a cost and logistics edge, particularly for Gulf markets like Qatar, located just 1,100 km away. The recent delegation to Qatar secured strong interest from major buyers, with Hassad Food requesting product samples for Rhodes grass and Widam Food initiating vendor registration for Pakistani suppliers. Baladna, Qatar's leading dairy producer, expressed keen interest in alfalfa, aligning with Pakistan's high-quality offerings. The seminar underscored the need for policy actions to enhance export competitiveness, including expanding GACC-registered exporters, expediting sorghum protocol negotiations with China, and establishing APQA-approved facilities for Korea. Strengthening technical cooperation with Chinese firms for feed processing technology and quality control was also recommended. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Demise of an ‘indispensable' department
For decades, the Department of Plant Protection (DPP) was one of Pakistan's most quietly effective institutions. It didn't make headlines, but it made food security possible by fighting desert locust and crop / orchard pests. From overseeing pesticide regulation to conducting aerial locust spraying, this department formed the frontline of Pakistan's battle against pest outbreaks including desert locust that could cripple agriculture and destabilize rural economies. That is, until May 2, 2025, when a presidential ordinance dissolved the DPP and replaced it with a new body—NAFSA, the National Agri-trade and Food Safety Authority. The move, packaged as a leap toward modernization and international compliance, has instead raised serious questions about Pakistan's preparedness to deal with agricultural emergencies. The dissolution of DPP marks the end of a chapter that began before Pakistan even founded. The department's origins stretch back to colonial India, and after independence, it became a formal arm of the federal government. As Pakistan's designated National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO), the DPP operated under international treaties and frameworks like the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC – 1951 revised 1997) and FAO's regional pest control systems including DLCC – desert locust control committee established in 1955 and FAO Commission for Controlling the Desert Locust in South-West Asia (SWAC) is the oldest of the three regional commissions within the global locust early warning and prevention system, which was established in 1964. At the helm in the early days was Dr. Taskhir Ahmed, a British-trained entomologist whose innovations—especially in aerial spraying and pesticide formulation—earned international recognition and laid the groundwork for a modern plant protection regime. Under his guidance, Pakistan developed a pioneering aerial wing including many critical research portfolios / schemes which were later on transferred to what would become the Pakistan Agricultural Research Council. Yet despite this proud legacy, the DPP began its slow decline decades ago. Since 1998, it has not had a permanent, qualified Plant Protection Adviser and Director General, originally the position was PPA&D having its own qualification, experience, and fitness. Political appointments and bureaucratic interference replaced technical leadership caused in appointments from PAS, Pakistan Post and Pakistan Custom cadres too. Resultantly, infrastructure decayed, and staff numbers dwindled, key functions like locust surveillance and aerial operations became neglected. By the time the locust crisis of 2019–2020 hit, the department was already struggling. No benefit was accrued, even by a big grant offered by the World Bank of USD 200 million. Although post-crisis reforms were promised; these were never materialized. Instead, the final blow came this year with the creation of NAFSA—a body that, though well-intentioned, has started off 'dangerously incomplete'. NAFSA was created to align Pakistan with modern plant and animal quarantine under Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement viz-a-viz food safety standards, including those set by the WTO and Codex Alimentarius. It replaced outdated legislation from the 1930s and 1970s, and included functions like animal and plant quarantine and pesticides registration too. But two of DPP's most vital operational pillars—desert locust control and aerial pest management—were not absorbed into NAFSA's framework. This is not a technical omission; it is an existential gap. Without a mandate or structure to monitor and respond to pest outbreaks, particularly desert locust, Pakistan has essentially disarmed itself in the face of an environmental as well as recurring threat that knows no borders. The risks are significant. With no operational aerial wing and no active locust division, the country is exposed to future invasions it will be institutionally unequipped to handle. Expertise is being lost as specialists retire or are sidelined. The country risks falling out of compliance with FAO and regional cooperations, jeopardizing its relationships with regional partners like India, Iran, and Oman—a cooperation that is essential for effective cross-border pests / desert locust surveillance. More immediately, any future outbreak of trans-boundary pest could spiral into a national emergency, simply because no federal body will be legally or logistically ready to respond. All of this, ironically, is unfolding in the name of modernization. But modernization without continuity is not progress—it is reinvention without memory. The institutional knowledge built over generations through DPP's field operatives, scientists, and aerial teams being our assets cannot simply be replaced by legislation or an administrative reshuffle. What is needed now is not just a new name, but a coherent structure that blends regulatory reform with operational capacity. The way forward must include the immediate establishment of a Plant Protection Operations Wing under the Ministry of National Food Security & Research. This unit should house the locust control and aerial functions, staffed with trained entomologists, pilots, GIS experts, and pest surveillance officers. Legal support if needed is also critical: a Federal Plant Protection Emergency Act would enable rapid mobilization and coordination across provinces and borders. Pakistan must also reaffirm its commitments to international bodies like FAO and reestablish formal cooperation with neighbouring countries on desert pest control. And in keeping with modernization goals, the aerial wing should be digitized—pivoting toward aircraft / drone-based surveillance and spraying technologies. A dedicated Desert Locust Research and Operations Centre in Balochistan or southern Punjab could serve as the nerve centre for all of these activities, combining real-time data with legacy field intelligence. It is not too late to act. But time is short, and the pests like desert locust won't wait. Pakistan's agricultural resilience now hinges not on its willingness to modernize—but on its ability to do so without forgetting what once made its plant protection system work. Reform must be built upon the legacy, not by erasing it. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
